Reputation Management – The Difference of One Point

1. Why Solving the Post-Stay
Experience Saves You More
Than Money
“By simplifying our
guest inquiries and
post-stay disputes,
both our guests and
employees are
happy!”
-M. Brodsky, Manager
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Reputation Management – The Difference of One Point
A one-point increase in a hotel’s average user rating on a 5-point scale (eg, from 3.8 to
4.8) makes potential customers 13.5% more likely to book that hotel. (Cornell
University’s Center for Hospitality Research, November 2012). Reputation management
of each hotel brand can be tracked online through social sites such as TripAdvisor or Yelp.
In a recent study, 81% of respondents said they’d received advice from friends and
followers relating to a product purchase through a social site; 74% of those who
received such advice found it to be influential in their decision. (Click Z, January 2010).
The online reputation is a key indicator of success of a hotel, influencing revenue and
profitability. Friends and family, however, are still the leading source of hotel
recommendations among travelers that book directly (WIHP, May 2011).
Do You Even Care About Me?
An appropriate response to reviews from hotel management is more likely to make
TripAdvisors book (57%), improves their overall impression of the hotel (84%) and makes
them feel the hotel cares (78%). (PhoCusWright, September 2012). For hoteliers,
responding quicker to guests on the most critical aspects of their stay will deliver more time
for the hotel staff to make action plans that will increase guest satisfaction. It is essential
for hotels to evolve and integrate personalized responses to their internal surveys in order to
retain customer loyalty. Automatic replies to guest surveys are one way for hoteliers to
connect with guest inquiries, but guests need a personalized response to feel they are
individually important to the hotel. Personalization is a higher priority for driving loyalty
for Generation K (54%) and Millennials (52%), than it is for Generation X (48%) and Baby
Boomers (40%) (Rare, August 2016).

2. Expand Post-Stay Solutions
Nearly every hotel has some sort of post-stay survey automatically sent to guests through
email. Capturing guest feedback immediately after the stay guides the guest to share their
experience directly with the hotel – allowing the hotel to react and respond where
necessary. But what happens when the guest has a billing dispute or post-stay inquiry
needing an immediate response? Technically the stay is over but the hotel experience is far
from over. The guest usually calls the hotel only to be transferred to different departments –
increasing their frustration. Statistics show it’s only a matter of time before the frustration
builds and the guest shares their post-stay experience on social media. How many phone
calls does your team receive on a daily basis for folios, minibar disputes, and requests for
restaurant receipts? Current procedures require 2-3 phone conversations and days to
resolve. This frustrates both guests and staff; which affects property satisfaction scores.
RBP Guest Inquiries
During a recent study of a 1,000+ room hotel, we researched the amount of time employees
spent on the phone processing guest billing disputes in June this year versus June last year.
The hotel received over 500 guest-billing disputes each month ranging from Minibar
charges, to Food and Beverage, and Group Billing. The average daily time spent talking on
the phone was 70% less in June of this year less than June of the previous year. The
improved efficiency was credited to RBP Guest Inquiries’ cloud-based dispute solution.
Disputes are processed electronically, guests received instant updates, and resolutions are
automatically sent to guests.
"Our phones stopped ringing on day one with RBP Guest Inquiries!!
My staff can focus on guest details and prioritize their day with less
interruptions now that all guest inquiries are processed online. Not to
mention our overtime costs are way down!!” –R. Lewis Dir. Finance
Applying automatic dispute solutions through the use of technology enhances the value
of the guest stay. RBP Software Solutions has developed a 'Guest Facing' Solution for the
hospitality industry for resolving post-stay guest inquiries and disputes. The cloud-based
environment allows online communication with hotel guests. RBP Guest Inquiries is the
‘Post-Stay’ guest-facing solution for the Hospitality Industry that will track, manage, and
control your guest inquiries and disputes.
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©2016 RBP Software Solutions | 1220 Rosecrans Ste. 956 | San Diego, CA 92106 | www.rbpsoftwaresolutions.com
Bob Murphy
C.E.O. & General Manager
t: (619) 929-5257
e: bob@rbpsoftwaresolutions.com