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Cleanliness, communication drive guest satisfaction: J.D. Power

A new study from U.S. data analytics and consumer intelligence company J.D. Power finds that meeting guest expectations for cleanliness and proactively communicating with guests prior to arrival continue to be critical drivers of guest satisfaction.

Key findings of the study include:

Guest room cleanliness scores reach record high: Guest satisfaction with the cleanliness of their room increases for a fifth consecutive year, reaching an all-time high rating of 8.53 (on a 10-point scale) in 2020. Room cleanliness is a key driver of satisfaction, as the overall satisfaction score among guests who say they are “delighted” (rating of 10 points) with the cleanliness of the guest room averages 942 (on a 1,000-point scale) versus an overall satisfaction score of 829 among those who are merely “pleased” (rating of 8-9) with the cleanliness of their guest room.

Pre-stay communications create essential opportunity to build trust: Overall satisfaction scores fall 66 points, on average, when no pre-stay communications are received. Based on a separate J.D. Power pulse survey conducted on April 17-19, hotel efforts to inform travelers about their specific cleaning and sanitization protocols are among the most important actions hotels can take to make travelers feel comfortable.

Need to be upfront about limitations: Many hotels across North America are still operating under capacity restrictions and limitations regarding dining areas/restaurants, public pools, fitness centers and spas. It is essential that hotels use pre-stay communications to address any limited services and amenities as well as guest safety requirements. Based on J.D. Power data collected since the beginning of the pandemic, hotel guests understand the challenges faced by the industry and value direct, honest communication now more than ever.

The following hotel brands rank highest in guest satisfaction in their respective segments:

Luxury: The Luxury Collection

Upper upscale: Wyndham Grand Hotels

Upscale: Hyatt House

Upper midscale: Drury Hotels (for 15th consecutive year)

Midscale: Tru by Hilton

Economy: SureStay Hotel by Best Western

The 2020 North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Index (NAGSI) Study analyzes guest responses to more than 150 questions regarding hotel stay experiences and benchmarks the performance of 102 brands across six market segments. This year’s study is based on responses from 37,843 hotel guests for stays between May 2019 and March 2020.

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