Over the last few years, there have been numerous articles written on the best methods to use social media in the hospitality industry.  However, the article, “Social media meets hotel revenue management: Opportunities, issues, and unanswered questions,” by Kelly McGuire of the SAS Institute is the clearest and most actionable article written to date.  The article provides a clearly defined framework on how to adopt a successful social media program in hotels and how to use it to improve revenue management opportunities.

In the article by McGuire, a framework for analyzing social media opportunities are broken down into two dimensions: information flow and time orientation.  Information flow from inbound content is identified as user reviews, ratings, photos, and comments from websites such as TripAdvisor and Yelp.  Outbound firm-generated content includes promotions, offers, and press releases through the use of corporate blogs, Facebook, or Twitter.  The second dimension, time orientation, is split into short and long-term strategies such as how to use reviews to enhance the value for consumers.

McGuire develops an excellent strategy with these frameworks and identifies ways to utilize social media and increase revenue management.  Comparably, these same disciplines can also be used to measure quality in your hotel and then improve the overall guest experience.  In a similar fashion, using the disciplines outlined by McGuire, the following is the framework for maintaining quality and high guest experience using social media in hotels:

Inbound
For better or worse, much of the inflow of inbound data from social media tells a detailed and vivid story. Even if the commentary is biased, smart hoteliers have to resist shooting the messenger and look to the learning that is there. Travelers are vulnerable and therefore emotional. Often, negative inbound content speaks of some disappointment, followed by a feeling of powerlessness.  The thing causing disappointment is usually quantifiable–a dirty room, a missed wake-up call, and a hotel’s guest service standards need to be continually measured in these areas.  The feeling of powerlessness is trickier to handle because of the emotion.  Staff need more than standard awareness; they need skill in reading the guest, resourcefulness in offering solutions, and follow-through to ensure that remedies are enacted.  Again, hotels need to have quantifiable standards for staff to follow as these situations that create negative inbound data unfold. Very few hotels train their staff in Service Recovery or teach the basics like listening, taking notes, and apologizing sincerely. Simply appeasing the guest can create smoldering fires that produce inbound blazes.

At the minimum, guests are sharing their perspective and revealing touch points that can be used going forward.  This is true for positive inbound content as well, and the positive stories should be examined carefully for insights into what creates “surprise and delight” moments. Too often, positive reviews are greeted only with relief and curiosity about how it changed a hotel’s ranking.

Outbound
The first outbound channel must be with the person or organization who created the inbound content.  Yes, it is good to blunt the force of the source (unplug the megaphone), but the more important audience is the thousands of observers.  Loyalty is truly galvanized when your customers know, either through their own experiences or hearing it from others, that you can execute service recovery. This is especially important to travelers who are outside their comfort zone.

The next channel of outbound content creation is amongst the staff.  Most businesses, not just hotels, underestimate and under-utilize the power of employee recognition and peer modeling. If a front desk staff member creates positive inbound content, it needs to be shared with equal if not more fervor than any negatives content. Other staff members will learn that it ‘can be done,’ and they will imagine their roles in the next chapters of these heroic stories.  At a minimum, they will honestly review the opportunities presented to them. The Accounts Receivable manager who ignores a guest’s request for an itemized room service bill needs to know the peril of that behavior and think of ways to create positive inbound content.

Finally, outbound content is managed through Facebook, Tweets, and other social media marketing strategies that help shape a hotel’s story and identify the promoters that produce more business and use their bullhorn benevolently.

All of the above require standards and benchmarks, otherwise it is a free-for-all, and hotel managers will never be able to quantify, analyze, and enact strategies based on reliable and consistent data.

If you are interested in the hotel guest standards development programs Coyle has created for its 300 hospitality clients, please visit our website, contact us online, or call us at 212-629-2083 ext. 106. Coyle’s programs are customized to the clients’ quality culture, and they are designed to promote the best practices Coyle sees in the marketplace every day.

The images and interviews are palpable.  The idea that anyone could lose his or her life on a vacation adds an element of disbelief to what we already accept as a tragedy. The natural inclination of course is to make sure this never happens again, as investigators sift through evidence, which will eventually assign blame.

As events of the investigation take their course, let’s examine some facts. The first being that cruising, by comparison to any other form of travel is extremely safe. Despite the most recent accident, cruising remains one of the safest ways of travel among all types of vacationing. According to Michael Crye, VP of Technical and Regulatory Issues for Cruise Lines International Association, “Over the last six years, from 2005 to 2011, we’ve carried about 100 million passengers and in that time we’ve got 16 people that have lost their lives due to a marine casualty. Sixteen deaths out of 100 million passengers is a pretty excellent safety record.” Sixteen people is 16 too many, but anyone who travels accepts that there is risk.  Compare this to other modes of transportation:

Over the past few years, the cruise industry has seen enormous growth including ship size and passengers per ship. Cruise ships are now large enough to carry over 8,000 passengers and crewmembers. How does a cruise ship efficiently evacuate a cruise ship – the size of a small city – in a safe and orderly manner? The key to this answer lies in crewmember training and passenger awareness. The data we have gathered from professional inspectors visiting cruise ships strongly suggests that the cruise industry carefully plans and successfully executes in both areas.

