Survey Reveals Correlation Between Hotel Employee Engagement and Guest Satisfaction
Best Western Hotels & Resorts said it has successfully beta-tested UniFocus’ Pulse Survey solution in a group of its North American hotels to understand the impact of hotel employee engagement on guest satisfaction. Working collaboratively with a group of its independently owned and operated hotels, it gained a valuable new metric to quantify the value of hotel employee engagement.
That benefit became clear when UniFocus shared aggregated summarized survey results that Best Western was able to compare with brand-level guest satisfaction data. The results revealed a 0.4 correlation between hotel employee engagement index scores and guests’ intent to recommend the hotel to other travelers. Therefore, a 10-percent increase in engagement could reasonably result in a four-percent increase in intent to recommend, generating two to three additional rooms per night. Based on average occupancy rates and ADR at the participating hotels, that would translate into an additional $70-$100k in annual room revenue.
“We are constantly striving to increase engagement because we know that a motivated, satisfied workforce is essential to delivering excellent guest service. UniFocus’ Pulse Survey gives us an important tool to measure that engagement,” said Ron Pohl, Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer. "Projections based on results of our first Pulse Survey have been enlightening and we anticipate that further analysis will corroborate these findings.”
In addition, UniFocus partnered directly with participating hotels to provide them individual results. Each hotel received a detailed report showing its unique strengths and opportunity areas, in addition to an action planning tool to help plan, track, and improve employee engagement. Best Western Hotels & Resorts has made the opportunity to work with UniFocus available to all Best Western properties in North America to help each hotel improve guest satisfaction results.
Unobtrusive Pulse Surveys track engagement throughout the year, giving organizations instant insight into their employees’ perceptions that directly impact the guest experience. After extensive research, UniFocus has formulated a short pulse survey for staff to express opinions, enabling management to get to the heart of their concerns. Brief surveys conducted via mobile app are convenient and quick for employees, encouraging better response rates. Managers can compare results against company, property, division, or department averages and identify those departments that need immediate attention.
That benefit became clear when UniFocus shared aggregated summarized survey results that Best Western was able to compare with brand-level guest satisfaction data. The results revealed a 0.4 correlation between hotel employee engagement index scores and guests’ intent to recommend the hotel to other travelers. Therefore, a 10-percent increase in engagement could reasonably result in a four-percent increase in intent to recommend, generating two to three additional rooms per night. Based on average occupancy rates and ADR at the participating hotels, that would translate into an additional $70-$100k in annual room revenue.
“We are constantly striving to increase engagement because we know that a motivated, satisfied workforce is essential to delivering excellent guest service. UniFocus’ Pulse Survey gives us an important tool to measure that engagement,” said Ron Pohl, Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ Senior Vice President and Chief Operations Officer. "Projections based on results of our first Pulse Survey have been enlightening and we anticipate that further analysis will corroborate these findings.”
In addition, UniFocus partnered directly with participating hotels to provide them individual results. Each hotel received a detailed report showing its unique strengths and opportunity areas, in addition to an action planning tool to help plan, track, and improve employee engagement. Best Western Hotels & Resorts has made the opportunity to work with UniFocus available to all Best Western properties in North America to help each hotel improve guest satisfaction results.
Unobtrusive Pulse Surveys track engagement throughout the year, giving organizations instant insight into their employees’ perceptions that directly impact the guest experience. After extensive research, UniFocus has formulated a short pulse survey for staff to express opinions, enabling management to get to the heart of their concerns. Brief surveys conducted via mobile app are convenient and quick for employees, encouraging better response rates. Managers can compare results against company, property, division, or department averages and identify those departments that need immediate attention.