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July 25, 2018
After Mastering Product Offerings, Hotels Must Turn Attention to Services, J.D. Power Finds
Upgrades Losing Their Effectiveness to Drive Higher Satisfaction after Years of Capital Investment
ItÕs a good time to be a hotel guest. Across the board, hotels are making their customers happier than ever, according to the J.D. Power 2018 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index (NAGSI) Study.SM Driven by increased approval of guest rooms and hotel facilities, overall satisfaction for the industry increases 8 points to 825 (on a 1,000-point scale).ÒHotels in all price ranges have exceled at ensuring their customers have a top-notch experience,Ó said Jennifer Corwin, Associate Practice Lead for the Global Travel and Hospitality Practice at J.D. Power. ÒYears of capital investment in offerings such as higher-end televisions and in-room tablets have left their mark. Now, as hotels look to push customer satisfaction levels higher, their focus should turn to service areas, particularly when it comes to direct booking.Ó Service areas also are improving, but at a slower rate. According to Corwin, in consideration of economic cycles, hotels should emphasize refining their service effort which represents greater opportunity for improvement and requires less investment than capital improvements. Now in its 22nd year, the study is designed to help hoteliers add focus and clarity to product and service improvement efforts that matter most to their guests. The study measures overall guest satisfaction across eight hotel segments: luxury; upper upscale; upscale; upper midscale; midscale; economy; upper extended stay; and extended stay. Seven key factors are examined in each segment to determine overall satisfaction: reservation; check-in/check-out; guest room; food & beverage; hotel services; hotel facilities; and cost & fees. Following are some key findings of the 2018 study:
Study Rankings The following hotel brands rank highest in guest satisfaction in their respective segments: Luxury: The Ritz-Carlton (for fourth consecutive year) Upper Upscale: Kimpton Hotels Upscale: Hilton Garden Inn (for third consecutive year) Upper Midscale: Drury Hotels (for 13th consecutive year) Midscale: Wingate by Wyndham (for fourth consecutive year) Economy: Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham Upper Extended Stay: Staybridge Suites (for second consecutive year) Extended Stay: Home2 Suites by Hilton The 2018 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index Study analyzes guest responses to more than 150 questions regarding their overall experiences and includes 70 officially ranked brands in eight market segments. This yearÕs study is based on responses from approximately 55,000 hotel guests who stayed at a hotel between May 2017 and May 2018. The study was fielded between June 2017 and May 2018. Copyright 2018 J.D. Power. All rights reserved. From http://www.jdpower.com.
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