If you have ever gone on a cruise, you must recall the 45-60 minutes spent during the first day on mandatory Muster Station drills. While most passengers find these drills and safety instructions an inconvenience, especially at the beginning of their vacation, cruises diligently perform them and take steps to make sure everyone attends.

It is during these Muster Station drills that cruise passengers get clear and detailed instructions on how to evacuate the ship. The drills are complete, detailed, and are conducted in several languages and makes the two-minute safety drills one gets on an airplane seem an afterthought in comparison.

The table below shows the metrics that Coyle is measuring from the guest perspective for its cruise clients.

So how do Cruise ship operators ensure that these Muster Station drills and security procedures are properly presented? Our mystery shopping reports provide vivid detail of the experience starting from the quality and predominance of safety information provided before arrival, during embarkation, pre-muster drill, during the muster drill, and post muster drill.  Additionally, one of our cruise clients insists that evaluators are from varied demographics, partly because they want to know that anyone, no matter what their primary language is, is full aware and informed.

As to staff training, the quality and consistent execution of these drills strongly suggests that staff are well trained and very aware about safety. Obviously, how human beings will perform during an actual calamity is dependent on many factors, but suffice to say, it seems that the cruise industry as a whole holds up very well in doing what they can to prepare.

If you would like to measure how your ship performs in “Safety”, contact us today to learn more about the customized programs we have developed and the methodologies we employ to make sure cruise lines continue with this impressive safety record.

Coyle develops mystery shopping programs and measures brand standards for over 200 hospitality companies and cruise lines worldwide. If you would like to learn more about Coyle’s services, please visit our website, contact us online, or call us at 212-629-2083 ext. 106.

In PKF’s report, you will find financial data gathered from hotel spas answering questions such as: Which types of spas (small or large, urban or resort) fared better throughout the economic downturn and beginning of the recovery?  “Overall, 2010 did not see a recovery in hotel spas, but some categories did fare better than others,” reports Andrea Foster, Vice President and National Director of Spa Consulting for PKF Consulting USA.  What was the revenue per treatment room amongst urban or resort spas?  What should we expect for 2011 and beyond?  Foster adds, “The recovery of hotel spas is shown to lag the recovery of occupancy, food and beverage revenue, and average daily rate.  As we enter a period of “healthier” times for the lodging industry in 2012 and beyond, we see indicators that hotel spas will lead the pace of revenue growth.”  Also find valuable data from SpaFinder’s Susie Ellis and the International Spa Association.

Available for purchase, this report, which Coyle is proud to be a part of, is a must-have for anyone trying to make sense of trends in the hotel spa industry.

At Coyle, we know that every hotel company is different. That is why we build each of our client’s quality assurance programs, standards, and evaluations from the ground up; nothing pre-packaged here. Because of this, clients get relevant results that will separate them from the competition.

Coyle’s team of hospitality experts can help you develop a tailor-made quality assurance program with customized brand standards that is right for you (and only you). We offer the following six steps as guidelines:

1. Bring in the Experts

As an experienced hotelier, you know what your brand is and what you want it to be. But how do others outside your organization see your brand?  It is imperative to work with an unemotional, unbiased third party that can learn and understand your brand just as well as you, but work with it differently to ensure it is being seen by the guest. Insiders are too close to the process to be objective.

Hotel managers often “know what they know,” and brand objectives can ring falsely or not all. A third-party will  help you avoid the typical pitfalls like aiming too high, too low, or putting forth a brand message that simply is not achievable in the long-term.

2. Understand What Distinguishes You

Know what truly differentiates you in order to set  benchmarks that will reliably and consistently provide results that actually help you progress. Having slightly larger rooms, a really unique lounge, or better southern exposure can and should be things you would leverage. Providing the support to these unique facets is where excellent selection of brand standards can be a game changer. With standards that maximize the efficiency and service-level of your unique factors, you can capitalize on your strengths and continuously improve guest satisfaction.

3. Understand What Does Not Distinguish You

Unless you are lucky enough to lack competitors, your products, services, and brand will be compared to, and be like others. A company like Coyle–which tracks brand measurements for over 200 hospitality companies–will help make sure your standards provide relevant comparisons to the industry and save you from re-creating the wheel. Any mystery shopping company can tell you that you are scoring 90% on your engagement standards–making eye contact, asking meaningful questions, etc.–but it is far more useful to know how that performance compares to others like you. You may be surprised to find that you are only average in the relative world. Perfecting the factors that you don’t necessarily compete on can give you an edge despite the fact that you don’t consider them differentiators.

