Why Even The Best General Managers Experience Disappointing Guest Satisfaction Ratings - By Naomi Stark

Typically, it is based on the quantity of small 'glitches' they experience. Rarely is it due to the occurrences of major issues as these are not the typical guest experience. One-glitch travelers typically understand and will typically tolerate, leaving you most likely in the 9 - 10 range. Two glitches and your ratings have been chipped-away into the 8 - 9 range. Any more and the Chip-away Effect becomes corrosive quickly. The guest rating experience is now in the 7 range or worse. We all know what glitches are as we've all experienced them. Your room wasn't ready when you arrived, your In-Room-Dining breakfast order of eggs and potatoes were missing the salt & pepper. By the time it's delivered, your eggs are cold. What is worse than cold eggs??

We've all experienced glitches. When you are personally responsible for guest satisfaction scores, the occurrence of these glitches chipping away at your 10 rating magnifies your frustration. For the General Manager, who is faced with scores that do not reflect the vision, expertise or the commitment to their property, guest and team, the pain can be worse than that which is experienced by the guest. In my career, I've had the privilege of working with some of the industry's elite General Managers. However, on more than one occasion, these very accomplished General Managers experienced disappointing guest satisfaction scores. These intelligent, competent and accomplished GM's faced the common scenario that so many do: the negative results of the Chip-Away Effect.

The Chip-Away Effect is stronger than the most experienced and well-intentioned General Manager. The occurrence of multiple glitches is the result of an all-embracing operation such as a hotel. Many businesses enjoy shutting down for the night. Not a hotel. This 24X7 machine, comprised of numerous departments, filled with a variety of individuals, all have an impact on your customer's satisfaction and loyalty. What should be simple, being hospitable to guests, becomes a complex challenge: Unifying hundreds of team members with a wide variety of backgrounds and skill levels to all provide each individual guest with a consistent, accurate, efficient and professional hospitality experience.

The essential personality trait that is often present in General Managers who have led their teams to the 90 percentile and #1 in their brand and market segment is appreciation for the value of outside assistance. The demands on a General Manager do not allow them the luxury of 100% concentration on guest satisfaction. Ironically, it's this love of hospitality and for taking care of the guest that motivated these General Manager's to get into hospitality in the first place. It certainly wasn't, 'gee someday I'd like to spend all day in a budget review meeting.' No, the industry's best GM's have a deep love for hospitality. They genuinely enjoy the people that work for them and the guests that stay with them. However, the reality of today's business demands requires their attention to be in many other directions. Therefore, many General Managers successfully enlist outside assistance to do what they wish they had more time to accomplish.

The benefits of outside assistance are substantial. Hiring an outside entity whose only focus is maximizing your guest satisfaction and loyalty is a powerful advantage. This focused concentration, free of day-to-day operations and distractions, exist for the sole purpose of facilitating the GM's and the team's success. Those of us who provide this outside assistance have the unique perspective of the most critical guest while sharing the GM's vision and his best interest at heart. We recognize that our success is determined by that of the GM and their team. It's having this extra force in your corner that successful GM's appreciate when they enlist outside assistance in developing their guest satisfaction and loyalty ratings.

How else can outside assistance facilitate supreme success of a hotel? In the case of Stark Service Solutions, we specialize in providing management team's tools that give the upper hand in proactively managing guest experiences. Take for example the corrosive damage caused by the Chip-Away Effect. The occurrence of each 'minor' glitch erodes not only satisfaction ratings but also the guest's loyalty to the hotel. This becomes excessively costly especially when it involves group business. What is needed and necessary to stop the Chip-Away Effect is a centralized communication hub that insures everyone hotel wide knows what the guest in front of them has experienced, especially those on the front line including: Front Desk Agents, In Room Dining Order Takers and Servers, Room Attendants, Banquet House Attendants, just to name a few. Imagine the left hand knowing what the right hand is doing! Our unique programs offer this invaluable advantage in the battle for guest satisfaction and loyalty ratings.

The capacity to stop, yes stop, guests from experiencing multiple glitches during their stay is vital. Take for example this not so uncommon guest experience:

Ms. Karen Stevens arrives to check in at 4:30 pm. She has already endured a very long day of travel. Ms. Stevens has waited in lines to check in at the airport, at security, again at the gate, followed by lines to get off the plane, retrieve her baggage and then for a taxi cab. Finally arriving at your hotel, she waits yet again for one front desk agent that is working only to be told that her room isn't 'quite ready.'

