CIM Level 4 Certificate in Professional Marketing Customer Experience (2102) March 2015 Assignment The assignment comprises THREE compulsory tasks Task 1 is worth 25 marks Task 2 is worth 40 marks Task 3 is worth 25 marks 10 marks are available for format and communication of information Total marks available 100 Candidate guidance Answer all tasks The available marks are shown alongside each part of the task 10 marks are available for overall format and communication of information Read all tasks carefully before attempting them The Chartered Institute of Marketing 2014
Scenario: Customer experience is a potential source of competitive advantage for organisations in all sectors. Understanding customer expectations and the role played by marketing in the development of that understanding enables competitive advantage to be gained. Managing customer expectations is therefore a key consideration in this regard. In your role within the marketing function of your own organisation, or one of your choice, your manager has asked you to prepare a report for senior management which explores both the theory and the reality of customer experience in detail. Your report will describe, analyse and make recommendations on how customer experience can be enhanced, with reference to appropriate supporting theoretical frameworks. Guidance notes: This assignment consists of three tasks and the report should flow as a single document. There are TEN marks available for the entire report where you will be rewarded for continuity of tasks, appropriate language and the format used. This is awarded under Format and communication of information. While it is helpful to include an introduction and summary in the report, these should be brief, with the main focus being on the content outlined in the assignment provided. FIVE marks will be awarded for the organisation summary, which should appear at the end of the main report, using the headings supplied as guidance. You should write this summary in report format rather than bullet format. This is included in the marks allocated to the report in Task 1. You should acknowledge all sources/methodologies/applications, using the Harvard referencing system. Customer experience can be applied differently across B2B, B2C and not-for-profit organisations. Application to your chosen organisation is crucial to providing this context and understanding. Maximum page count: 12 pages Page 2 of 7
TASK 1 Assessment criteria covered in Task 1: AC1.1, AC1.2, AC1.3, AC1.4, AC2.2, AC2.3 Please refer to the module specification for assessment criteria details. You are required to understand and analyse how your chosen organisation is structured and managed to deliver effective customer experience within the organisation s marketplace. An important consideration is to demonstrate an awareness of customer expectations and appreciation of the how marketing can understand those expectations through information obtained, linking this to the brand value proposition. Required: (a) Using the organisation summary guidelines, provide a background to your chosen organisation. This section should be placed at the end of your report. (b) Assess the role of marketing in understanding customer expectations through analysis and interpretation of information and the insights provided. (c) Based on information obtained, discuss the interaction between quality, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. (10 marks) (d) Evaluate the importance of your brand in setting customer expectations in relation to the loyalty generated through the brand value proposition. (Total 25 marks) (Maximum page count 3 pages) (1 page of the total 3 pages for this task should be used for the organisation summary) Page 3 of 7
TASK 2 Assessment criteria covered in Task 2: AC3.1, AC3.3, AC4.1, AC4.2, AC4.3, AC4.4 Please refer to the module specification for assessment criteria details. Value creation through the marketing mix is an important element in the delivery of customer experience, with many tangible and intangible elements involved. This task requires you to produce a report that explores in greater depth the practicalities of developing customer experience. As part of your overall report, you are asked to prepare a section detailing how your chosen organisation could utilise the different elements of the marketing mix, and then make recommendations for a promotional mix to enhance the customer experience, based on customer satisfaction information obtained. Required: (a) Describe value creation and demonstrate TWO tangible and TWO intangible aspects of customer experience which create it. (b) Using appropriate customer experience frameworks, make recommendations for improving the customer experience within the organisation. (10 marks) (6 marks) (c) Based on information obtained about current satisfaction levels, develop clear proposals to show how the organisation could utilise the different elements of the extended marketing mix to enhance customer experience. (12 marks) (d) Present recommendations for a promotional mix which would create enhanced customer experience within the promotional element of the revised marketing mix proposals in Task 2 (c). (12 marks) (Total 40 marks) (Maximum page count 6 pages) Page 4 of 7
TASK 3 Assessment criteria covered in Task 3: AC5.1, AC5.4, AC6.1, AC6.3 Please refer to the module specification for assessment criteria details. Measurement of customer experience is essential in understanding whether the organisation s activities are meeting customer expectations. For the final section of your report, within your chosen organisation, you are required to research relevant key performance indicators for customer experience, using the results from them as a basis for making improvements to that experience. Required: (a) Identify appropriate customer experience measures to understand customer satisfaction and feelings/emotions in relation to the products or services offered by the organisation. (b) Justify the need to measure and monitor customer experience, from the perspective of both customers and employees. (6 marks) (c) State TWO key performance indicators for EACH of customer service and customer satisfaction, and explain how they can inform recommendations to improve customer experience. (6 marks) (d) Recommend improvements to the customer experience of the organisation, based on the indicators stated in Part (c) together with identified best practice from external organisations. (8 marks) (Total 25 marks) (Maximum page count 3 pages) Page 5 of 7
TASK 1 REPORT FORMAT TASK 1 MAXIMUM page count: 3 pages Candidates are encouraged to make reference their organisation summary throughout the task, to avoid repetition and provide context to their answers. Guidance notes: Use of appropriate theoretical frameworks is recommended, to underpin answers and provide structure. Application of the theories to the chosen organisation, recognising specific customer experience expectations and provision, should be included throughout the answer. TASK 2 REPORT FORMAT TASK 2 MAXIMUM page count: 6 pages The use of theoretical underpinning to support practical examples appropriate for the context of the chosen organisation is essential. Guidance notes: Candidates will be rewarded for utilising different elements of the extended marketing mix, including an appropriate range of promotional tools, relevant to the product/service described. This should be based on tangible and intangible aspects of customer experience which create value for the organisation. TASK 3 REPORT FORMAT TASK 3 MAXIMUM page count: 3 pages Candidates will be rewarded for demonstrating clear linkages between research information obtained and how it relates to key performance indicators of customer experience. Guidance notes: The candidate should then demonstrate how these key performance indicators can be used to improve customer experience in the organisation. The improvements recommended should be justified on the basis of these key performance indicators together with knowledge of best practice from external sources. Page 6 of 7
Organisation summary To be included at the end of the report. Contents will contribute to the FIVE marks available in Part (a) of Task 1. The following headings should be included: Organisation name Type of organisation, for example, profit or not-for-profit, local, national, global, and type of legal entity Size of organisation in terms of turnover and number of employees Range of products and services provided Customer base, for example, B2B/B2C Competitors Cross-functional relationships within the organisation Other important stakeholders Other relevant information Page 7 of 7