4. Measure What is Meaningful to Your Guest

Too often, companies submit to the temptation of measuring too many standards. Instead, why not narrow it down to those that really matter? Guests will not care much about the script that is used when a guest services staff member answers the phone, but they will care about how quickly that same phone call is answered and what tone of voice that staff member used. The point is, hotel guests will only talk about what directly affects them: factors such as service, engagement, attention to detail, and service recovery. Piece out the items that are directly related to guest satisfaction, and your quality assurance program will be much more efficient and effective.

5. Develop a Program that Will Grow With You

A third-party like Coyle with a wealth of industry experience will make sure your outcomes are actionable and create a program for you that will evolve as you do. The goal is to be able to assess, correct, and continue raising the bar at all times. This begins with superior data modeling to truly identify the trends that need correcting, and it takes a lot more than bar graphs. Tracking your departmental scores over time can lead to improved operations in your weakest areas. Benchmarking where you are is good, but knowing where to set the next goal–and doing so with credibility–is how organizations truly internalize the brand and grow.

6. Understand the Effects of Your New Program

Branding will bring about change as roles will be altered, and people will have to view their work behaviors differently. Change is often followed by resistance, and resistance can truly hurt a company’s morale. People’s reaction to change is often categorized by eight distinctive phases: stability, immobilization, denial, anger, bargaining, depression, testing, and finally, acceptance. (Conner,1998; Cheng & Petrovic-Lazarevic, 2005b). Make sure your staff sees the bigger picture, and allow input.  The most successful programs we administer are constantly tweaked and modified.  Management input creates ownership, and ownership creates a desire for long-term success.

Coyle helps assure quality and maintain unique brand strategies for over 200 hospitality companies worldwide. If you would like to learn more about Coyle’s services, please visit our website, contact us online, or call us at 212-629-2083 ext. 106.

It’s a new year, and your team has likely made some new year’s resolutions. So you should ask yourself: have you as a company? Right now is the perfect time to reassess your existing quality assurance program to make sure it is truly measuring the complete guest experience. The effectiveness of your QA program is based on complete standards awareness, but your business has likely evolved since you last evaluated your brand standards. If you are like most hotels and restaurants, you probably have a few standards that are no longer relevant. With help from Coyle, losing that weight will finally be easy for a change.

Coyle uses a relevant selection of Key Indicators within its quality assurance program to more accurately measure the guest experience; these include:

• Service: Our service Key Indicator measures the capable completion of tasks within your hotel operation. This includes whether or not service is timely, proactive, professional, and attentive, and whether or not staff members are helpful, knowledgeable, upbeat, and alert. For example, are your restaurant staff members carefully attending to tables? Or are water glasses remaining empty, finished plates being left on tables, and guests waiting untimely periods for checks to be delivered? This kind of service is quite important to the guest–it is what makes the guest feel valued at your hotel. If a high level of service is not provided, it can redirect a hotel stay from a positive experience to a negative one.

• Engagement: Hospitality is, at its core, all about guest engagement. That is why our hospitality Key Indicator measures warmth, positivity, friendliness, enthusiasm, personalization, and–of course–engagement, in all interactions. Is your spa receptionist engaging guests in warm and friendly conversation as they wait to be greeted by therapists or as they take tours through the facility? When a hotel staff member–in any department–does not engage the guest in a sincerely positive manner, the guest feels like an unwelcome, undervalued nuisance rather than an appreciated guest. You want the guest to feel so comfortable it is if he is at home, and perfecting these pieces is the key to that achievement.

• Attention to Detail: Presentation should not be overlooked in any aspect of the hotel stay. It is incredibly important because people are inherently attracted to the aesthetically pleasing. We associate many standards with this Key Indicator including whether or not physical items are clean and in good condition, technical items are functional, and temperature and music levels are comfortable. A guest will be turned off by a restroom stall that lacks toilet paper or a guestroom light with the bulb burnt out. Continuously checking up on these details can help avoid the need for service recovery and ensure the happiest of stays for the guest.

• Service Recovery: Let’s face it–things go wrong, and it is impossible to provide completely seamless and trouble-free service to all guests 100% of the time. Knowing this, it is not only about how few incidents you have, but more importantly about how well you handle those incidents. This Key Indicator measures urgency, resolution, and resourcefulness when complaints arise, as well as whether or not requests are owned and alternative solutions are provided. When a guest complains about the loud noises coming from the children in the guestroom next door that are inhibiting a good night’s sleep, does your front desk agent empathize and offer a room switch? Or, is the agent neutral and passive, apologizing but offering no real resolution? The way complaints are handled is a direct look into how well-managed a hotel is, and guests recognize the difference between high and low quality management. Service recovery can truly make or break a guest experience.

