blusky marketing's luxury hotel benchmarking report 2013 q3
DESCRIPTION
BluSky Marketing’s latest Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report illustrates that hotels who consistently deliver an exceptional guest experience could be selling as close to rack rate as possible, generated by non commission sources. The benchmarking report, based on 4,795 guest responses from a portfolio of 17 UK luxury and boutique properties, illustrates that on average 44% of guests are either repeat guests or are staying at the hotel based on a recommendation or through word of mouth. The best performing property within the report achieves 71% of guests. Of the 71% who were repeat guests or heard about the property via word of mouth or recommendation, 76% booked by calling direct, 9% booked through the hotel’s website and 5% emailed, leaving 10% or less of the bookings coming via 3rd party channels (90/10 ratio). Although overall, 16% (84/16 ratio) of all guests book via 3rd party channels. However, a hotel within the same benchmarking report received only 17% of guests booking via word of mouth, recommendation or repeat guests. Out of those 17%, only 66% booked via calling direct, email or hotel website leaving 34% who booked via 3rd party channels (or a 66/34 ratio). Although overall, 40% (60/40 ratio) of all the guests booked via 3rd party channels. The difference between the two properties equates to approximately £135,000 per annum, based on industry standard rates and if they were both 80 room properties, which is spent on the commission from the 3rd party channels. To reduce this loss, Hoteliers need to drive their repeat guests and recommendations by delivering exceptional guest service, 24/7 356 days of the year, from the moment a guest has initial contact with the hotel until the moment they leave the property. BluSky Marketing’s Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report is based on the results from their Online Hotel Guest Experience Survey Programme, which includes The Arch London, Bovey Castle, Lords of The Manor, The Marcliffe Hotel & Spa, Poets House and The Capital London. The benchmarking report is based on results from July to September 2013 and is the 4th to be released by BluSky Marketing.TRANSCRIPT
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Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report
by BluSky Marketing
July to September 2013
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Introduction
Luxury & Boutique Hotels included
Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report
Colwick Hall
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Introduction
Overview
Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report
• The Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report is based on the results from luxury and boutique
hotels participating within the online hotel guest experience survey (HGES)
programme independently managed by BluSky Marketing
• Each participating luxury or boutique hotel invites their respective hotel guests to respond
to their recent experience via email, with a link to the online survey
• The results within the report are based on Real Reviews by Real Guests
• The online hotel guest experience survey results included within the report covers the period
from 1st July to 30th September 2013
• 4,795 real guest reviews were secured during July to September 2013 or on average 282
per property, in comparison to 901 reviews (or 19% versus HGES) for the same properties
during the same period on TripAdvisor
• On average 3.3 negative reviews* (or 1.2% of HGES reviews) were captured in
comparison to 3.6 negative reviews (or 6.9%) posted on TripAdvisor per property
• There is no incentive offered to each guest to respond to the online survey
* negative review = poor or very poor overall experience
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Key Findings
Overview
Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report
• Best in class luxury & boutique hotels achieving 4.4 plus “Star Rating”
• Excellent overall satisfaction drives repeat guests & WOM/recommendation
• Previous (23%*) & WOM/Recommendation (21%*) key business drivers
• “Search” & “Hotel Website” continues to drive 24% of hotel awareness
• Trip Advisor Business Listing drives* 6.4% of enquiries versus 3.5% for hotels
without a Trip Advisor Business Listing, on average
• Email Marketing (upto 5%) & Social Media (upto 2%) assisting hotel awareness
• Called Direct (50%*) & Hotel Website (21%*) key reservation preferences by luxury guests
• Selected hotels securing up to 28% via other websites (e.g. booking.com)
• Dining experience (quality of food & service) and exceeding guests expectations continues
to contribute significantly to overall guest experience
• 59% or above “excellent” overall satisfaction, drives above average “Star Rating”,
but more importantly up to 38% (commission free) WOM/Recommendations bookings
• Where guests expectations “fell below” by 15% or above, this also contributed low “Star Rating”
• Selected hotels securing over 200 Christmas enquiries per annum via HGES programme (* = average across all hotels included within Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report)
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5 = Excellent | 4 = Good | 3 = Fair | 2 = Poor | 1 = Very Poor
How would you rate your overall satisfaction with…?
Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report
Guest Satisfaction Average (Star Rating)
= Below average star rating = Average | (= No. of responses July to September 2013)
4.4 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.7 4.2 4.4 4.3 4.1 4.5 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.6 4.5
(246) (137) (114) (115) (169) (177) (188) (772) (98) (62) (468) (674) (47) (235) (530) (573) (190)
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Guest Awareness
How did you hear about us?
Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report
(246) (137) (114) (115) (169) (177) (188) (772) (98) (62) (468) (674) (47) (235) (530) (573) (190)
4.4 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.7 4.2 4.4 4.3 4.1 4.5 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.6 4.5
Please note: does not equal 100% as guests can choose multiple options
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Guest Awareness
How did you make your reservation?
Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report
(246) (137) (114) (115) (169) (177) (188) (772) (98) (62) (468) (674) (47) (235) (530) (573) (190)
4.4 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.7 4.2 4.4 4.3 4.1 4.5 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.6 4.5
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Guest Satisfaction Overview
How would you rate your overall satisfaction with…?
Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report
XX% = “Stayed Previously” + “WOM/Recommendation”
42% 39% 32% 38% 32% 37% 41% 17% 33% 32% 33% 58% 71% 45% 59% 59% 29% 58%
(246) (137) (114) (115) (169) (177) (188) (772) (98) (62) (468) (674) (47) (235) (530) (573) (190)
4.4 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.7 4.2 4.4 4.3 4.1 4.5 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.6 4.5
= Average | (= No. of responses July to September 2013)
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Guest Future Intentions
How likely are you to stay at …… in the future?
Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report
(246) (137) (114) (115) (169) (177) (188) (772) (98) (62) (468) (674) (47) (235) (530) (573) (190)
4.4 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.7 4.2 4.4 4.3 4.1 4.5 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.6 4.5
= Average | (= No. of responses July to September 2013)
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Guest Future Intentions
How likely are you to recommend ..... to your friends and/or colleagues?
Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report
(246) (137) (114) (115) (169) (177) (188) (772) (98) (62) (468) (674) (47) (235) (530) (573) (190)
4.4 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.7 4.2 4.4 4.3 4.1 4.5 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.6 4.5
= Average | (= No. of responses July to September 2013)
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Net Promoter Score
How would you rate your overall satisfaction with…?
Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report
(246) (137) (114) (115) (169) (177) (188) (772) (98) (62) (468) (674) (47) (235) (530) (573) (190)
Net Promoter Score measures the loyalty that exists between the hotel and a guest
4.4 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.7 4.2 4.4 4.3 4.1 4.5 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.6 4.5
42% 39% 32% 38% 32% 37% 41% 17% 33% 32% 33% 58% 71% 45% 59% 59% 29% 58%
XX% = “Stayed Previously” + “WOM/Recommendation” = Average | (= No. of responses July to September 2013)
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Dining Experience
Food | Service | Overall Dining Experience - “Excellent” Rating % Per
Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report
(246) (137) (114) (115) (169) (177) (188) (772) (98) (62) (468) (674) (47) (235) (530) (573) (190)
4.4 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.7 4.2 4.4 4.3 4.1 4.5 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.6 4.5
= Average | (= No. of responses July to September 2013)
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Guest Expectations
How did your experience with us meet with your expectations?
Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report
(246) (137) (114) (115) (169) (177) (188) (772) (98) (62) (468) (674) (47) (235) (530) (573) (190)
4.4 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.7 4.2 4.4 4.3 4.1 4.5 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.6 4.5
= Average | (= No. of responses July to September 2013)
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Would you like to receive any further information…?
Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report
Christmas Enquiries (per annum)
(246) (137) (114) (115) (169) (177) (188) (772) (98) (62) (468) (674) (47) (235) (530) (573) (190)
4.4 4.6 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.7 4.2 4.4 4.3 4.1 4.5 4.7 4.7 4.2 4.2 4.6 4.5
Request for additional information regarding Christmas adjusted per hotel based on 50 room property, and annualised
= Average | (= No. of responses July to September 2013)
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Chris Larsen
Managing Director
BluSky Marketing Limited
The Old Doctor’s Surgery
4 West End
Exton, Oakham
Rutland, LE15 8BD
United Kingdom
T: +44 (0)1572 420 012
F: +44 (0)1572 812 705
W:www.bluskymarketing.com Click Here Download Brochure
Luxury Hotel Benchmarking Report
Contact Information
Hotel Guest Experience Surveys