Guest reviews and feedback are some of the most important things in the hotel industry. When you book a hotel, what is the first thing you do? You check the reviews! We understand that, and we value the opinion of each and every person who stays with us—which is why guest feedback is taken seriously at Crown Group.
What Is Guest Feedback, and Why Does it Matter for Hotels?
Guest feedback comes in all forms, but it is all equally important. In short, it’s information that the individuals who stay at our hotels give us about their time with us, the services they received, and the accommodation. This feedback can be positive, negative, or neutral, and is crucial for helping us to improve what we offer by knowing where we fall short—and also what we are doing right.
If you have ever stayed at a hotel, bought something from a shop (both online or in person), or received a service of any kind, you will have probably been asked to provide feedback. This isn’t to waste your time—we genuinely want to know. Feedback allows us to make the necessary changes so that you will be more satisfied with what you are paying for, but it also supports staff development by highlighting different training opportunities and celebrating the wins.
Think of it like this: if you created a recipe from scratch, you would want it to be delicious and the best it can be. How do you do that? You get feedback, review what tasters have said, and incorporate those changes to better your processes, understanding, and the final result of the recipe.
How Do We Collect Guest Feedback Across the Guest Journey?
Before we can go through the feedback process, we need to get feedback. To do this, we can send out a guest survey to those who have stayed with us, ask for feedback at the reception, or collect it throughout the day when our guests come to us with comments, questions, or concerns.
When we get feedback, we will review responses and put it all in a list to put forward for consideration at our manager’s next monthly meeting. There, the compiled feedback will be assessed. If the feedback is helpful, we will incorporate it. If it isn’t, or is not realistically achievable for any reason, we will take steps to mitigate issues moving forward.
How Do We Handle Guest Reviews in Our Hotels?
At Crown Group of Hotels, we handle guest reviews with care, and take them seriously. We look at hotel complaints and guest satisfaction objectively to come up with solutions that work, no matter how big or small the issue might be. Our online review management can make a world of difference.
Here are the key points to understand regarding how we handle guest feedback:
- Feedback during a guest’s stay – our on-site team will try to resolve any issues that a guest is experiencing immediately
- We don’t offer incentives – many other hotels offer incentives to guests to post reviews or give feedback—we don’t. For ethical reasons, we want all feedback and reviews to be organic and come from the heart
- We try to handle negative feedback quickly – negative feedback is still feedback, and we will work hard to remedy any issues as soon as possible. This includes issues related to maintenance (e.g., a broken kettle in your room) to issues with personnel
- Feedback is compiled for review – general feedback that can be used to improve the stay is compiled for management to review on a monthly basis. This could be anything from adding different tea or juice options at breakfasts, to offering different linens
We encourage guests to visit the reception as soon as they can if they have an issue whilst staying with us—you would be shocked by how many issues can be resolved within minutes by communicating with staff and letting them know if something is wrong. While we understand that many people may hesitate to do this, please remember that we want your stay to be comfortable, and will do what we can to ensure that.
What Is Our Approach to Responding to Positive Guest Reviews?
Our approach to responding to positive reviews is simple—we thank you for all the kind words, and let our staff know that they are doing a fantastic job. We don’t believe in only letting staff know what they can improve on, and you’re a big part of building confidence.
How Do We Handle Negative Feedback and Complaints Publicly and Privately?
Negative guest feedback can be more difficult to deal with, particularly when it comes to something that can be difficult or impossible to change. Regardless, guest satisfaction—even if it is low for someone—is welcome, and we will work hard to fix it.
If possible, we like to handle complaints privately. This is why it’s so important for you to report any issues while you are staying with us, as it is highly likely to be a one-off issue that can be fixed then and there, and not something that future or potential guests need to worry about. If complaints go public, all we can do is apologise and assure you that the issue will be fixed—and we mean that.
How Does Guest Feedback Improve Our Service and Satisfaction Scores?
Guest feedback is the backbone to improving our services and satisfaction. If you, the guest, don’t communicate with us when something is wrong, we won’t be able to fix it—and when we can’t fix it, your time with us is not going to be the breeze you expected, and we wanted.
When we get guest feedback, we do everything we can to implement it if it makes sense. Sometimes something might be beyond our control, or simply isn’t reasonable for the majority of the public, but we want you to have an exceptional experience when you stay with us, and we will accommodate you wherever we can.
Over the years, our services have been greatly improved through guest feedback. Quite honestly, guests often consider things that no one else has, and bringing them to our attention can make a world of difference for you and for future travellers spending time at one of our hotels. So, if you have an idea for something that could be improved, you find a problem, or you simply don’t like something, let us know!
What Are the Most Common Guest Complaints Within the Hotel Industry?
In the hotel industry, some guest concerns are naturally linked to personal preferences and external factors that can vary from stay to stay. This is especially true in busy city locations, where things like traffic levels, surrounding activity, and general noise can be difficult to predict or fully control.
Other concerns may relate to individual expectations, such as preferred room temperature, bed comfort, or how guests use Wi-Fi during their stay. These factors can differ greatly depending on the purpose of the visit, whether it is business travel, sightseeing, or a weekend break.
Overall, most feedback comes down to ensuring expectations match the experience, which is why clear communication and guest support remain so important throughout every stay.
Visiting London? Stay With Crown Group of Hotels, Where Your Feedback Is Always Appreciated
Get in touch and stay at Crown Group of Hotels, and see how we handle guest feedback first-hand! We would be happy to have you and hear any feedback you might have as we continue to strive for excellence in everything we do.
Stay at Hotel Cavendish, Mabledon Court Hotel, Arran House Hotel, Bloomsbury Palace Hotel, Great St. Helen Hotel, or Hatton Garden Hotel for your next London trip, and experience the very best that the city has to offer. Before booking, please read through our booking and privacy policies and terms and conditions.