• First and Last Impressions: The first impression sets the foundation for the entire hotel stay; get it wrong, and you may be dealing with an ornery guest for the next few days. Similarly, the last impression is the final interaction the guest has with the hotel; if something goes awry, TripAdvisor will be hearing all about it, and the guest may forget that everything else during the stay went so smoothly. There is nothing worse than an unstaffed front door where guests are not greeted upon arrival and must search for the front desk on their own accord. Likewise, when a guest is not offered help with luggage and transportation needs are not assessed upon departure, value is not felt. These tiny yet meaningful details are the backbone and basics of the guest experience, and they must be treated as such.

Once your customized brand standards are decided upon for your property, we strategically cross-index these Key Indicators so that you know what they mean in terms of guest satisfaction levels. These indicators are exclusive to Coyle’s quality assurance program and will better provide the complete story to your guest’s experience.

Coyle’s Key Indicators are the language of the guest. This is how the guest perceives the quality of the hotel experience, and these are the terms they use in their social networks. It is certainly good to know how your Front Desk performs as a unit in all the guest disciplines, but it is much more useful to know that your Engagement score is a low outlier. Why? Because it represents a cross-section measure on the entire guest experience, and it pinpoints the most crucial area of need.

When measured together, Coyle’s Key Indicator’s fulfillment scores help clients develop and maintain a well-rounded, effective, and seamless operation. Maintaining a healthy balance of all of these aspects is the only way to successfully ensure high guest satisfaction. Do you know which areas of guest engagement will bring you the highest opportunity to make a lasting impression? Attention to Detail and Cleanliness have a negative BETA because guests will not rave about a clean room, but they will be merciless if it is dirty. However, Service Recovery has an equally positive and negative BETA. Perform well, and guests will rave about the stay. However, perform poorly, and you will never be forgiven.

Work with Coyle to include these elements in your new quality assurance program, and you can be sure that you are truly measuring what the guest really cares about. Allow Coyle to assist you in reassessing your QA program for 2012, and your new program will be weighted correctly, providing accurate benchmarks for tracking progress.

Coyle develops quality assurance programs and measures brand standards for over 200 hospitality companies worldwide. If you would like to learn more about Coyle’s services, please visit our website, contact us online, or call us at 212-629-2083 ext. 106.

Amanda* has been mystery shopping for almost 20 years. She has shopped for over 100 different mystery shopping companies though now, regularly shops for about six or seven companies. Amanda has done all kinds of mystery shops, but she found her niche in hospitality–specifically with hotels, and occasionally with restaurants. She has performed over 500 hotel and restaurant evaluations for various companies, and she currently evaluates four to seven properties each month. Her hospitality mystery shopping assignments have taken her all around the world, from Singapore to Mexico, and France to Thailand. Amanda is an ace, and she is in demand. How did that happen?

Amanda’s favorite evaluations have been in remote locations just off the normal beaten path of her travels. Amanda became a professional mystery shopper for the experiences provided, not for the income boost. Amanda’s mystery shopping jobs have opened her eyes to a world of possibility, and because of these experiences she is able to spot and then quantify the great experiences, letting clients know when truly exceptional service has been delivered.

How To Identify The Top Mystery Shopping Companies

There are countless mystery shopping companies out there, and not all of them are legitimate. Finding the companies that are right for you can be difficult, especially with the increasing number of mystery shopping scams. Amanda advises that the top mystery shopping companies share three traits:

1. Excellent communication and support
2. Industry experience
3. Individual approaches to each evaluation

Things don’t always go as the client plans. It is important to have a go-to support team from the mystery shopping company.  Amanda would not consider taking a complex hotel, resort or cruise shop without knowing that the mystery shopping company had a solid support system in place, especially since many pf her hotel mystery shopping assignments find her in unusual time zones.

Always seek out mystery shopping companies that specialize or have a long track record in the industry. Many companies offer the occasional hotel or restaurant mystery shop but don’t have a sound understanding of what happens, exposing the evaluator to compromising or awkward situations. There is nothing worse than working really hard on an evaluation and the review form is round holes and the mystery shopping company gave you square pegs.

Amanda also appreciates companies that approach each evaluation as a unique opportunity. She thinks it helps when hotel clients do not have cookie-cutter specifications and provide the evaluator the clarity to blend in and complete the mystery shopping assignment as closely as possible from the typical guest perspective. Says Amanda, “It is easy to see which mystery shopping companies work closely and carefully with the hotel clients, and it pays.”

How to Find the Best Mystery Shopping Companies

Amanda believes that word-of-mouth is the best source for finding legitimate companies. Many shoppers underestimate the power of networking in this field, and it goes a long way in terms of avoiding scams. Talking to other shoppers about their experiences is the best way to know if a company is right for you.

