TECH-ENHANCED CRM AND CUSTOMER LOYALTY: INSIGHTS FROM TRICITY’S (CHANDIGARH, PANCHKULA AND MOHALI) STAR CATEGORY HOTELS
Abstract
This study examines how customer loyalty is affected by technology-driven Customer Relationship Management (CRM) initiatives in star-rated hotels in the Tricity area, which includes Chandigarh, Panchkula, and Mohali. Through the use of structured questionnaires and a quantitative research methodology, information was gathered from visitors staying at different star categories of hotels. Digital reservation experience, personalised guest experience, enhanced in-room technology and services, effective communication and multichannel interaction, intelligent automation with chatbots and messaging services, guest feedback integration and continuous improvement are the six key factors related to technology-driven CRM initiatives that were identified by the study. The constructs' internal consistency was validated by reliability analysis, and hypothesis testing showed that the majority of the constructs had a significant positive impact on customer satisfaction. The study's conclusions highlight the value of technology-driven CRM programmes in improving visitor experiences and loyalty. They also recommend that hotel management give priority to investing in digital platforms, individualised services, and integrated guest feedback. Future studies could look at new patterns in the hospitality industry's adoption of technology.
Keyword : Customer Loyalty, Technology-driven CRM initiatives, Star Category Hotels, Tricity Region, Hospitality Industry.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
References
● Borgia, E. (2014). The Internet of Things vision: Key features, applications, and open issues. Computer Communications, 54, 1-31. ● Brown, A., Smith, B., & Jones, C. (2020). Technology-driven CRM initiatives and customer satisfaction in boutique hotels: A qualitative study. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights, 3(4), 338-353. ● Chen, C. C., & Huang, W. C. (2018). The impact of restaurant service quality on customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions: Considering the moderating effects of gender and age. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 71, 68-75. ● Chen, M. Y., & Huang, T. H. (2017). A Study of the Relationship between Luxury Service Perception and Customer Loyalty in Luxury Hotels. Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, and Complexity, 3(4), 21. ● Chen, W., Huang, L., & Lin, Y. (2020). Exploring the impact of technology-driven CRM initiatives within hotel loyalty programs on customer satisfaction and loyalty. Journal of Travel Research, 59(6), 1042-1056. ● Choi, S., &Mattila, A. S. (2020). The impact of hotel guest satisfaction on loyalty and word of mouth intention: Examining cultural differences. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 29(2), 151-170. ● Choudhury, A. (2021). The impact of AI on CRM in the hospitality industry. Journal of Hospitality Management and Tourism, 12(3), 115-127. ● Dabholkar, P. A., Shepherd, C. D., & Thorpe, D. I. (2000). A comprehensive framework for service quality: An investigation of critical conceptual and measurement issues through a longitudinal study. Journal of Retailing, 76(2), 139–173. ● Deng, Q., Wang, D., & Zhang, Y. (2019). Understanding the Motivations of Different Age Groups for Using Airbnb. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 31(8), 3085–3104. ● Garcia, J. R., Martinez, A. M., & Rodriguez, L. C. (2022). Implementing technology-driven CRM initiatives in budget hotels: Recommendations for enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 50, 335-346. ● Gupta, S., Lehmann, D. R., & Stuart, J. A. (2004). Valuing customers. Journal of Marketing Research, 41(1), 7-18. ● Han, H., & Hyun, S. S. (2019). Customer retention in the medical tourism industry: Impact of quality, satisfaction, trust, and price reasonableness. Tourism Management, 72, 362-370. ● Hennig-Thurau, T., Gwinner, K. P., &Gremler, D. D. (2002). Understanding relationship marketing outcomes: An integration of relational benefits and relationship quality. Journal of Service Research, 4(3), 230–247. ● Hennig-Thurau, T., Malthouse, E. C., Friege, C., Gensler, S., Lobschat, L., Rangaswamy, A., &Skiera, B. (2010). The impact of new media on customer relationships. Journal of Service Research, 13(3), 311-330. ● Hu, H. H., Kandampully, J., &Juwaheer, T. D. (2009). Relationships and impacts of service quality, perceived value, customer satisfaction, and image: An empirical study. The Service Industries Journal, 29(2), 111–125. ● Jamal, A., &Pandit, A. (2014). Determinants and Outcomes of Customer Satisfaction in the Hotel Industry: A Study of the Indian Hotel Industry. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management, 23(5), 486–510. ● Jones, P., & Kim, S. (2018). The impact of technology on service delivery and customer satisfaction in the hospitality industry. In N. Bilgihan (Ed.), Information and communication technologies in tourism 2018 (pp. 315-327). Springer. ● Kasemsap, K. (2019). Promoting customer relationship management, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty. In Handbook of Research on Customer Engagement (pp. 324-347). IGI Global. ● Kim, H. W., Chung, N., & Lee, C. K. (2020). The effect of mobile application quality on user satisfaction and loyalty in the context of hotel services. