To identify the relationship between sales and marketing departments and customer loyalty in the St. Julian’s 5 star hospitality competitive set

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to see how Sales and Marketing departments in select 5 Star hotels in the St. Julian’s Competitive Set strategise to retain customer loyalty. The recurring elements which are key to customer loyalty were also determined and explained. The research question was proposed in order to get a better understanding of how effective Sales and Marketing tools and strategies are in today’s Hospitality Industry.

In order to carry out this and keep it focused, three five star hotels in St. Julian’s and one company in Germany focusing on Target Marketing and Communication were chosen. Four interviews were carried out with the Directors in charge of Business Development whose responses were thoroughly analysed in order to identify the recurring themes in the marketing mix which constitute the components of customer loyalty.

The most persisting elements in this study were: the importance of Customer Loyalty Programs and the significance of High Quality Service as a result of Employer Branding. Moreover, numerous factors such as Market Segmentation and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) were analysed in order to provide a coherent image of what customers look for when selecting and positioning a brand. However, multiple threats to customer loyalty were encountered and were drawn up in the recommendations chapter for further improvement and/or research. The main recommendation provided for customer loyalty is to expand their market segmentation with a particular focus on niche markets through adhering initiatives in the establishment.