Red flags? If you hear that a mystery shopping company is not paying as promised, or not paying in a timely manner, do not accept a shop from them, no matter how good it looks. Some mystery shopping companies exist on the premise that there are always more shoppers ready to take assignments.  Amanda says it is incredibly important to understand the company’s payment process and be comfortable with it.

Watch out for mystery shopping companies that do not pay a fee in addition to reimbursable expenses, or provide instructions that require the mystery shopper to spend above and beyond reimbursement limits.

Further, trust your instincts, or as Amanda says, “There is no free lunch.” No company will offer a new shopper a $10,000 cruise evaluation; these are offered after you have worked with a company for a while, connected, and found a relationship with mutual benefits. Ultimately, if you are concerned, verify a company’s legitimacy by talking to others who have shopped for them. If the company is small and therefore not readily discussed, ask the company who they can refer you to. If the company is a scam, the signs are there. Never, ever provide a social security number or W-4 to a mystery shopping company…EVER.

How to Distinguish Yourself from Other Shoppers

Amanda has four pieces of advice for shoppers who want to differentiate themselves:

1. Always do the best you can
2. Find the best types of shops for you
3. Choose assignments within those shops that fit your personality
4. Do your homework

Some evaluators have the mindset that mystery shopping companies do not value their shoppers. These evaluators, both new and experienced, cut corners. Amanda thinks this is the biggest mistake a shopper can make. Her philosophy is to always perform to the best of her ability, and this makes her stand out amongst the rest.  As we can attest here at Coyle, it doesn’t take more than a few minutes of fact-checking and editing to know if a mystery shopper was “on” or not.

Amanda does a lot of research ahead of time before she commits to a shop, but even if she later discovers that a shop is not what she thought it would be and thinks it isn’t worth her time, she still does the best possible job for two reasons. First, the client deserves it. Second, it doesn’t help the industry which is what we are all here for.  Also, Amanda states that he has learned from mystery shopping companies that the best way to stand out is to ace the least desirable evaluations, “That can get you on a fast-track really early.”

In regards to the type of shop, Amanda found the best fit for her based on her strengths and weaknesses. She is a great narrative writer and does not find writing tedious; in fact, she enjoys it. For her, the more narrative, the better, which is why hotel shops are perfect. On the other hand, she is not great with technology and could never do a video shop. Likewise, Amanda has a colleague who shops for gas stations, and does 20 in one day. Choose what works with who you are, and be fastidious about scheduling and you cannot go wrong.

After Amanda found her niche–hotel mystery shops–she realized the importance of choosing assignments within that niche that fit her. Her main point is that you can’t evaluate a place you are completely uncomfortable in. For example, if you don’t go to bars or feel uncomfortable around alcohol, don’t take a bar shop. Amanda once took a shop at a hotel that catered to the motorcycle crowd; the experience was unpleasant for her, and she did not fit in. Ultimately, if you do take the wrong assignment, it is not a good time for you, and it is obvious to the client.

What the Mystery Shopping Companies Look for in Long-Term Evaluator Relationships

Amanda has found that there are three qualities that good mystery shopping companies look for in evaluators:

1. Integrity
2. Strong work ethic
3. Commitment to the mission and the client’s best interest.

Amanda’s integrity has put her ahead of the pack. “Honesty and doing your best go hand-in-hand with integrity,” she says. She advises not to game the system.  That means that if you make a mistake, own up to it, and tell the mystery shopping company right away about any problems.  If mystery shopping companies get the sense that you are hiding something or not fully disclosing all the details, you will not be retained again.

In regards to a strong work ethic, it is important to be easy to dot the I’s and cross the T’s.  Some shoppers are hesitant to provide any negative or constructive feedback because it is just easier to say everyyting was great. Put the time in to make sure the employee and client learn all they can.

Finally, you must be committed to the mission and the client’s best interest. If you are there to perform a successful shop, follow the client specifications, and provide the client with the means to improving their operations. The whole system is based on giving the clients feedback they cannot get elsewhere.  If you don’t like the client concept, it will be hard to remove prejudice. Accuracy and objectivity are key..

To pursue a Quality Evaluator opportunity with Coyle, please visit our Evaluator page or contact us online.

*Amanda is not the real name of the interviewee; this name was created to protect the privacy of the evaluator.

A car pulls up on the front drive. The valet opens the car door and the guest exits the vehicle. In that first instant, the valet captures the key to a trove of information: the guest’s name. As the guest approaches the front desk in pleasant conversation with the bellman who will be readily waiting with luggage to go to the room, the front desk agent is prepared because the valet has announced the guest’s arrival.  “Mr. Jones, welcome back! We are so happy to have you here again.”

Isn’t that a little better than, “Checking in? Name? ID and credit card please.”