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 32(1), 324-345. ● Kim, J., Kim, Y., & Kim, W. G. (2018). Hotel guests’ preferences regarding hotel attributes: The moderating effect of gender. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 74, 13–22. ● Kotler, P., Armstrong, G., Harris, L. C., & Piercy, N. (2013). Principles of Marketing. Pearson Education. ● Kumar, S., &Nayak, J. K. (2018). How star hotels manage their customer relationships: Evidence from India. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration, 19(4), 397-417. ● Lawson, R., Alba, J. W., &Dholakia, U. M. (2004). A new look at the link between web site characteristics and customer relationship management: A two-stage model of customer trust in the context of electronic commerce. Journal of Retailing, 80(4), 443-460. ● Lee, S. Y., & Wang, Y. J. (2017). Technology-driven CRM initiatives and their effects on customer satisfaction and loyalty in online hotel booking platforms. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Technology, 8(2), 168-184. ● Lee, Y. K., Lee, Y. W., & Lee, T. J. (2003). A causal model of customer satisfaction and loyalty in e‐banking: A case study. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 7(2), 181–199. ● Leung, D., Law, R., van Hoof, H., &Buhalis, D. (2013). Social media in tourism and hospitality: A literature review. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 30(1-2), 3-22. ● Liu, C. H. S., & Jang, S. S. (2009). Perceptions of Chinese restaurants in the US: What affects customer satisfaction and behavioral intentions? International Journal of Hospitality Management, 28(3), 338–348. ● Liu, Y., Chen, C. P., & Lin, Y. H. (2012). The impact of E-CRM on customer satisfaction and loyalty in the Taiwanese banking sector. International Journal of Electronic Business Management, 10(1), 15-24. ● Malki, M. A., Elbeltagi, I., &Elmogy, M. A. (2023). Impact of social CRM dimensions on customer satisfaction and loyalty: Evidence from the automotive sector. International Journal of Information Management, 63, 102428. ● Mittal, V., Ross, W. T., &Baldasare, P. M. (1998). The asymmetric impact of negative and positive attribute-level performance on overall satisfaction and repurchase intentions. Journal of Marketing, 62(1), 33–47. ● Ngai, E. W., Law, C. C., &Wat, F. K. (2011). Examining the technology acceptance model using physician acceptance of telemedicine technology. Journal of Management Information Systems, 28(2), 91–113. ● Nguyen, T., & Patel, P. C. (2021). Influence of technology-driven CRM initiatives on customer satisfaction and loyalty in mid-scale hotels. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 58, 102347. ● Park, H. J., & Kim, Y. G. (2021). Impact of technology-driven CRM initiatives on customer satisfaction and loyalty in hotel food and beverage services. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 94, 102875. ● Reinartz, W., Krafft, M., & Hoyer, W. D. (2004). The customer relationship management process: Its measurement and impact on performance. Journal of Marketing Research, 41(3), 293-305. ● Shen, S. C., Ye, Y. Q., & Chen, H. H. (2015). Hotel service innovation and its performance outcomes: Evidence from the hotel industry. Service Business, 9(2), 309–334. ● Sigala, M. (2017). Technology-driven service innovation in the hospitality industry. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 29(1), 231-251. ● Singh, A., & Devi, K. S. (2018). Customer perceptions and preferences towards eco-friendly practices in the hotel industry. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 30(10), 3181–3200. ● Singh, R., & Singh, H. (2020). Strategic management in the hospitality industry: A study of Tricity's star hotels. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Systems, 13(2), 89-103. ● Sparks, B. A., & Browning, V. (2011). The impact of online reviews on hotel booking intentions and perception of trust. Tourism Management, 32(6), 1310-1323. ● Venkatesh, V., Thong, J. Y. L., &Xu, X. (2012). Consumer Acceptance and Use of Information Technology: Extending the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. MIS Quarterly, 36(1), 157–178. ● Verhoef, P. C., Reinartz, W. J., &Krafft, M. (2010). Customer engagement as a new perspective in customer management. Journal of Service Research, 13(3), 247-252. ● Wang, D., & Li, X. R. (2018). Exploring the cultural competence of hospitality and tourism programs. Journal of Teaching in Travel & Tourism, 18(2), 103–120. ● Wu, H. C., Li, X. R., Zang, Z. L., Zhang, H. Q., &Buhalis, D. (2019). Exploring the impact of word-of-mouth about restaurants on customer satisfaction and repurchase intention: A relationship marketing perspective. Journal of Travel Research, 58(1), 14-28. ● Xiang, Z., Du, Q., Ma, Y., & Fan, W. (2017). A comparative analysis of major online review platforms: Implications for social media analytics in hospitality and tourism. Tourism Management, 58, 51–65.