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Joey Camb

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Not sure if this is marketing but I am thinking of putting guest questionares in the rooms ie where did you find us and a list of options? Maybe suggestions for breakfast, other facilities that would be useful etc or is this opening the door to chaos? We used to do it in a big hotel I worked for but my boss hated it becuase she said it just made people think they were hotel inspectors. But on the other side I am curious about what people think and would rather they told me directly than on TA and then they may not TA? it is just a thought
 
OUr association gives comment cards to the inns to place in rooms. Some others have done their own. I think it is a way to get feedback...if they will do it.
Don't make it too long. If it won't fit on a postcard...it is probably too long. Also have a box where they can deposit it as they check out..otherwise if they leave it in the room, they know you know who wrote it...so they might just be putting down what they think you want to hear.
 
I have a friend who has had these out in her guest rooms since she opened and has barely gotten a handful back. But, she's gotten notes in her guest journals, guest register, and online reviews. I'm not sure if folks will really take the time to fill these out unless there's some kind of incentive.
 
We have them in our rooms, they are two sides of A4 and are mostly multiple choice questions witha space for comments.
I'd say around 60% of people fill them in. Be warned though, they can be very demoralising and yes, some people think they are Alex Polizzi (The Hotel Inspector).
The most irritating groups are B&B owners who will go into every detail of every change they think you should make, and teachers who will go through your form and correct any spelling or gramma.
But I do think people will be a lot more honest about things they would like or like changed than they will be to your face. Any changes we make over the winter months are mostly driven by guest feedback from our forms. And sometimes people ask for simple things that we can't beleive we hadn't thought of, like:-
  • someone said Glass Tumblers would be nice, went out and spent a few ££s on glasses for the rooms.
  • someone pointed out that in one of our rooms there was no socket to plug a hair-dryer in next to the mirror, so we got the electrician to put one in
It can also be re-assuring, for example we serve breakfast between 08:30 and 09:30. One of our questions is is this too late. too early or just right. 95% tick just right. SOmeone once said ours was the only B&B they'd stayed in that had a guest questionaire and ours was the only one they didn't have any comments to write down.
Of course you get the stupid and irritating comments and I usually go off my dome when I read them, and my partner says "WHy do you put them in the rooms if they get you so angry". Examples:
Q. Are there any improvements you will like to see in your bedroom.
A. A little less pine perhaps.
Oh I'm sorry, did the fact that the furniture was made of pine spoil your stay with us!!!!
Q. Is there anything else you would have liked at breakfast
A. Omlette arnold bennett
I didn't even know what that was, I had to Google it. They don't want much for £34 a night do they.
And most importantly .............ahem...................... there's no point emailing guests and asking them to post a review on the Internet if you think it wont be a good review.
 
We have them in our rooms, they are two sides of A4 and are mostly multiple choice questions witha space for comments.
I'd say around 60% of people fill them in. Be warned though, they can be very demoralising and yes, some people think they are Alex Polizzi (The Hotel Inspector).
The most irritating groups are B&B owners who will go into every detail of every change they think you should make, and teachers who will go through your form and correct any spelling or gramma.
But I do think people will be a lot more honest about things they would like or like changed than they will be to your face. Any changes we make over the winter months are mostly driven by guest feedback from our forms. And sometimes people ask for simple things that we can't beleive we hadn't thought of, like:-
  • someone said Glass Tumblers would be nice, went out and spent a few ££s on glasses for the rooms.
  • someone pointed out that in one of our rooms there was no socket to plug a hair-dryer in next to the mirror, so we got the electrician to put one in
It can also be re-assuring, for example we serve breakfast between 08:30 and 09:30. One of our questions is is this too late. too early or just right. 95% tick just right. SOmeone once said ours was the only B&B they'd stayed in that had a guest questionaire and ours was the only one they didn't have any comments to write down.
Of course you get the stupid and irritating comments and I usually go off my dome when I read them, and my partner says "WHy do you put them in the rooms if they get you so angry". Examples:
Q. Are there any improvements you will like to see in your bedroom.
A. A little less pine perhaps.
Oh I'm sorry, did the fact that the furniture was made of pine spoil your stay with us!!!!
Q. Is there anything else you would have liked at breakfast
A. Omlette arnold bennett
I didn't even know what that was, I had to Google it. They don't want much for £34 a night do they.
And most importantly .............ahem...................... there's no point emailing guests and asking them to post a review on the Internet if you think it wont be a good review..
Highlands John said:
Q. Is there anything else you would have liked at breakfast
A. Omlette arnold bennett
Wow. That is some sort of something isn't it?
 