Hotels, unlike virtually every other business, require that potential customers provide a credit card, name, address, and even email address before the business is conducted. Once the transaction starts, guests redundantly provide the information again when a valet ticket is filled out and or when a driver’s license and credit card are provided at the front desk. Guests must do so much for just the promise of a hotel room, and if hotels recognize this and leverage it effectively, those guests will feel like they have arrived at, well, home.

Recognizing the Importance of Guest Loyalty

We often hear: “It costs three to five times as much to attract new guests than it costs to retain existing ones.” According to Bill Dunn, Director of Business Development for Ipsos Loyalty, this is just a myth predicated on a current of unrelated factors. But whether this specific ratio holds true or not, we in the hospitality industry know that a loyal guest is far less costly than a new guest and can come along with an ROI that a new guest may not.

First, loyal guests are less price sensitive than new guests because they understand company procedures and are familiar with the product, thus getting greater value from their relationship with the hotel company they frequent (Reichheld, 1996, p.49).

Second, loyal guests are more likely to inform management of service issues rather than simply swearing off a property. They like the hotel and want to ensure it stays the way they like it.

Finally, marketing efforts geared toward new guests are typically much more costly than those aimed at loyal ones, and loyal guests serve as free marketing tools via word-of-mouth.

This word-of-mouth piece is arguably the most important for two reasons. First, people trust suggestions made by friends and family–and, now, even by strangers on review websites and social media platforms–more than advertisements or other marketing tools because they are based on real experiences rather than fluff. Word-of-mouth recommendations have the ability to make intangible services concrete, and, for hotels, this opportunity is invaluable. Secondly, the fact is that many of your guests will simply never return, or they will return so infrequently that your share of their wallet is miniscule. Your hotel will go broke waiting for Mr. Jones to return when the reality is that he only travels to your market once every five years. In order to get any value from Mr. Jones, you need him to speak favorably to others or post positive comments on review sites for people to see. In order for that to happen, a surprise or delight will be needed.

Understanding Guest Loyalty vs. Guest Satisfaction

To understand the importance of guest loyalty, you must differentiate it from guest satisfaction. The level of guest satisfaction is based on the guest’s expectations of the service quality, the value of the service, and the quality actually received. High customer satisfaction leads to guest loyalty, and companies who experience higher guest loyalty perform better financially compared to their competitors (Kristiansen et al.,1992; Zeithaml et al.,1996; McColl-Kennedy and Schneider, 2000) because guest retention holds the promise of future revenue.

A highly satisfied guest becomes a loyal guest, and a loyal guest encourages new guests to visit a property. This is a great theory because it speaks to every society’s cultural norms. The problem is that the marketplace is competitive; hotels do not exist in vacuums. Any potential repeat business sourced from a satisfied guest will be challenged with attractive offers from competitors who are happy to provide some premiums for a crack at this new guest. Simple satisfaction is not always enough to induce loyalty, especially at the upscale and luxury level; instead, it is those memorable experiences–when a hotel goes above and beyond to completely indulge the guest–that create the yearn to return.

Personalizing the Experience

This longing to return is accomplished through meaningful, emotional, and personalized services. This is not simply about emitting a positive demeanor, making eye contact, smiling, or displaying an alert posture. To truly personalize a service, one must dig deep down to understand guest needs and wants before the guest knows them himself.

Here are the basics:

• Use the guest name: Using the guest’s name is one of the simplest, most effective ways to recognize a guest, and yet, it is one of the most commonly missed standards Coyle finds in hotel evaluations. Everyone likes hearing their name….Everyone.

• Ask caring, open-ended questions that cannot be answered with a dismissive yes or no: Ask the guest how their trip was, or how their stay is going thus far. The guest wants to feel valued, comfortable, and welcomed. This is a strong emotion, and it can only be achieved through proactive efforts. Our research shows that guests are proactively asked about their stay during mundane interactions (getting directions at the bellstand, getting a map at the front desk, requesting a wake-up call on the phone) less than 10% of the time. That is an opportunity to distinguish yourself if there ever was one.

• Anticipate guest needs: The good news is that your staff now practices the occasional open-ended question like, “How is your stay going so far.” If a guest mentions casually that he is feeling under the weather, has dinner reservations at 8, is tired, or can’t wait for the opera tonight, he has just told something very important about himself. Try role-playing these things at a staff meeting, and your service aces will come up with some amazing ways to anticipate needs and create a memory. It is inexpensive and easy to perform these acts, yet even the best hotels miss them frequently because we are a transactional species by nature.

