Why is Guest Satisfaction Important?

Guest satisfaction is a key factor in a hotel's success.

A hotel's guest satisfaction means that the guests are happy with their stay at the hotel and will likely come back to your property again in the future. It also means that they're satisfied enough with their experience to recommend you to others.

The importance of guest satisfaction can be seen in how much hotels invest in their teams. Hotels that focus on training receive the highest guest satisfaction.

When hotels offer an immersive onboarding for new hires focused on customer service fundamentals AND provide ongoing reinforcement training in customer service delivery for existing staff, they have consistently high guest service scores.

Other ways hotels can receive high guest satisfaction is by investing in facilities, amenities, programming, and local partnerships.

What are the Most Common Causes of Low Guest Satisfaction?

The most common causes of low guest satisfaction are:

- Poor service quality

- Turnover and insufficient staff

- Missing amenities

- Poor value for the price

- Lack of attention to detail

The hospitality industry experienced a significant hit during the global pandemic creating a wave of staffing shortages. Hotels across the world are still facing a whole new set of challenges in finding talent. Leaders had to start looking outside the hospitality industry to fill roles. With first-time talent entering the industry during a global staffing shortage on top of day-to-day challenges, finding time to dedicate to individual training becomes near impossible.

Low Guest Satisfaction is correlated with a lack of training, or worse, no training provided for new and existing staff.  This leads to high turnover, poor internal communication, and therefore, poor execution in service.  

How to Improve Customer Service in Hotels?

Hotels are in a tough position when it comes to customer service. They have to please the customer, create a comfortable and memorable experience, and still generate revenue to provide the most value for their owners, their brands, and management companies.

The most effective way to improve Customer Service and Guest Satisfaction is with a an automated and on-demand training program, provided to staff on Day 1, and designed to allow staff to practice communication skills and service delivery.  

SalesBoost is designed with these elements and has proven success in helping hotels improve GSS Scores through its innovative training methodology; providing on-demand skill-based training focused on simulation role-play and practice.

What are the Best Practices for Improving Guest Satisfaction?

The best practices to improve guest satisfaction are the following:

- Provide consistent training on Day 1 to 100% of your team members

- Provide your team with ongoing training focused on practice and boosting communication skills

- Ensure team members understand their job, responsibilities, and the role they play in the success of the hotel

- Ensure team members are confident on how to deliver guest service; especially how to welcome guests and how to acknowledge the guest’s arrival with a warm welcome and smile

- Train team members to inform guests about the facilities and services available, how to anticipate needs, and proactively offer assistance or solutions

- Always thank the guest for their business; for visiting your hotel or for staying at your hotel

- Recognize your team members when they deliver outstanding guest service; especially when recognized by name in guest comments or surveys

Read our blog post on additional ways to build rapport with your guests or clients.

Why You Should Care About Your Hotel Guests' Experience & What You Can Do About It

Training and investing in your people is the answer to high Guest Satisfaction!

Hoteliers must be mindful of the experience they are providing for their guests and intentional about how to deliver outstanding guest service. With the road ahead and competitive landscape, high guest satisfaction will be the differentiator for hotels. If you don't invest in your talent then everything else won't matter. And it all starts with an effective training solution.

We hope that this article has given you some helpful insights into how to create a memorable guest experience and increase guest satisfaction. 

SalesBoost can provide a variety of Guest Service focused training services including an accelerated onboarding program, career advancement program, guest service supervisory program, and ongoing front-line and leadership training.

Contact Us Today!