What will I learn on this module?
The overall intention of this module is to encourage you to think about the relationships that companies have with their customers over a period of time, rather than view each customer purchase as an individual ‘transaction’. Given the increasing use of online business models and consumer savviness of how to move between suppliers, the importance of managing the customer experience has never been higher. With this in mind you will address the following themes:
• Customer Experience (CX): You will be introduced to the concept of CX: (defined as your customers’ perceptions – both conscious and subconscious – of their relationship with your brand resulting from all their interactions with your brand during the customer life cycle). You will explicitly consider how CX permeates different brands, forms of company contact and even online versus offline business models.
• Customer Journey Mapping: You will also be introduced to the principles of managing the customer decision making journey and all of the company-customer touchpoints that occur prior, during and post-consumption.
• Service Design: Using principles of lean systems, you will appreciate how organisations design systems to add value to the customer experience.
• Customer Satisfaction and Loyalty: You will consider how customer satisfaction is defined and measured in practice, and also reflect on the relationship between satisfaction and customer loyalty (incorporating the use of loyalty schemes). This will include appreciating relevant metrics (satisfaction, retention, and other models such as ‘recency frequency value’).
• Customer Feedback and Complaint Handling: You will consider how organisations should respond to negative scenarios with a view to retaining customers and limiting reputational damage.
• Relationship Marketing: Much of the module content stems from the overarching principle of Relationship Marketing, and you will be encouraged to critically explore this area of literature and consider the three core pillars of RM: acquisition, retention and dissolution.
• Introduction to Database Marketing: As part of understanding customer relationships, you will be introduced to the principles of using a database to manage the customer relationship.
How will I learn on this module?
You will be supported by a Teaching and Learning Plan (TLP) which outlines the formal sessions (lectures and seminars), and provides details of tutor-directed and independent study/learning to support your in-class work. Contact time will be split across formal lecture and seminar contact:
• The lecture contact time will aim to introduce the core principles of CX, satisfaction, loyalty and relationship marketing across both B2B and B2C contexts.
• Seminars will offer students the chance to apply their learning to relevant case studies, learn to reflective critically where appropriate on suitable academic papers and to prepare further for the summative assessment.
Directed learning will focus on pre-reading, activity based learning through specially designed seminar exercises, and the use of the e-Learning Portal (eLP). Independent learning will be based upon your own initiative in further exploring and researching areas of interest – suggestions for this reading will be providing via the digital reading list and will incorporate both academic and industry resources.
How will I be supported academically on this module?
You will be supported throughout this module by both a module tutor and the wider teaching team. These staff will be responsible for guiding your engagement and learning on this module. Seminar tutors and lecturers will provide you with academic guidance in class and via email where appropriate. All relevant instructions and notes for lectures and seminars will be accessible to you online and through mobile via the e-Learning Portal (eLP).
Where possible, the teaching team will aim to invite external guest speakers into the module, which will give you practical insights on how the concepts covered in this module apply to real-life business situations.
What will I be expected to read on this module?
All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)
What will I be expected to achieve?
Knowledge & Understanding:
• Gain an understanding of the management of the customer experience and apply the central concepts of relationship marketing to a range of marketing contexts. (MLO1)
Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
• Utilise appropriate technological applications to analyse organisational customer relationship management strategies. (MLO2)
Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
• Develop an appreciation of issues surrounding customer privacy in the context of CRM and database marketing. (MLO3)
How will I be assessed?
Formative assessment will be provided in seminars (focusing on set tasks) and workshops (with specific focus on the assessment activities).
Summative assessment
The assessment will be structured as follows:
- Development of Prezi presentation and vlogging exercise to critically assess the CRM activities of a selected case organisation (30%, mid-semester). This will address MLO1 and MLO2.
- A 2,500 word business report which provides recommendations for how the case organisation can enhance their CRM capability and improve the customer experience (70%, end of semester). This will address MLO2 and MLO3.
Pre-requisite(s)
None
Co-requisite(s)
None
Module abstract
N/A
Course info
Credits 20
Level of Study Undergraduate
Mode of Study 16 months
Location Singapore
City Singapore
Start September or March
All information is accurate at the time of sharing.
Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.
Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.
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