Customer Decision Journey

Customer Decision Journey

The costumer decision journey, is the model in which we can analyze how the consumers purchase something. It begins by the initial consideration set, following by an active evaluation (information, gathering, shopping). This guides to the Moment of Purchase, followed by the post-purchase experience and finally, with the loyalty loop.

How has the consumer journey changed, why?

This model has changed over the years, because of the new technologies and ways to be aware of a product, service or brand. The traditional model is explained in the following image:

The decision making process is now a circular journey with four phases:

Initial Consideration: The consumer considers an initial set of brands, based on brand perceptions and exposure to recent touch points.

Active evaluation: Consumers add or subtract brands as they evaluate what they want.

Closure: The consumer buys or selects a brand at the moment of purchase.

Post-purchase: The consumer builds expectations based on experience to inform the next decision journey.

What is the impact for hoteliers and marketing?

The impact for hoteliers and marketing is that nowadays, people get to know brand hotels by what they see on the media, or by what they have heard of friends. That creates expectations, and that could guide to new consumers to try a new hotel, even when they’re going to the same city.

Marketing needs to evolve as technology is doing too, and we need to adapt to what our consumers demand, we even need to propose new ways to communicate and do marketing for hospitality, in general terms, we need to innovate.