In the world hospitality, you are only as good as your staff. Each interaction, be it a smile or “Good morning, ma’am. How are you doing today?” can leave a lasting impression. It is possible to leave a lasting impact and receive a positive review. A well-trained and motivated team is vital for any hospitality business. In a competitive hiring market, what can you do to keep your team motivated and constantly improving?
This is where guest feedback comes into play. With the right strategy and tools, you can transform guest insights into daily services that lead to growth.
GuestRevu provides hospitality managers with quick access to real-time feedback from guests. This allows them to turn these interactions into valuable opportunities for learning. Positive comments increase staff confidence (“Look at John!” A guest loved your cocktail skills! Congratulations! Keep up the excellent work .”). While complaints can be useful for improving things (“Let’s ensure that no one else has to wait 45 minutes for their dessert.”).
The hotel management cannot be everywhere at the same time to monitor everyone’s performance. But consolidated feedback technology allows them to compare, analyse and aggregate data based on guest feedback. Staff are able to see first-hand how successful their efforts have been, which helps them identify any issues and find out which skills teams lack.
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Employee Feedback: Recognizing and Rewarding Your Staff
Highlighting good work while it’s still fresh
In an industry that is often characterized by long working hours and unnoticed work, a simple “thank-you” can make a big difference. Hearing that a guest appreciated your service can make a real difference to job satisfaction, and sharing positive guest comments reinforces to staff that their effort matters — not just to the guests, but to leadership too. GuestRevu allows managers to quickly access guest reviews so that they can share praise when it is still relevant.
Difford Louw regularly shares feedback with his team at The Royal St Andrews Hotel. He makes sure that employees who do something exceptionally well are recognised and rewarded.
Read more about how guest feedback is used at the Royal St Andrews Hotel in this case study
Offer Real Rewards to Consistent Performers
Recognition of good performance increases morale and can result in better service. GuestRevu’s clients offer small rewards to encourage continued excellence in service. It could be a certificate or mention in a team meeting. Or it could even be monetary incentives. Over time, consistent feedback allows managers to identify top performers as well as areas in which staff can improve.
GuestRevu provides us with a wealth of data. It’s amazing how many ways I use it. I use it for our staff. You know, you reward and encourage your staff in accordance with the promise made to our guests that we are the hospitality experts. From an internal perspective, it is really powerful.
David Scott is the CEO of The Hotel Folk
Watch the case study
Employers and team leaders can get a better picture by tracking reviews over a period of weeks or months. These patterns can help managers make better decisions regarding promotions, shifts or training opportunities for employees who have the potential to move up in their career.
Negative reviews can be turned into positive growth for your staff
Use complaints as teaching moments
Even the negative reviews can be helpful. Feedback from customers about poor service, incorrect orders, or slow communication allows managers to intervene and offer support. Instead of criticising their staff, managers can use the feedback to offer practical suggestions, guidance, or refresher training.
A manager could, for instance, investigate if the guest complained that his meal was cold and if there were not enough staff in the kitchen. Or he might check if food has been left on display too long. Share this feedback with your team to help them better understand how they can improve the experience of guests. This feedback helps the team understand how their actions affect the guest experience. The goal is to make feedback part of the conversation, not a confrontation — something staff can learn from, not fear.
David Scott, The Hotel Folk CEO says that feedback from guests is often more appreciated than from the management. says, “It almost changes the sentiment of what that (feedback) actually means – it’s not me, it’s not the hotel manager, it’s not someone within our business talking about it; it’s actually a guest giving you real-time feedback to say, ‘this could be better’ and I think quite often that gets a better response from the staff than actually us (management) pointing it out ourselves.”
Watch the full case study to see how The Hotel Folk use guest feedback throughout their hotels
Addressing Patterns before They Spread
Using a tool such as GuestRevu allows you to identify trends earlier. When several guests complain about the check-in process taking too long or rooms not being ready as promised, this is a sign that something needs to be looked into. Managers can use the information to direct team meetings or train staff on how to fix the problem.
It is also beneficial to the staff when they understand that the feedback doesn’t come from them. The goal is to improve the overall experience of everyone. It creates an atmosphere where learning is more frequent and not only after something serious goes wrong. Teams begin to accept feedback as a part of the work, and improve becomes a goal.
Set clear goals and encourage friendly competition
Turning comments into practical goals
It’s not only about the one experience. It is a hint that something could be improved, or should be repeated, and can help proactively shape training for staff around what guests really care about, not just management. Thinks matters.
These are the most common gaps between hoteliers’ and guests’ perceptions
Managers can turn these comments into goals that team members will be able to achieve with GuestRevu. If you want your staff to know what is expected of them, clear goals are essential.
These goals often follow the SMART format — specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. The manager may arrange for some role-playing or individual coaching if a member of the team struggles with guest interactions. The staff will feel proud of themselves once they have achieved the goal. Remember, feedback isn’t just about what’s going wrong — it’s about what’s going right, too.
By giving staff access to the feedback of guests, they can be empowered to take ownership for their performance and not wait for manager-led evaluations. Staff are not just told how they’re impacting the guest experience – they can see for themselves. This transparency encourages accountability and pride. Guests notice the little things — the warm greeting, the remembered coffee order — and when staff consistently get these right, it leads to great experiences and even better reviews.
Motivating Teams through Light-Hearted Competitiveness
Friendly rivalry among staff members can be an excellent motivator. GuestRevu customers run recognition schemes based on feedback from guests. These awards do more than just reward top performers. They also help create an environment where employees want to perform at their best.
These mini-competitions provide people with something to strive for, and keep their spirits up during busy periods. Even small tokens, such as a voucher or an extra day off, can be very meaningful when linked to a well-done job.
Also, team successes are celebrated. If a particular department receives repeated praise, perhaps housekeeping is praised for spotless rooms – the whole team is recognised. This helps to build a sense of teamwork and pride.
When employees feel valued and part of a group working toward a common goal, they are more motivated to do their best work. Managers can encourage unity by using the feedback they receive to celebrate victories and tackle challenges together.
Conclusion: Create a Culture for Continuous Improvement
A successful hospitality company is built by a team of motivated and well-trained employees who are committed to providing great experiences for guests. Businesses can boost staff motivation, performance, and morale by using the feedback of guests to train and recognize their employees.
Managers can turn each piece of feedback they receive into an opportunity to celebrate or learn. This feedback-based system helps teams remain engaged, confident, always striving to improve, whether it is recognizing efforts or addressing areas where work needs to be done.
Using feedback to not only improve processes but also to reinforce hospitality values will lead to happier employees and better customer experiences.