Though Karen's frustration has little to do with the 25 minutes wait for a room, her frustration is expressed toward the hotel, as it's the final straw of another aggravating day of travel. It all began 10 hours earlier when her adventure to get to your hotel began. Your Front Desk Agent quickly follows empowerment guidelines offering to compensate Karen for the inconvenience with complementary breakfast the next morning (since free eggs are the end-all cure-all in hotels).

Here's where the scores start to chip away. The next morning, Ms. Stevens gets up bright and early ready to face her day of very important business in your city. She has slept well on the very plush and expensive mattress and bedding that the hotel has invested in. She thoroughly enjoyed the massaging showerhead and the fancy toiletry amenities provided. Now she is going to top it all off with a delightful and complementary breakfast. The frustrations of yesterday are fading away and things are looking up. Karen steps onto the elevator after only a minor wait. She encounters a Public Area Attendant who immediately looks down insuring no eye contact or greeting. Approaching the hostess stand of the beautifully designed restaurant the hostess looks up and greets Ms. Stevens with, 'One for breakfast?' After being seated, Ms. Stevens waits. 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, finally a server abruptly informs her, 'I'll be with you in a minute.' 3 more minutes. 5 minutes later coffee finally arrives and the server 'warmly' welcomes Ms. Stevens with, 'What can I get you?'

Karen places her order, moments later breakfast arrives. Hot and delicious! The culinary team gets it perfect! Moments later Ms. Stevens has finished her breakfast and is ready to go. 3 minutes pass. 4, 5, 7 more minutes pass. Where is the server with the check? Finally, Ms. Stevens goes to the hostess desk to give her complementary coupon and get change from her $20 dollar bill to leave a gratuity. Now the prior day's frustration and stress comes racing back and the complementary breakfast for the initial wait at arrival backfires. Instead of creating a new and positive experience, the compensation has just reinforced what went wrong in the first place.

What if the hostess, server and chef all knew about Karen's personal experience and the glitch that occurred at check in? What if they were all prepared for Ms. Steven's arrival for a complementary breakfast? How different Ms. Steven's experience could have been! A loyal customer and a perfect 10-satisfaction rating would have been had! Each team member could have insured her dining experience was perfect. They would have treated her like gold, because after all those who works in hospitality poses the desire to please their guests (especially tip based employees). It's the rattrap of day in and day out demands and the lack of communication tools that compound the corrosive impact of the Chip-Away Effect.

The bottom line today is that the tools and technology exist to insure that the General Manager's vision for their team and guests is a consistent reality. At Stark Service Solutions, we are proud to do our part in bringing hospitality alive again in the industry. We enjoy contributing to today's brilliant General Manager's by providing them with the tools that turn their visions and aspirations into daily realities. We also take great pride in seeing hotel teams thrive with Superior Guest Satisfaction, Loyalty and Market Share. Making hospitality alive again in today's technological society where too many feel that they need to go far outside the borders of the United States to experience genuine hospitality is a terrific success.

If you would like more information on our proactive guest satisfaction and loyalty management tools that stop the Chip-Away Effect and facilitate the procurement of a superior loyal customer base that drives market share, please contact us toll free at: 1.866.281.5062 or by email: info@starkservicesolutions.com.


Naomi Stark, President
Stark Service Solutions
P.O. Box 366
Scottsdale, AZ 85252
866.281.5062
www.starkservicesolutions.com
Naomi@starkservicesolutions.com

Reader Comments:

True. However that raises the question.... Very true, generally satisfied customers are quieter and less determined to document their good satisfaction than dissatisfied ones. However, most feel that this perspective is dangerous as it leads to the perception that the guest experiences that were expressed are inconsequential when in fact they actually did occur. Further, what about those who don't express themselves at all and rather simply do not return, causing a loss of market share? Would you not agree that this is dangerous to the hotel's business? The fact is, even the top hotels and resorts have moments of glitches, they simply employ the tools to keep them at a minimum. Regardless of property type or even those with significant physical challenges all those in the hospitality industry can and should be in the 90%, after all isnt that why we exist to provide professional hospitality? The beauty of superior guest satisfaction ratings is that they are not only possible but within reach. Often the first step is a change in perspective. Consider how one manager expressed his propertys change in attitude and the results that they experienced with the support of our programs: My hotel went from a guest satisfaction score of mid- sevens out of ten to ranking in first place in the brand at a nine point zero. In the past, my property was in the habit of blaming low service scores on the age of the building and the lack of amenities we could offer. Now, we are aware that WE make the difference. The wheels started to turn and our hotel began to run like a fine tuned machine. This program has become the vein of my property. With its implementation, communication flows like a blood stream. If you are looking for results, I strongly suggest that you kick off your shoes and experience how Stark Service Solutions can make your team a perfect ten. P. Sanders, W Hotels Any hotel not consistently in the 90% of guest satisfaction deserves to be. Therefore, whether its our services or anothers, consider it. As Mr. Fancao Damico commented earlier, its: people, time, and money. When the time and money is invested in your people and they are gives the most up to date tools, they will deliver the guest satisfaction ratings that generate superior customer loyalty and market share. Being number one is always more enjoyable than coming in second, or worse. Just ask the Red Sox. 2007-11-02 Naomi Stark

