New study finds only 25% of guests report issues

A new report reveals that guests only report issues that impact their guest experience 25 percent of the time. Gen Z and millennials were the least likely to say they would report any issues that impact their stay at 17 percent and 18 percent, respectively, according to the Zingle "2019 Guest Service Report." Thirty-three percent of baby boomers (ages 56-75) said that they would report any issue that impacts their guest experience. 

The report also found that 45 percent would prefer to report the issue through SMS or a messaging application, versus over phone, email or in person. Fifty-eight percent of Gen Z respondents would prefer to answer via text while 56 percent of millennials would. 

Photo credit: Zingle

Fifty-one percent of respondents said online reviews impact their decision to give a hotel their business. Gen Z (58 percent) and millennials (59 percent) were neck-and-neck in their responses, saying that online reviews greatly impact their decision to give a company their business while baby boomers were the least likely to say that online reviews greatly impact their decision to give a company their business (36 percent).

According to the report, only 1 in 5 guests say they will share a guest experience online or in a review if it  “meets their expectations,” while more than 1 in 3 guests (37 percent) report that a guest experience must “surpass their expectations” in order for them to share it online or in a review.

Other highlights from the report include:

  • Nearly 1 in 3 respondents of those who say they don't report issues don't because there is “not an easy or quick way to do so.”
  • 51 percent of respondents say online reviews “greatly” impact their decision to give a hotel their business.
  • More than 1 in 3 guests are willing to pay up to $50 more for hotels that provide better service than nearby competitors.
  • 42 percent of respondents say they would return to a hotel if it were able to turn a poor experience into a positive one by solving a problem immediately, and an additional 52 percent would “certainly consider it.”
  • 87 percent of respondents report that they at least sometimes feel “more emotionally connected” to a brand when their customer service solves a problem for them.

The report looks at how guest expectations and effective service recovery impact the guest experience and drive business. With entire guest experiences being defined in micromoments, the need to understand guests’ views and expectations on the elements that underpin the guest experience, as well as how their decisions are shaped by the experiences of others, is more crucial than ever, Zingle reports. To help hoteliers better understand guest expectations and behaviors, Zingle commissioned a research study of more than 1,100 respondents, weighted for the U.S. consumer population by age and region. 

“There is nothing more important to the success of a hotel than the service it provides,” Zingle CEO Ford Blakely said in a statement. “Service teams shine brightest when issues arise and they take immediate action to ensure a good guest experience doesn’t turn into a bad one. However, our study found that guests do not report service issues as frequently as you might expect, which makes it impossible for service teams to do their jobs. It’s imperative for operators to recognize this and take the appropriate steps to prevent smaller service issues from becoming bigger problems for the property or brand.”

To view the report, click here