Die Customer Journey im Kongress- und Veranstaltungssektor der Schweiz – Analyse wirtschaftlicher Aspekte und Verbesserung des Touchpoint Managements durch Strategien und Handlungsempfehlungen

Motivation
The increasing use of digital technologies has profoundly transformed the Swiss meetings and events sector – particularly following the Coronavirus pandemic. Given the sector’s importance to Switzerland’s economy, this dissertation examines how digitization is altering customer behaviors and recommends effective responses.

Methodology
The dissertation is based on a three-pronged methodology:
1. A comprehensive review of existing research on digitization in the tourism
and meetings industry.
2. An empirical analysis based on interviews with 35 congress and convention organizers and venue managers in Switzerland (the Q12 Group).
3. Triangulation of insights from these areas to develop recommendations for using digital technologies more effectively for booking, conducting, and post-processing events.

Findings
The dissertation confirms new insights into changing customer expectations and touchpoints along the entire customer journey, showing that customers are affected in the pre-, main-, and post-event phases:
In the pre-event phase, more customers now make last-minute bookings, creating greater uncertainty and leading to more cancellations. When making inquiries, customers intensively use social media and review portals and expect quick responses. Rapid, digitized booking systems and advanced tools for event planning and communication are needed. Additionally, customers also increasingly use AI-based communication, heightening the need for data protection.
During events, there is strong demand for comprehensive support and hybrid formats, supported by event management tools and livestreaming to optimize the participant experience. Digital interactions boost engagement but require robust technical infrastructure and security measures.
In the post-event phase, participants expect rapid and effective feedback processing through digital platforms. While challenges lie in technical implementation and data protection, future developments should focus on improved user-friendliness and stronger integration of digital feedback methods. This dissertation provides empirical evidence for the first time that the post-event phase is central to long-term customer loyalty and event development.

Recommendations
Event providers should…
1. Invest in fast, digital booking systems and communication tools to meet pre-event expectations.
2. Enhance event experiences during events with hybrid formats, event management tools, and livestreaming.
3. Use efficient digital feedback systems post-event, balancing digital innovations with personal interactions, ensuring data security and strengthening customer relationships.
Overall, the dissertation underscores that creating a seamless customer experience requires combining traditional know-how with digital tools and methods. It also demonstrates that the customer journey in the meetings industry is primarily shaped by the event life cycle, with the post-event phase gaining importance as sustainable customer interactions and event reflection become crucial.