 

Why great general managers get mediocre satisfaction ratings... I think it is the simple matter that generally satisfied customers are quieter and less determined to document their good satisfaction than dissatisfied ones. 2007-11-01 gunther

 

Your Comments Thank you very much for sharing your thoughts and valued perspectives. I couldn't agree more, with each of you. Mr. D'Amico's comments are so true regarding the role and presence of management and the challenge of maintaining team member inspiration... since management can't see and hear every guest interaction and maintaining the inspiration of each team member on all levels is so difficult... This is where our specialized programs complement GM's efforts so perfectly. Our programs are uniquely designed to generate long-term and on-going results. Including genuine engagement of all team members at all levels to be self-accountable for providing consistently superior professional hospitality. This is accomplished while creating a unified cohesive team that is devoted to that which is greater than themselves as individuals: making each guest experience and their property #1. It might sound idealistic and impossible but I've repeatedly witnessed it first hand. Thus, this is fundamental to Stark's purpose. Why not consider proven programs that make the GMs life much easier while facilitating the realization of your visions for around $15 - $30 per team member? 2007-10-30 Naomi Stark

 

The three Our industry is simple: people, time, and money. Simple, yes. Easy? No. Ms. Stark makes this point crystal clear in her column. My experiences as a GM have taken me to the penthouse where everyone lauds your vision and acheivments, as well as the basement where you are left to wonder what happened. It is difficult to get others to care as much and in the same fashion as you might. Even if you are able to inspire those around you it may only last a day or a week or for the duration of an important event. I contribute this and the Chip Away Effect to a lack of the three "C's": commintment, clarity, and communication. Ms. Stark is right when she points out that Ms. Stevens' visit would have been greatly enhanced had other departments conveyed the glitches that she had already experienced, (communication). Furthermore, well-defined scheduling, hiring, staffing, and steps of service standards, (clarity) would have prevented Ms. Stevens from having to wait for service and then being stuck in restaurant prison waiting to pay. But where was mangement? Where was the eyes and ears? Being on the floor is the only way to ensure that what the guest is experiencing is what is intended. (commitment). Another factor in today's eroding standards of service that is present throughout any service industry, is the "watered down effect". This is apparent especially in Las Vegas where the tourism demands and subsequent over-development has far out-paced the talent pool. Indeed, back in the day it would take several years for a typical pit boss or food and beverage manager to move up the ladder. However, with today's rocket speed of hotel/casino development the title (and rsponsibility) arrives far in advance of experience. There is no more mentoring, no more learning at the feet of those who have truly paid their dues and are then able to pass on the benfit of true experience. This applys to the hotel/resort industry outside of Vegas as well. Franco D'Amico 2007-10-30 Franco D\'Amico

 

Upgrade of Guest Satisfaction technique Day to day we are never end can get new idea of how to treat well to our valuable guest satisfaction. Mainly is first image of upon guest check in. They were tired from thier trip, so welcoming is most important part of guest services role and function. How to do welcoming, a. we can treat with eye to eye contact with smile from our heart, b. welcoming drinks if weather is hot we can provide complimentary seasonal fruits juice, if cold we can provide chinese tea or a cup of coffee. it is not for value much effect to our valuable guest. c. who ever our staff actionable warmly and ready to treate , need to proactive, before they ask we need to know in advance. We have to analysis before they check in their profile, reservation, room nights, country, nationality, what ever we can we have to learn and proactive and prepare for them. We have to be alert of our service. I agreed that your articles and we will do in day to day basis in our morning meeting opening share to each of department and from their opinion and we have to do survey with guest satisfaction questionnaire. if we do proactive and team work frame we can get achievement consistently. Thank you for your kind consideration. With kind regards, Honey Thazin Aung Director of Human Resources Dusit Inya Lake Resort, 37 Kaba Aye Pagoda Road,Yangon, Myanmar Phone +95 (1) 662866| Fax +95 (1) 665537| E-mail honey.ta@dusit.com| www.dusit.com or www.globalhotelalliance.com 2007-10-30 Honey Thazin Aung

 

Based on Reality Check for Leaders I like your thinking. Which means we agree on this important subject. 2007-10-29 Frank J Schilagi

 

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