• Perfect Service Recovery: What is the one thing we know about every guest? They all have the following in common: they aren’t home.  This means that they are separated from their normal, trusted resource networks. They are vulnerable and know that if only a couple of things go wrong, their business trip or vacation is at peril. Talk about being emotional. This vulnerability means that there are times they are really going to need you. A smiling face and a little empathy starts the moment of truth off on the right foot. Again, not a sure thing for a guest approaching the desk who just realized tonight’s event is black-tie. What is a guest expecting from your front desk when they mention room service was late this morning? A standard apology will ring to a deaf ear which happens to be connected to a hand holding an $800 check-out folio. The opportunity that most hotels miss? They do not follow through and see that the remedy they prescribed did indeed work and that the guest was satisfied. Imagine having someone fix a problem and then check back to make sure everything was fine?  That is a surprise and delight.

Coyle’s hotel evaluations and mystery shopping programs measure and analyze the elements of surprise and delight and provide valuable insights into the guest experience: both objectively and subjectively to get to the root of the emotional experience. If you would like to learn more about Coyle’s services, please continue reading about our evaluation services, contact us online, or call us at 212-629-2083 ext. 106.

November 14, 2011

(New York, NY) Coyle Hospitality Group is pleased to announce that it will be a silver sponsor of the 89th Annual Cornell Hotel Society (CHS) Reception during the 2011 International, Hotel, Motel, & Restaurant Show (IHMRS). IHMRS is the international hospitality showcase of the year; bringing in more than 700 industry suppliers and over 30,000 buyers, IHMRS provides an optimistic outlook for the hospitality industry.

Last year, Coyle identified the top ten innovative products introduced at the show, recapped notable advice from industry experts during the IHMRS Panel discussion, and offered live coverage of the show and its highlights each day. This year, Coyle will increase its involvement by becoming a sponsor of one of the most exciting and anticipated events: The Cornell Hotel Society Reception.

“We are especially pleased to be sponsoring this year,” remarked Kevin Lieber. “This event truly reflects the hotelier spirit of camaraderie, and of course it helps out a worthy cause. The Cornell community is a welcoming, encouraging, and fantastic resource that truly exudes service in all aspects of life. When thinking of how to give back to a community that many Coyle employees are a part of, we immediately thought to sponsor this event. We are happy to help the school during its annual, milestone event–alumni and industry professionals alike do not want to miss it!” Kevin ‘10 will be joined by Hotelie colleagues Jim Coyle ‘87, Stephanie Perrone-Goldstein ‘01, Arthur Chang ‘07, Haley Bane ‘08, and Tess Rex ‘12.

The Cornell Hotel Society Reception is the networking event of the year for hospitality industry professionals, and, as the Coyle team is made up of hospitality experts that are proud Cornell Hotel School alumni, Coyle feels a special connection to the event. The Coyle team will attend the reception as a silver co-sponsor along with other prominent industry companies including Thompson Hotels, CBRE Hotels, and Sunstone Hotel Investors. Coyle hopes to see you there!

For more information regarding Coyle programs, please contact us at 212-629-2083 ext. 106 or request information online.

What was everyone so interested in learning?

That’s an easy one:  What is it that spa consumers really want?

I was thankful for the opportunity to catch up with colleagues and make new friends.  As always, I left the conference invigorated by the confirmation that there are so many of us who are just absolutely fanatical about spa.  I was also reminded about the vast array of creative talent out there.  It is really unique to this industry that the leaders willingly share their secrets. Bravo Spa!

Some things that stuck with me….

Big Ticket Emotional Purchase

One of the best things about booking a vacation is that once you have done it, you get weeks–sometimes months–of truly wonderful anticipation. That feeling, and how it visits the consumer on-and-off before the actual transaction, is what separates the emotional purchase from say, buying a car or even an expensive toy.  Spa guests who have booked a spa treatment in many ways are already reaping the fruits of that decision before they get to the spa.

Many spa operators talked about how they are streamlining the purchase decision and keying in on presenting emotional benefits on their web sites.  This helps enhance the pre-stay value of the spa treatment.

Our research has shown that spa consumers want two things to help them purchase: transparency and information.  The emotional component is worry-free when the spa consumer feels he or she has made a confident choice and knows the price. Spa guests do not go home with sticker-shock about add-on charges or feel they have selected the wrong treatment. Everyone in a spa knows this is a luxury buy for most consumers. It seems more obvious to me now than before that spas everywhere are really thinking about optimizing that pre-stay experience.

Spa Consumers Continue to be More Savvy

Gone are the days when a big percentage of the market mix was first time spa goers. Everyone talked about today’s spa goers, fresh from a $5 pedicure they got on Groupon, demanding more bang for their buck. A relaxing massage is now expected to provide benefits well beyond the 90-minute session at the resort.  Many that I talked to felt that the prolonged economic malaise, unlike the comparatively brief recession from 2001-2003, has permanently changed the spa consumer.  As always, that presents threat and opportunity. Those that approach the informed consumer with discounting and deals accept the fact that they will always be in fierce competition with the spa deal du jour.  I was impressed by several people who talked about how the more intelligent spa consumer offers greater–though more challenging–opportunities to engage at an emotional level.  Fanatics like being around other fanatics–there is purpose and loyalty there.  The spa owners that inspire me most just always seem to be making lemonade.

