For hotel operators, meeting the basic requirements of a guest's stay is already a big enough challenge. So how can hotels adapt to a world where expectations are ever-growing?

It's clear that today's consumers have escalating expectations which are fuelled by "instant gratification" brands.

Companies like Amazon, with its rapid delivery, or Netflix, allowing instant entertainment, have set new standards.

This shift has increased consumer expectations across all areas of life, even when those expectations might not be feasible.

This is a reality we can probably all relate to on a personal level.

But as a hotelier, can you actually know how satisfied or unsatisfied your guests are in the first instance?

Many hotels depend on surveys completed after guests check out and online reviews to understand how satisfied their guests are.

However, this approach can easily overlook the finer details of guest experiences.

Enter the concept of "hidden dissatisfiers" – those small, seemingly inconsequential moments that when grouped together, make a hotel stay feel a bit "meh".

Hidden dissatisfiers are the subtle, often overlooked aspects of a guest's experience that might not make it into the standard feedback channels such as detailed email surveys or online platforms, like Google Reviews or TripAdvisor.

A few examples:

• A delayed coffee service

• An untidy breakfast table

• A slightly less warm greeting from the staff

That's not to say that some guests won't mention some of the more granular parts of their stay. As indeed they do!

In this post I'll explore the critical importance of identifying these hidden dissatisfiers, the large impact of immediate micro-feedback, and 3 "easy" strategies for identifying overlooked annoyances and turning them into opportunities for creating better guest experiences.

Understanding Hidden dissatisfiers

A lot of the time, these "hidden dissatisfiers" don't quite make the cut when it comes to complaining about them directly to hotel staff.

These incidents might seem minor in isolation but can cumulatively erode the guest's perception of the hotel, affecting their likelihood to return, recommend the hotel to friends and family, or to leave a 5 star online review.

At worst, the "hidden dissatisfiers" are called out on TikTok videos!

In short, guests aren't going to view your hotel as being excellent unless dissatisfiers are kept to an absolute minimum. Some of these incidents are forgotten by the time the guest checks out, but their impressions remain.

Psychological studies illustrate the impact of these minor negative experiences on overall satisfaction. Human beings are wired to remember negative experiences more vividly than positive ones, a phenomenon known as the negativity bias.

This means that while a guest's stay may be largely positive, their overall perception could be disproportionately affected by a handful of negative incidents.

Insightful Conversations

Our quest at Biteluxe is to find the most effective ways of understanding how hotel guests are feeling in-stay. A large part of that entails having discussions with operational and commercial hotel teams to get a sense of how they frame the challenge and how they feel about it.

The general consensus is that hidden dissatisfiers are a challenge across the board. One of the first conversations I had was with Matthew Moffatt, who is the Head of Operations at Point A Hotels.

Matthew enlightened me about the concept of "hidden dissatisfiers," a term I've enthusiastically embraced (thanks, Matthew!).

He illustrated this concept with an example: a guest might come down to the lobby expecting to watch the morning news, only to discover the TV is turned off.

It's a minor inconvenience, but it can subtly undermine the overall perception of the hotel's service. Importantly, it also illustrates how there are many ways that a guest can feel inconvenienced.

So what can you do about them?

Guests with minor annoyances can become vocal advocates

There is a concept known as the 'guest service recovery paradox,' where guests who have had their complaints effectively resolved often become more loyal than those who never experienced any issues.

If hotels are able to identify hidden dissatisfiers and address them with guests, they create an opportunity to turn these guests into vocal advocates.

For example, an in-person acknowledgment of a delayed coffee service can be sufficient in making the guest feel valued.

Overcoming Feedback Barriers

A significant hurdle in identifying hidden dissatisfiers lies in the guests' reluctance to provide "in the moment" feedback.

This reluctance often stems from a fear of confrontation or a desire not to burden staff perceived as busy.

This psychological barrier can prevent front of house staff from learning about and addressing minor issues that significantly impact guest satisfaction.

3 "Easy" Strategies for Unearthing Hidden Dissatisfiers

Hotels can adopt a few strategies to uncover and address these hidden dissatisfiers, enhancing guest satisfaction and loyalty:

STRATEGY 1: Implement Real-Time Feedback Tools:

Digital platforms and applications provide guests with a convenient and anonymous method to give immediate feedback, capturing their experiences in real-time and avoiding the discomfort of direct confrontation. Receiving feedback "in the moment" ensures it is fresh and accurate. This is obviously where our expertise lie and I boldly claim nobody else can do it better.

STRATEGY 2: Train Staff to Recognise and Report:

Empowering hotel staff with the training to notice and report guests' non-verbal cues of dissatisfaction, such as body language, can help in proactively addressing potential issues before they escalate. A main downside is that momentary micro-expressions are easy to miss. In an ideal world, all front of house staff have some form of hospitality training, but the reality is that this isn't always possible. There are however easy and specific online courses that staff can take, for example there is one on Udemy in the references below, which provides a broad application of the subject. We don't have an affiliation here, but I've heard good things about this course a few times.

STRATEGY 3: Foster an Open Communication Environment:

Creating a culture that encourages open communication can make guests feel more comfortable sharing their feedback. Simple, genuine inquiries about their stay can prompt guests to mention minor issues they might otherwise overlook. Too often, staff communication can come across as scripted, deterring guests from being open about their experiences. However, there are hotels that effectively set up regular 30 minute sessions where staff can share and reflect on their interactions with guests, which helps staff learn from each other's experiences and strategies. An easy format is "share the best guest interaction you had this week", followed by peer questions on how they went about the interaction.

Conclusion

The concept of hidden dissatisfiers challenges the hospitality industry to look beyond the surface of guest satisfaction in a consumer world where expectations are always increasing.

As a result, the importance of attention to detail and proactive guest engagement has never been higher.

By uncovering and addressing these hidden dissatisfiers, hotels can not only enhance their guests' experiences but also transform potentially negative moments into opportunities for building loyalty and advocacy.

There are some "easy" solutions, and my clear favourite is obviously the subtle application of technology.

However, even without the perfect technological solutions, 30-minute front-of-house sessions or training in non-verbal communication can make a significant difference!

How would you assess your hotel's capability in identifying "hidden dissatisfiers"? And do you believe your hotel has scope for improvement?

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References:

"Customer service expectations," Acquire.io blog

"The Psychology of Customer Satisfaction," Harvard Business Review.

"Service Recovery Paradox: A Meta-Analysis," Journal of Service Research.

Biteluxe Conversations with Industry Leaders: Matthew Moffatt, Head of Operations at Point A Hotels

Udemy course: Non-verbal communication