A Study of Consumer Experience Enhancement in the Leisure Industry Based on Peak-End Rule: the Case of Atour

Abstract

As people's incomes rise and consumer tiers increase, the leisure industry has become one of the focal points of the consumer and investment markets. For companies to break through the fierce competition in the leisure industry, enhancing the consumer experience is one of the key factors for success. Based on the Peak-End Rule proposed by Kahneman et al. which emphasizes both the peak and the end aspects of the consumer experience to create consumer satisfaction ultimately. Atour, an emerging mid-end hotel chain group in China, as a case study to gain insights into ways to improve the consumer experience in the leisure industry through a SWOT analysis of its operational data and a discussion of its consumer characteristics and service touchpoint innovations. The study finds that establishing a positive first impression, enhancing key service touchpoints, stimulating potential experience peaks, and reinforcing positive perceptions at the end, can effectively improve the consumer experience in all steps of the process and enhance consumer satisfaction, thus winning consumers over and gaining advantages in the market competition.