CUSTOMER EMPOWERMENT IN TOURISM THROUGH CONSUMER CENTRIC MARKETING (CCM)

Outi Niininen

School of Business, Latrobe University, Victoria, Australia

Dimitrios Buhalis

School of Management, University of Surrey, Surrey, UK, and

Roger March

Department of Tourism Marketing, University of New South Wales,

Sydney, Australia

Consumer centric marketing CCM

“The discipline of capturing & deploying consumer insights to enhance marketing effectiveness & better serve those consumers that are best prospects” (Maney et al, 2002, p. 3).

The evolution of the CCM

(Niinien et all, 2007, p. 267)

Tourism key trends

Brand & product proliferationTraditional media fragmentionNew media emerging Consumers changing Increased channel powerFinancial models ITC

+ Implications for consumers

(Niinien et all, 2007, pp. 270-271)

CCN – traditional segmentation practice in tourism

The marketing practice

Mass marketing - low involvement

Target marketing (Niinien et all, 2007, pp. 272-273)

Figure 3. Lastminute.com account information

Niinien et all, 2007, p. 274

CaptureInformation ?

Incentives ?

- singing-up for an account w/ retailers

- logging-in to personalised account

- discounts - loyalty points / rewards- prizes

Strategies & future CCM prospects

Niinien et all, 2007, pp. 274-276

Services for travellers

Before the tripDuring the tripAfter the trip

How ?

Wireless technologyThe MTO (made-to-order)Electronic word-of-mouth

Source: http://portals.dmst.aueb.gr/dm/

(Niinien et all, 2007, pp. 276-277)

Warnings

CCM can be inefficient as customisationInitial resistance to sing-up for new-services Lack of understandingLack of trust

Source: http://www.uipatent.com/index-4.html (Niinien et all, 2007, pp. 278-279)

How can CCN improve?

“Educate” the customer “Incentivise” the customer Provide guidance for privacy controls from

external bodies Offer a “seal approval”

Source:http://www.bentley.edu/executive-education/Program-Prototypes.cfm (Niinien et all, 2007, pp. 278-279)

“It is the customer who determinates what a business is” (Drucker, 1954, p.37)

References

Niininen, O., Buhalis, D. and March, R., 2007. Customer empowerment in tourism through costumer centric marketing (CCM). Qualitative MarketResearch: An International Journal, Vol. 10 No. 3,2007, pp. 265-281.Available at: http://www.emeraldinsight.com/journals.htm?issn=1352-2752[Accessed 04 November 2010]

Niinien et all, 2007, p