The Rise of On-Site Reviews During the Pandemic – What the Data Shows
Until recently, requesting and leaving a review was always done after the guest checks out of the hotel. The guest journey was made of clear and defined stages that ended once the guest left the hotel premises and submitted a review. Only then did a hotel analyze and act upon the feedback received.
Things have changed significantly in the last few years and especially since the COVID pandemic began. Fortunately, our platform enables us to get valuable insights into the course of the hospitality industry, as seen through guest reviews. As a result, we quickly understood the rising need for constant and open communication between guests and hotel staff, especially during the on-site phase of the journey. We wanted to see how the course and volume of the post-stay reviews have changed in relation to the newly popular on-site feedback.
Our data uncovered a significant increase in the number of mid-stay or on-site reviews that began in 2019 and continue to rise to this day. The graphic presents a clear difference between the number of on-site and post-stay guest reviews across multiple properties of the same hotel chain, which seems to underline the rising importance and popularity of real-time communication. Not only is on-site feedback more popular than post-stay, but the average scores generated by it are also higher (87 on-site compared to 83.5 post-stay).
So what does this mean for your hotel business?
The edges of communication have been stretched into new and exciting directions and modern travelers need to feel heard and valued. A post-stay survey, as useful and insightful as it still is, is also restricted in this time and age. There really is no better time than the present because your guests expect and need real-time engagement during these uncertain times. Traveling in the COVID era is bound to generate a number of risks, concerns, and questions that guests need to be able to address to someone who is able to clarify matters and solve issues. Not later, but right now. Urgency is key in the 21st century and now more than ever, it’s crucial to make yourself available at all times, in order to ensure safety and trust.
Live communication is not only a way to make your guests feel heard and valued. It also gives you the chance to solve any possible problems on the spot, before they turn into negative post-stay reviews, scattered across the online world, for everyone to see. From smaller issues to bigger ones, almost everything can be solved if addressed in a timely and efficient manner. This is exactly the reason behind the higher scores generated by on-site surveys. Besides feeling like their concerns are addressed immediately, guests also get their problems solved. It can be a request for an extra pillow, asking for recommendations on popular tourist attractions, or even something as serious as requesting assistance in the case of illness or infection. If the hotel staff has the proper means to not only receive on-site feedback but also to request and encourage it, guests have a higher chance of enjoying a pleasant experience and nurturing trust in the hotel they chose.
At TrustYou, we are the first and only company on the market to expand the concept of guest engagement by integrating direct, contactless messaging and a unique Live Survey tool into one exclusive solution: the TrustYou Live Experience. You can now enable the seamless flow of communications between guests and staff and ensure that common detractors are quickly turned into promoters - in a nutshell, let on-site feedback pave the way for improved operations, better satisfaction scores, and more revenue. Through the Live Experience solution, both hoteliers and guests can explore the true meaning of real-time and contactless engagement. It is essential to encourage guests to submit a mid-stay live survey regarding services or facilities; at the same time, hotel staff can use the live messaging tool to pass on the detected issue and solve it right on the spot, as well as report back to guests on their channel of choice. By doing so, the integration of Live Messaging and Live Survey enables instant feedback, opens new lines of communication, and helps fix issues before they turn into negative post-stay reviews.
You can read more about our exclusive Live Experience solution and feel free to contact our team of experts and go live with us! We are here to help you make the most out of guest engagement and to serve the real, immediate needs of today’s traveler.
