Purpose – In the contemporary hospitality industry, superior customer experiences are essential in gaining
customer loyalty and achieving a competitive advantage. However, limited research addresses this subject.
The purpose of this study is to advance scholarly research on customer experience management (CEM) in the hospitality field by providing a comprehensive overview of the key elements of CEM, a framework for
managing customer experience and a rich agenda for research.
Design/methodology/approach – An extensive literature review produces a comprehensive overview
of the existing knowledge of CEM. A synthesis of previous literature reveals the need for additional,
contemporary information sources. The study is, therefore, supplemented by invited commentaries on CEM
from senior scholars and hospitality managers.
Findings – The proposed model takes a holistic perspective on managing a positive customer experience,
through collaboration among marketing, operations, design, human resources and strategy, in association
with technology and social media.
Research limitations/implications – The literature review and commentaries from leading experts
reveal six areas for further research on CEMin the hospitality industry.
Originality/value – This study provides a comprehensive, systematic review of CEM literature and
detailed understanding of the mechanisms for managing customer experiences in the hospitality industry. It
integrates state-of-the-art CEMknowledge in the generic business context, along with principles of hospitality
management, and advances CEM research by emphasizing the need for collaboration among marketing,
operations and human resources.
Keywords Social media, Technology, Hospitality, Customer experience management,
Customer-to-customer relationships
Paper type Conceptual paper