After being abroad for the last month I have been observing some great differences in the levels in which hotels are looking for feedback from their guests. Some hotels simply do not seem to care, while others have the standard hotel guest review scorecard implemented as a systematic part of their operations. A few however, really ask me for my opinion and make me feel they really care.
With the trend of online reviews I was pleasantly surprised to find out that guest feedback for hotels is still valued by some establishments. Over the past month I have travelled all over the USA and Europe, and most hotels did not provide me with a guest comment card, not even at checkout so I could put it in the mail and send it back to them for free.
Most places that did provide a hotel guest feedback form, had one of those standard forms. They simply want me to degrade my opinion of their service to a number. They do have an option for additional comments below each section, but must not realize by the time I get to that, I am kind of worn out already. I am sure that the management of the hotel will receive very interesting stats and graphs based on these bingo cards. They will be able to analyse which department scores what % of guest satisfaction, and follow trends over time.
This last week though, a hotel really surprised me. They asked me their opinion not at checkout, but continuously during my stay. Every day there was a comment card on the bed, posing the following question; ‘How did we do today?’.
Not only did housekeeping put it on the bed after cleaning my room, they also provided it when I ordered room service, and I found it again on the breakfast table. They are constantly looking for feedback on the services used in the hotel.
I did not mind filling in the form several times, as they asked me open questions, really showing their interest in my opinion. The questions on this ‘How did we do today?’ form were so simple really,
- Your Feedback
- How you evaluate our services?
- Small details. Big differences. Are there any small details that you particularly valued (or any new ones that you think we should implement)?
I really like the fact that they focused on real feedback instead of scores. If you want to improve hotel service it is not just about a number, it is about the actions you take. Suggestions and comments from guests will be very useful.
Xotels is a leader amongst hotel management companies that delivers undeniable results for hotels and hotel chains. Visit our website for more information on our services.
Author: Patrick Landman @ Xotels
Hotel Management Company - Xotels Ltd. 