How to increase guest ratings and why you should have guest database?

Guest ratings might be a real problem. I often see luxury hotels with bad google reviews. I get excited about finding them and disappointed just after checking impressions online. At first this seems to be out of your control, but is it? Unhappy guest just left your hotel, I know you did your best, but it has to do something with you! Let’s step back, own the problem and redefine it.

What is it that you are missing?

First, clarity with who you are and what your concept is like.

Second, courage to communicate the experience as it is.

Third, consistency to provide what you have promised.

Forth, commitment to your brand and confidence to serve your ideal guests.

Hint: be the curious cat and explore the world in your guest's shoes.

This is how I see it.

Moral of the story: Be clear about what you deliver. Have courage to differentiate. Be consistent. Commit to your concept and show up confidently for ideal guest. Get to know them. To solve the rebus, continue reading.

If you have not seen rebuses in a while here is one. I was inspired by Dan Sullivan's The 4 C's formula. Here are 5 C's which end with guest database as an ultimate tool that proves this formula.

Every business needs clarity when it comes to basics, what it offers but also how. The path is rather easy but we complicate it thinking it has to feel more difficult. It is, but not the kind of difficult you are used to. To admit this and really market your unique concept you need courage. The time will show you that you also need systems for this to work which you start setting up. Eventually you decide to commit to your vision and feel confident you can serve people you also committed to. Let's unwrap each of these C's.

First missing part, clarity

The actual beginning of the problem is when your advertising and your message is missing the clarity. The real reason behind it, is that you are not presenting your concept clearly or you do not have it neatly defined at all. Guests have completely different vision of your hotel than you. Their expectations seem unrealistic to you exactly because this is not what you provide, but they did not get such impression. So, can it be that you promised whatever they came for anyway?

Therefore, there is a gap between the quality of service you are providing and what they think they paid for. These two do not align and there is frustration. This is not about you not fulfilling someone's needs but completely misunderstanding them at first place!

You can not make someone happy by giving them something they never asked nor wished for. In these scenarios your values oppose. You were never a match but no one knew, neither you nor the guest.

Sometimes, you encounter people who understand this gap happens and they take the responsibility of being willing to believe you, but sometimes it turns out as a horrible experience because they feel tricked and underserved. Either way, they will leave and one bad review is fine, but what you need to do is to make sure to be clear in what you promise so you don't end up in this circle again and again. The most importantly, you do not want to completely loose trust of your potential ideal guests who left unsatisfied and never even told you nor recommended you to their friends and especially not considered coming back. Fix this before it is too late.

Eventually, consider if you are talking the same language as your ideal guest. Not literally of course, but that too! Think about the words and the approach you are choosing to describe your hotel. Do your think your guests are able to recognise that you are what they need? Think about those before and after pictures, people relate with those with more ease. How can you bring them closer that feeling of staying with you?

Second missing part, courage

The question now is why you haven't been clear in the first place.

What stopes you from presenting your offer in a clear and direct manner, describing the real experience as it is?

The second missing part is courage. The courage to be turned down by many in order to attract the ones who love your offer. The courage to communicate your values and experience that is like no other.

Not everyone will like what you have to offer and this might be scary. It can also be that you undervalue the experience you provide or you are being too shy about going fully with your unique concept so following market means playing it safe, not drawing any attention. But isn't it what you want, more attention for being unique and exceptional?

Clarity and courage are what you need in order to establish your brand’s personality and character. This includes everything you decide to stand for in your business but also to be recognised by. And this asks for consistency...

Third missing part, consistency

Consistency comes when previous two parts are in place. Its goal is sustainability and efficiency. It is essential to think about setting the systems that will support the guest journey you designed. Your guest experience should be the same every time. At least to some baseline level in order for your guests to trust you and rely on you.

Once you promise something, you need to deliver it. Not once but each and every time.

Systems help you provide the chosen quality of service with ease, every time. No drama, no chaos, no rush, just sets of standards, well defined organisation and protocols for important processes. You train your employees to follow them, you motivate them to be at the top of the game whose rules you have written. You play and your guests watch.

This is when the beauty of the unique concept and clear promise comes in place. It is like feminine and masculine energy which support each other, one makes space for the manifestation of other.

It is order and ideation in its supportive relation.

Commitment and confidence, through guest database

In order to integrate well all the parts, it helps to know which ideas are really a good fit and which are just trendy. Getting to know your guests will help you be more committed to them in future.

When you are being clear and honest with your values and promise, your ideal guests will love what you have to offer because this is what they came for at first place and from there on you can just offer more of what fits into your concept. This way you are staying committed to both you and your guests.

Eventually, by understanding them and connecting closer, you will be confident on how you can serve them best. This way it is easy to create a true boutique experience in your hotel while still being loyal to your own structure and values.

When it comes to practical matters, there is no right form for guest database. You should not just take all the information you can think of because this will be overwhelming for both you and the guest and you are risking to appear pushy in a way. In fact, do not let them even notice you are trying to find out something. Even more important, what you need from information will be completely different from what some other property needs. This is due to your concept.

Therefore, be curious, with your concept in mind, put yourself in the shoes of your ideal guest and think about all the things you would love to experience or be supported by while staying with you. Eventually just write down the information you need to get in order to make such an experience for them.

I invite you to share your business wisdom! Tell us, how well do you know your guests and how does it help you serve them better? Comment bellow.

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