Case Study on Wyndham Hotels

Introduction

Branding is a significant concept that helps in not only marketing the product but also helps in creating a competitive advantage. It entails building a unique name, image, or trademark of a particular product in the company (Dibb, 2016). It thus aims at differentiating the products by understanding the consumer needs and the customer segments as a means towards attracting and retaining loyal customers. In this case, therefore, the paper focuses on evaluating the product concept and branding as used in Wyndham Hotels.

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Case Study Questions

How Is Wyndham Using Symbolic and Experimental Benefits to Target Its Hotels to Certain Groups of Travelers?

Symbolic benefits refer to the extrinsic advantages that a product accrues to the consumers. It encompasses the attributes that are not directly related to the product but used to seek social approval from the consumers (Pride & Ferrell, 2013). They usually utilize symbols to motivate customers to purchase and consume a particular product. On the other hand, experimental benefits relate to the situation where the company makes the purchasing experience of the customer memorable by providing quality products and services. In this case, consumers may be allowed to try the product or service before making a purchase personally.

As the leading hotel chain in the United States, Wyndham has been using the symbolic and experimental benefits to meet all the consumer needs by providing a unique, quality, and hospitality services. It offers various benefits to its consumer segments including young couples, corporate groups, wedding customers, and foreign travelers (Pride & Ferrell, 2013). Wyndham achieves this by utilizing multiple tactics such as providing comfortable feeling for the foreign customers and using similar festival symbols to attract customers in their global hotels and resorts across various cities. It also offers personalization and luxurious experience across its various resorts as a way to meet the customer's status and personality as well. It values its loyal customers by providing world-class hospitality services that also includes many surprise treats to these consumers.

Wyndham also employs a hotel design and interior decorations that accommodates the local customs and historical concepts of the various customers across the hotel chains. This helps to attract local customers especially those that highly value and respect their cultural norms and traditions. More importantly, Wyndham often strives to ensure that each of the hotel chains creates and maintains its unique feel to appeal to their customer segments. In most of the cases, Wyndham targets both the budget conscious consumers and those that are willing to spend extra cash to enjoy the hospitality and vacation experience. For example, Howard Johnson, one of the Wyndham hotel chains maintains an iconic atmosphere that supports leisure for all its customers.

How Is Wyndham Using Supplemental Features at Its Hotels to Create a Competitive Advantage?

Supplemental feature refers to the additional properties that a company provides in addition to the core product. They may include aspects such as quality of packaging material, after sale service, installation services, financing options, or delivery services (Klimchuk & Krasovec, 2013). Supplemental features are significant in creating a competitive advantage in a highly competitive market. A company that is considered to have a competitive advantage usually utilizes unique strategies that competitors lack. As the largest and leading hotel chains in the hospitality industry in the USA, Wyndham uses a wide range of supplemental features to create a competitive edge. For instance, it strives to provide a unique feel to its clients with the aim of satisfying and meeting the demand in the market.

In implementing some of its supplemental features, Wyndham has redesigned it hotel features across all it resort chains across the globe. It is evident, especially where it created an iconic environment that allows the travelers to have a family-friendly leisure experience at an affordable price (Pride & Ferrell, 2013). The hotels also carry a unique design that accommodates the local artistic feel and historic feel. There are discounted packages that aim at attracting more customers and more importantly has reward programs for loyal customers. Customers enjoy free internet access, and there are extra points for the clients that stay longer in the hotels. The services are designed to meet the needs of each customer where for instance, there are library lounges for the customers that love readings, large meeting rooms for meetings, intimate meeting environments for couples, and personalized serviced per the customer request.

How Should Wyndham Market Its Hotels According to Their Stages in the Product Life Cycle?

While most of Wyndham's hotel chains are operating at different stages of the product cycle, it should focus on employing marketing strategies that match the phase (Gambo Kasuwar Kuka, 2018). For example, since the Night brand hotel chain is t its introductory phase, Wyndham should focus on conducting extensive market research, engage in active promotion, and creating awareness of its chain to its target customers. TRYP brand hotel chain is at the growth stage of the cycle, and in this case, the company should focus on creating and maintaining consumer loyalty and extending the market share by utilizing and promoting its subsequent benefits. Lastly, Howard Johnson brand is likely to be on the maturity stage of the cycle. In this case, the company should focus on improving the product, diversify to other target markets, integrate environmentally friendly options, and more importantly providing additional and unique experimental and supplemental benefits.

References

Dibb, S. (2016). Marketing. Andover, Hampshire: Cengage Learning.

Gambo Kasuwar Kuka, M. (2018). Product Development and Management Strategies. Product Lifecycle Management - Terminology And Applications. doi: 10.5772/intechopen.80345

Klimchuk, M., & Krasovec, S. (2013). Packaging Design. New York: John Wiley & Sons.

Pride, W. M., & Ferrell, O.C. (2013). Marketing (17th ed.). Mason, Oh. South-Western Cengage Learning.