Classical vs Operant Conditioning in Tourism: Frequent Flyer Club with VA

Building connections between the consumer and the product/service is important in the learning and memory process. Classical Conditioning is where your mind is trained to associate products with behaviors and feelings.

The classical conditioning theory has been used often with marketers. The theory comes from Pavlov's bell experiment.

Pavlov wanted to see whether ringing the bell could activate an emotion in the dog to make it think it was hungry, this is called the conditioned response. Having the meat is the unconditioned response, as the dog naturally feels hungry when it sees or smells it. Pavlov ringing the bell and then giving the dog the meat meant that the dog would then associate feeling hungry with the sound of the bell. Before when the dog saw the meat, he would have felt hungry but when the bell had rang, this had made him feel hungry instead. This is called classical conditioning. The dog was conditioned to feel hungry every time it heard the bell.

Marketers have applied this theory, for example; when a McDonald's advert it on, their slogan has a chime that is memorable for the consumer. There is a whistle, and then the slogan 'I'm lovin' it'. This way of marketing became effective for McDonald's as when the advert finished and the chime rung, consumers would feel like they wanted a McDonald's. The chime became familiar in the consumers mind and essentially every time they heard the chime, they would be familiar with the chime and then start to think about McDonald's food.

However, another psychologist; B. F Skinner came up with the operant theory, which involves reinforcement or punishment to increase or decrease a behaviour. For example, good behaviour is rewarded and bad behaviour is punished. In a classroom setting, a teacher may reward good behaviour to a child with stars on a chart and sweets, and bad behaviour may be punishable by keeping the child indoors for a certain amount of time at break time, or having the child do a chore within the classroom, eg; tidy up the books/put away the toys. The child will then learn from this and then change their behaviour. The child that was rewarded would continue to want rewards, and the child that behaved badly would change their behaviour as they would also want to be rewarded. 

In a marketing perspective, companies have come up with reward schemes for consumers who stay loyal to their company, essentially giving them rewards in order that they repeat custom. 

Virgin Atlantic came out with their frequent flyer programme where you can earn points every time you fly with them. Being part of the 'Flying Club' means that you can work your way up. There is the red club, silver club and the gold club. Depending on how many miles you earn, you can spend these miles on upgrades, flights, chauffeur services, increased baggage, birthday extra miles, first class lounge, premium economy lounge, clubhouses and first class check ins. Each colour club you can buy more miles to earn you the better benefit. The higher you are in the club (gold) the better the rewards. Essentially, this gives consumers a goal to be a part of this club, and once in the club- to keep on striving for the bigger rewards. 

Having a reward scheme in place is good for companies as consumers then spend more money and stay loyal to the brand. The consumer would also have better brand experience as being part of the reward club may give them satisfaction as not everyone can get the same rewards, as there are three different tiers within Virgin Atlantic's flying club. 

The classic conditioning theory is difficult to apply too the tourism industry, as it is a fast paced environment with trends that change all of the time. The operant theory is easy to apply to the tourism industry for all of the reasons opposite. Because the industry is fast and changing all of the time, the consumer wants rewards and schemes that will save them money if possible. 

Do you think reward schemes are useful to the consumer? Are you party of any brand that has a reward club? (eg, coffee shops)

 References:
http://psychology.about.com/od/behavioralpsychology/a/conditioning-study-guide.htm

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=pavlov%27s+dog&espv=2&rlz=1C1DSGZ_enGB620GB620&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiFjeqLzZbMAhUKiywKHcmaCk0Q_AUIBigB#imgdii=rNHH1F1oCMk_pM%3A%3BrNHH1F1oCMk_pM%3A%3Bxi4fz-sCObEKUM%3A&imgrc=rNHH1F1oCMk_pM%3A

 http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/gb/en/flying-club/membership-benefits.html