One of the most effective ways to turn the average guest into a loyal IHG guest is through service recovery. Bad experiences are inevitable, but how your hotel handles the guests’ situation is critical to your success. If you are wanting to keep your guest satisfaction and GuestLove scores high, or increase your One Rewards Loyalty sign-ups, you need to have the tools and a plan for your service recovery.

Rectifying a bad experience can turn a one-timer into a regular and improve your customer retention, because righting a wrong builds trust. If your guest can trust that, in the event of a mess up, your staff will show up strong, that’s something to write home about. 

Or, in the case of the hospitality industry, something to write a great review about. 

Why a bad review could turn into a great one

Did you know that the average person will tell 15 people about a bad customer service experience? That number goes way up after they’ve written about their experience online. We’ve talked about the damage of a bad review - but bad reviews don’t come from mistakes, they come from unaddressed mistakes. The service recovery paradox is this: people are actually more satisfied after a service failure recovery than if nothing were to have happened at all. 

The strength of the loyalty, trust, and connection is forged in the hard times, not the good ones — just like any relationship.

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Kipsu saves the day

Kipsu’s guest messaging and hotel operations software has proved time and time again that it is an effective resource across IHG properties for service recovery.  Engagement between guests and staff, creating and resolving tickets based on guest requests, and keeping documentation of conversations, are very useful in rectifying current bad experiences and preventing them in the future.

Keeping conversations and maintenance requests documented and all in one place, like through a guest messaging and hotel operations system, can significantly benefit your IHG property in multiple ways. Beyond pinpointing pain spots and highlighting great service moments, these records serve as a valuable resource for reflecting on trends over time. By regularly capturing interactions with guests, you not only track customer feedback but also gain insights into recurring issues or successes. This proactive approach, combined with a streamlined back-of-house process enables your team to anticipate and address concerns before they escalate, while also reinforcing positive practices that contribute to exceptional guest experiences. Furthermore, documenting these instances fosters a culture of continuous improvement, where employees learn from both challenges and triumphs, enhancing their skills and effectiveness in delivering outstanding service. 

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Read the reviews!

Our IHG partners have seen great success through Kipsu in their reviews. Just take a look at their TripAdvisor reviews showing how Kipsu helped with service recovery:‍

“THE best decision we could have made. ALL staff were pleasant…helpful….accommodating….and professional. Tanesha sent me a text a couple of times during our 5 day stay to make sure everything was going well. We had a slight issue with our toilet running and it was fixed before we returned from the beach.I will definitely be back. Btw, I am not easily impressed and have stayed MANY places domestically and abroad. This was in my top three hotels to visit. Give them all raises/bonuses!! I will spread the word about this hidden gem.”
- Staybridge Suites Vero Beach

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“I arrived today for a one night stay. They sent me a text after I got to my room asking me if everything was OK with the room. I said it was fine, but the bathroom floor had some debris on it. They sent someone up to clean it right away for me, and I mentioned to the person that I wished I had packed slippers and he brought slippers to me right away. I also accidentally left my glasses in the hotel restaurant. The restaurant turned them into the front desk and looked up my name from my credit card and called my room to let me know that they had my glasses. I thought that was above and beyond service, especially when I didn’t charge the food to the room so they had to go an extra step to figure out who the glasses belonged to.” 
‍- Crowne Plaza HY36 Midtown Manhattan

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“Fantastic experience from start to finish. Great location. Excellent customer service. Incredible amenities. Hotel staff checked in with me via text early in my stay to see how everything was. I had a minor issue with the HVAC in my room (the fan did not appear to be working). Hotel technicians took care of the issue immediately while I was in conference workshops. In addition to all the above, the room was beautiful, the bed linens were outstanding, and the bathroom was absolutely luxurious.”
- InterContinental Miami

In the realm of customer service, challenges are inevitable, but how we respond to them defines our success. By enabling guests to offer in-the-moment feedback through a guest messaging platform like Kipsu, and then quickly addressing it with ticketing software, IHG teams are able to intercept potential problems before they become negative reviews. A strong service recovery plan will lead your hotel to increased guest loyalty and boosted satisfaction scores. Leverage guest messaging and hotel operations software, and level up your service recovery performance. 

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Want to see how Kipsu solves guest problems in real-time? Schedule a conversation with our team to learn more!