Things I Learned From This Course--Ashley Chen

Time flies! Our memorable Costa Rica trip has ended. There are many unforgettable experiences during the past one week. Now, I would like to share three major takeaways from this study aboard course.

1. Eco-Tourism 
First, Eco-tourism can bring long term benefits to the local society and economy. Today's customers are concerned as green shopper. They want to be responsible during their shopping behaviors. For example, during our trip, our tour guide has mentioned the local economic support from tourism. Tourists, especially international tourists, are more attracted by the sustainability concept. They want to support the local economy. Also, from the Monteverde Country Lodge guest evaluation form, I learned that customers are pay attention on sustainability program that a hotel may has. Therefore, for today's marketing strategy, marketers need to pay attention on sustainability development in order to build long term relationship.

2. Important of Customer Experience

Second, customers who traveling today are not only looking for good views, but seeking for an enjoyable experience. Also, customers will build loyalty depends on their experiences on the products. For example, after consumers buy and experience products during the trip,  they will not only stick with it but also recommend it to their friends and family on social media. For today's market, the decision-making process is a circular journey. The consumer decision journey is a two-way conversation. Therefore, in order to win for long term benefits, markers need to work on their products' quality and offer better experiences for consumers during their trip.

3. Methodologies  

Third, the using of methods and tools could not be ignored in customer evaluation any more. I learned that all the four methods are high involving in evaluate customers experiences. For example, the SMM(Social Media Monitoring) helped me to understand what is being said about the hotels, restaurants, and attractions. Moreover, the (IPA) Importance-Performance Analysis point out the weakness of the companies.By using the four methods, I was able to get a better understanding of the entire tour. Most importantly, the course introduce to me how to scientifically evaluate a business.