Guest feedback surveys provide hotels with invaluable insight into the guest experience and how to exceed expectations. But these days consumers are inundated with requests to complete surveys.
NB: This is an article from ReviewPro
So, how can you avoid ‘survey fatigue’ and ensure that yours stands out from the crowd?
1. Set objectives
If you’re looking for deep insight, you may have to ask more questions and accept a lower response rate. If a high response rate is more important, you may have to sacrifice breadth and depth of feedback for brevity.
2. Craft an appealing subject line
Use a short phrase in the subject line of your email invitation that captures the recipient’s attention, establishes your relationship, and is clear about the purpose. For example, the subject line might say “Tell us about your recent stay” or “Help us improve by completing a short survey.”
3. Avoid spam blockers
To prevent invitations from going directly to the spam box, avoid text that can trigger spam filters such as all caps, exclamation points, currency signs, and words like free, win, prize and money. Be aware of spam laws in your region and ensure that you are compliant. This may mean including a valid “Reply to” e-mail address, your address and an opt-out link.
4. Provide a good reason & make it pretty
Keep the email invitation short, simple and clean, with minimal text. Research shows that the shorter the guest feedback survey, the higher the response rate. Use the guest’s name, tell them their feedback is important, and say how long the survey will take. Add your hotel logo and include a prominent call to action button such as “Take survey now”. Personalize the invitation from the general manager or another senior manager.
5. Combine feedback requests
Rather than send multiple emails to request a survey, an online review, and to connect on social media, combine everything into one email. Note that with ReviewPro’s Guest Satisfaction Surveys you can also add the Trip Advisor Collection Platform to better your TripAdvisor ratings.
6. Think mobile
Don’t assume that people are completing the guest feedback surveys on a desktop computer. According to ReviewPro research, an average of 60% of emails and 40% of surveys are answered on a mobile device. Make sure that your survey is easily readable and navigable on all types of devices, in both portrait and landscape format.
7. Time it right and follow up!
Send post-stay guest feedback surveys within one to three days after checkout, while the stay is still fresh in the guest’s mind. Lastly, use ReviewPro’s reporting tools to keep a close eye on completion rates. Identify which features drive the highest completion rates and generate the most valuable feedback.