Sealing the Deal

Many of the attendees expressed utter shock when they learned that 86% of spa consumers actually welcome a post-visit follow up after a treatment.  Our research peeled away the layers of the onion on this one and we found that many spa-goers felt soreness or felt a little differently about their treatment the next day.  An email from the spa manager expressing sincere interest, and perhaps mentioning again that soreness is natural and to continue hydrating was seen as a very positive connection with the spa. How easy is that? I hope not so easy that many simply leap right to the opportunity to book more visits and forget the that the real opportunity is to connect emotionally by demonstrating care and building trust.

No…the majority of people who discussed this topic saw it first and foremost as proof of why spa is different and why spa is wonderful!

For more information, please download Coyle’s 2011 Global Spa Report or contact us online for more information on Coyle’s spa services.

Coyle thanks the SpaExec team for a great conference and the opportunity to share Coyle’s consumer research.

In a session aptly named, “The Magic in Spa Service—Exceeding Guest Expectations,” Louis Mattassi explained the connection between guest expectations and guest loyalty.  Essentially, spas that exceed expectations see increases in spa customer retention.  Mattassi believes that true spa guest service begins only when spas go above and beyond anticipated guest behaviors.  He stressed the importance of tangible service; by surpassing guest’s expectations with concrete details, spas can gain repeat guests and develop a loyal customer base.

To achieve outstanding service levels, Mattassi uses a personal philosophy that encompasses basic guest needs: “Be—Do—Have.”  “Be” addresses self-awareness and integrity.  Accordingly, if spa staff members emit inviting, relaxed, and positive vibes, guests will match these emotions and maximize their spa experiences.  When staff members appear stressed or behave transactionally, the guest experience is negatively affected.

“Do” focuses on the planning aspect of a spa service—from the moment the guest enters the spa door to the follow up the day after a guest’s visit, the process flow must be perfectly planned and executed.  As evidenced by Coyle’s 2011 Global Spa Report, the spa visit does not end once the guest leaves the door.  Based on Coyle’s research, 86% of spa goers would feel comfortable receiving a follow-up correspondence post-visit.  By providing a follow-up call or e-mail post-visit, spas can ensure the quality of the spa guest experience continues even after the treatment is over.

“Have” concentrates on the final product; if implemented properly, this philosophy can provide a spa with an environment conducive to excellent guest service.  To implement this philosophy, begin by shaping staff member attitudes to ensure they align with internal goals and standards that define the brand.

Mattassi discussed six basic customer needs:

1. The need to be understood.  Asking questions is imperative to gauge guest preferences and understand the purpose of their visit.  Once guests feel listened to, they offer trust and respect in return.
2. The need to feel welcome.  Guests visit spas to relax and escape daily stresses.  Spa owners and managers must create an inviting environment where guests can truly enjoy themselves.  The difference is in the details and small additions such as offering a beverage or a towel will greatly improve the visit from the guest perspective.
3. The need to feel important. All attention must be directed towards the guest’s wellbeing.  Guests are a spa’s number one priority, and they should feel that way.  Addressing the guest by name will make the guest feel like the service is personalized and their patronage is valued.
4. The need to feel comfortable. If the first three needs are achieved, this need should fall into place if all three needs are constantly being met.  Guest should feel understood, welcomed and important throughout the entire spa experience and not just at reception.  Gauging guest preferences during the treatment will continue to ensure comfort and continued use of guest names will ensure the spa experience feels personalized from beginning to end.
5. Value for money spent. Value is a major priority for most spa guests, especially given the current economic climate.  Because spa services are a luxury expense, guests must be convinced that the price matches the quality of the service.  Explaining products that are used and the benefits the treatment offers can help spas achieve this standard.  Guests will leave the spa knowing how the treatment was beneficial for both mind and body.
6. Create the “right” perceived value. Guests set their own expectations about services and treatments and decide whether or not they are willing to pay.  While discounting and coupons generated by the internet “daily deal” frenzy might not always create the “right” perceived value, however, as shown in Coyle’s 2011 Global Spa Report, guests who attend a spa using an online coupon are still 63% likely to return.  So treat all customers equally to ensure each and every customer has the best chance to convert into loyal guests.

As emphasized by Mattassi, providing outstanding guest experiences is the key to retaining and growing a loyal customer base.  If spas can follow these six steps, they can narrow the gap between achieving spa satisfaction and spa loyalty and turn each spa guest into a brand advocate.

Coyle’s mystery shopping services can help manage these expectations and provide you with the complete story about your current spa guest experience.  For more information on Coyle’s spa services call us at (212) 629-2083 ext. 106 or contact us today.

Please click here to download Coyle’s 2011 Global Spa Report.