I like the idea. I will say that I did an anonymous email survey of guests and got very little response. Maybe in the rooms, tho, it might be better so they are remembering right where they stayed and what the surroundings were.
Then again, maybe not. It's not so much the 'hotel inspector' attitude as it is opening the floodgates to all the stuff they didn't have that they wished they had but didn't miss until I gave them a chance to think about it.
 
On that questionnaire I commented on things NOT ASKED ABOUT. Example - a cabin that can sleep 8 and there is ONE towel rack and no hooks anywhere and it is near a beach. So we have swimsuits, beach towels, bath towels, wet clothes, plenty of things that need to hang up.
One Mirror in bathroom with, a cabin that sleeps 8. One bathroom. One mirror. You get the idea. :)
 
Have them fill it out for a prize or drawing or something, or give them an ANON drop box with NO PLACE to put their name on the card (or have it say OPTIONAL). I would feel it was something for more marketing though and might not fill it out.
Our state parks system has a good evaluation questionnaire, I wish I had it here...let me recall.
They give you choices of 1 thru 5
Asking what you enjoyed. What YOU USED, ie did you use the boat launch, boat dock, canoe rental, restaurant, gift shop, etc. What you used was a good thing to ask I thought!
Asking what needs most improvement (1 to 5, 1 being first priorty)
  1. Parking
  2. Linens
  3. Breakfast
  4. Website
  5. Gift Shop
(as examples only)
Gave COMMENTS section or what did we miss at the end__________________________
 
A few of the questions I am thinking of are was there anything at breakfast you would have liked that we didn't serve? (I am open to sensible suggestions but not stupid ones ie the egg one above)
 
A few of the questions I am thinking of are was there anything at breakfast you would have liked that we didn't serve? (I am open to sensible suggestions but not stupid ones ie the egg one above).
As I said you will get some sensible suggestions that you can implement immediately, some you put into your long term plan and some suggestions are just impossible.
Some mornings I say to myself "This is what I think of your opinions" as I feed their form into my paper shredder!!!!! I'm having one of those moments right now!
 
A few of the questions I am thinking of are was there anything at breakfast you would have liked that we didn't serve? (I am open to sensible suggestions but not stupid ones ie the egg one above).
A few of the questions I am thinking of are was there anything at breakfast you would have liked that we didn't serve? (I am open to sensible suggestions but not stupid ones ie the egg one above)
Why not phrase the question less open-ended? Are there other things you'd be willing to make but just don't know if anyone would want it? Put THOSE things on the questionnaire.
'Our usual breakfast consists of (whatever you usually serve). We've considered making these items, what do you think?' (List items here. You can then have 'other' with a line they could fill in. And one that says, 'No, everything was lovely.')
Open-ended confuses a lot of people. And you'll get things that will make you run the questionnaire thru the shredder!
 
A few of the questions I am thinking of are was there anything at breakfast you would have liked that we didn't serve? (I am open to sensible suggestions but not stupid ones ie the egg one above).
A few of the questions I am thinking of are was there anything at breakfast you would have liked that we didn't serve? (I am open to sensible suggestions but not stupid ones ie the egg one above)
Why not phrase the question less open-ended? Are there other things you'd be willing to make but just don't know if anyone would want it? Put THOSE things on the questionnaire.
'Our usual breakfast consists of (whatever you usually serve). We've considered making these items, what do you think?' (List items here. You can then have 'other' with a line they could fill in. And one that says, 'No, everything was lovely.')
Open-ended confuses a lot of people. And you'll get things that will make you run the questionnaire thru the shredder!
.
I have this mental image of John rubbing his hands together and dropping the questionares into the shredder LOL it is hilarious!
 
A few of the questions I am thinking of are was there anything at breakfast you would have liked that we didn't serve? (I am open to sensible suggestions but not stupid ones ie the egg one above).
A few of the questions I am thinking of are was there anything at breakfast you would have liked that we didn't serve? (I am open to sensible suggestions but not stupid ones ie the egg one above)
Why not phrase the question less open-ended? Are there other things you'd be willing to make but just don't know if anyone would want it? Put THOSE things on the questionnaire.
'Our usual breakfast consists of (whatever you usually serve). We've considered making these items, what do you think?' (List items here. You can then have 'other' with a line they could fill in. And one that says, 'No, everything was lovely.')
Open-ended confuses a lot of people. And you'll get things that will make you run the questionnaire thru the shredder!
.
I have this mental image of John rubbing his hands together and dropping the questionares into the shredder LOL it is hilarious!
.
I have this mental image of John rubbing his hands together and dropping the questionares into the shredder LOL it is hilarious!
It's probably not far from the truth either.
regular_smile.gif

"That's what I think of your Omlette Arnold Bennett"..........whirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..............cackle!!!
 
Wouldn't it be great if we could give our PITA guests suggestion cards?
"Dear Guest,
Please go F---K yourself."
 
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