As the hospitality industry becomes increasingly competitive, hotels are under more pressure than ever to provide exceptional customer service and create memorable experiences for their guests. One way to do this is by inviting real-time feedback from guests, allowing them to share their thoughts and suggestions while they are still on the property. However, simply asking for feedback is not enough – hotels need to provide incentives that encourage guests to participate. In this article, we will discuss how hotels can invite real-time feedback with a choice of rewards, and explore the benefits of doing so.
Why Real-Time Feedback is Important
Real-time feedback is a valuable tool for hotels because it provides immediate insight into the guest experience. Rather than waiting for guests to post reviews on online travel sites, hotels can gather feedback directly from their guests while they are still on the property. This allows hotels to address any issues or concerns in real-time, improving the guest experience and increasing the likelihood of positive reviews and recommendations.
In addition, real-time feedback can help hotels identify trends and patterns in guest feedback, enabling them to make data-driven decisions and improve their operations. For example, if multiple guests mention a lack of healthy food options, the hotel can take steps to offer more nutritious meal choices in the future.
Finally, inviting real-time feedback shows guests that their opinions are valued and demonstrates a commitment to customer satisfaction. This can lead to increased loyalty and repeat business, as well as positive word-of-mouth recommendations.
Incentivizing Real-Time Feedback
While real-time feedback can provide valuable insights, not all guests will be willing to take the time to provide it. To encourage participation, hotels need to provide incentives that motivate guests to share their thoughts and opinions.
One option is to offer a choice of rewards for completing a feedback survey. For example, guests could choose between a complimentary drink at the bar, a discount on their next stay, or a donation to a local charity. By giving guests a choice, hotels can ensure that the reward is meaningful and relevant to each individual guest.
Another option is to gamify the feedback process by turning it into a game or competition. For example, hotels could offer prizes for the guest with the most creative suggestion, the most detailed feedback, or the highest overall score on the survey. This can make the feedback process more engaging and encourage guests to put more thought and effort into their responses.
Finally, hotels can use social proof to incentivize real-time feedback. By displaying positive reviews and feedback from previous guests in public areas of the hotel, such as the lobby or restaurant, hotels can demonstrate the value of feedback and encourage guests to share their own thoughts and opinions.
Best Practices for Real-Time Feedback Collection
To make the most of real-time feedback and ensure that it provides actionable insights, hotels should follow best practices when designing feedback surveys. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Keep it short and simple: Guests are unlikely to spend a lot of time on a feedback survey, so it is important to keep it short and easy to complete. Limit the number of questions and use simple, straightforward language.
- Focus on specific areas: Rather than asking generic questions like “How was your stay?”, focus on specific areas of the guest experience, such as check-in, room cleanliness, and food quality. This will provide more detailed feedback and make it easier to identify areas for improvement.
- Use a mix of open-ended and closed-ended questions: Open-ended questions allow guests to provide detailed feedback and suggestions, while closed-ended questions provide quantitative data that can be easily analyzed. Use a mix of both to get a well-rounded view of the guest experience.
- Make it mobile-friendly: Many guests will be completing feedback surveys on their mobile devices, so it is important to ensure that the survey is mobile-friendly and easy to complete on a small screen.
NextBee’s engagement platform for hotels has all the features required for your success. It allows you to offer a mix of rewards – points, cashback, digital items, gift cards, cash, and even physical items. NextBee handles the entire fulfillment process and can even automate it so your guests experience immediate gratification.
Interested in learning more about the NextBee platform? Get in touch now to watch a live demo of our platform.
