Feedback Matters

What one small detail in a restaurant survey reveals about anonymity and guest feedback. In this episode of So You Want My Feedback?, we review a restaurant survey sent after a recent dining experience—and quickly uncover a small detail that could have a big impact on the feedback it receives. From how the survey frames its opening question to how it handles guest identity, we break down what works, what doesn’t, and what it may be doing to limit honest responses. If you’re collecting guest feedback, this is a reminder that how you ask… matters just as much as what you ask.

When Guest Surveys Go Wrong: A Masterclass in "Worst Practices" What happens when one of the world’s biggest hotel brands sends a guest survey that is confusing, repetitive, and mathematically impossible? In this episode of "So You Want My Feedback", Jeff and Rich break down a recent post-stay survey from a major global hotel flagship that misses the mark at nearly every turn.In this episode, we discuss: The "Zero Percent" Paradox: How a survey can tell you you've completed 0% of the task after you’ve already provided your primary rating. The Yes/No Rating Trap: Why asking a guest to "rate" a binary event (like whether they were recognized as a loyalty member) is a fundamental design flaw. The Missing Middle: The dangers of using a four-point scale that forces guests to be either positive or negative, with no room for a neutral middle ground. Survey Fatigue & Redirection: The frustrating experience of being redirected to a second, unannounced "brand survey" just when you thought you were finished. Jeff also shares his experience using the hotel's digital key—one of the few highlights of the stay—and how the survey failed to capture that nuance effectively. Key Takeaway: A survey is an extension of the guest experience. If the survey is "mailing it in," the guest feels it. Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction: A stay at a major global flagship 1:30 - The Email: Missing signatures and "Very Poor" scales 5:10 - The 0% Completion Metric frustration 9:20 - Rating a Yes/No question? 14:00 - The $2 Water Bottle Dilemma 18:30 - The "Secret" Second Survey 22:00 - Why Midpoints Matter in Scale Design 26:00 - Final Verdict: A "Shocking" Lack of Best Practices   About the Podcast: Feedback Matters by GuestInsight explores the world of guest experience, survey design, and actionable feedback. Hosted by Jeff Robbins and Rich Raffel, we draw on 25+ years of experience to help businesses elevate the guest journey. About the Series: So You Want My Feedback is our ongoing look at how hotels and other hospitality brands handle guest feedback — from post-stay survey critique to full hotel survey review. Each episode breaks down real examples, highlighting what works, what doesn’t, and what these choices reveal about guest feedback analysis, survey design, and the overall guest experience. And while hospitality is our focus, we occasionally review customer experience surveys from non-hospitality businesses as a point of comparison — because the contrast is often just as illuminating.

84% of hotel guests rely on online reviews when booking. Only 4% regularly post them. So who is really shaping your hotel’s reputation? In this episode of Feedback Matters, Jeff and Rich explore the results of GuestInsight’s December 2025 U.S. consumer survey of hotel guests — and uncover a major disconnect between how guests consume feedback and how they contribute it. We discuss: •Why 72% say surveys are important — but only 24% frequently complete them •The persistent “ones and fives” polarity problem •Why the “missing middle” rarely speaks up •The friction behind low review participation •Whether post-stay emails should match your hotel’s brand positioning •What this means for response rates, reputation accuracy, and revenue If most travelers rely on online reviews — but those reviews reflect only a tiny fraction of guests — are hotels being judged by a representative sample? Watch to understand what’s changed, what hasn’t, and what hoteliers should be doing about it. 👉 Subscribe for more hospitality insights 👉 Visit guestinsight.com to learn more

In this episode, we take a close look at a post-stay survey from a major international hotel brand. At first glance, it’s solid: clean layout, well-timed delivery, and even a personal touch — the general manager’s own signature. Someone’s taking ownership of the feedback process, and that’s great to see. But as we move through the survey, some interesting choices start to stand out — like the use of a 10-point scale without a midpoint, and a question about “experiencing the destination” that might leave even seasoned travelers scratching their heads. It’s a great example of how thoughtful design and confusing corporate templates can coexist — and why even a polished guest survey can still send mixed signals about what kind of feedback a hotel or brand really wants.   Music licensed via Epidemic Sound: https://www.epidemicsound.com/ #GuestFeedback #SurveyDesign #HospitalityMarketing #CustomerExperience #HotelSurveys #OnlineReviews #CXStrategy #HospitalityInsights #FeedbackMatters #ReviewManagement

In this episode, we take a look at something new for Feedback Matters — a patient feedback survey from a large medical practice. At first glance, the request feels solid: it’s respectful, professional, and checks many of the right boxes. The email sets expectations clearly and frames the purpose as learning “what we do well and what we can do better.” But as we walk through the actual survey, things start to break down. The process is long, redundant, and oddly impersonal — from the clunky date-of-birth validation to a request for the respondent’s name at the end. The wording throughout feels clinical rather than patient-friendly, and the survey’s 5-point scale (ranging from “very poor” to “very good”) is surprisingly unbalanced. And then there’s the kicker: the “likelihood to recommend” question — a version of the Net Promoter Score — shoehorned into the middle of a medical visit survey, using labels that don’t even fit the question. It’s an eye-opening example of how even well-intentioned feedback efforts can fall short when execution doesn’t match purpose — and when the survey experience itself starts to undermine the credibility of the data being collected. Want to know what we think about your feedback loop? Book a free discovery call to find out! 👉 https://www.guestinsight.com/book-a-free-discovery-session    Music licensed via Epidemic Sound: https://www.epidemicsound.com/ #PatientExperience #FeedbackMatters #SurveyDesign #CustomerExperience #HealthcareFeedback #PatientSatisfaction #CXStrategy #OnlineSurveys #NetPromoterScore #GuestInsight

In this episode, we take a closer look at a guest feedback survey from a popular restaurant inside a major hotel. At first glance, it does a lot right — short, simple, on-brand. But as we talk through the guest flow, the copy choices, and the final ask, we started to notice some important gaps. The intent seems clear: it’s not really about feedback — it’s about driving reviews. The survey is built into a reservation platform, and everything about the structure points toward boosting public ratings, not improving guest experience. But here’s the twist: it’s not even doing that well. Despite all the nudging, the restaurant has barely any reviews on the page they push guests toward. It’s a revealing look at what happens when the purpose of a survey is misaligned — and when execution doesn’t support the outcome you’re aiming for. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ Want to know what we think about your feedback loop? Book a free discovery call to find out! 👉 https://www.guestinsight.com/book-a-free-discovery-session ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ Music licensed via Epidemic Sound: https://www.epidemicsound.com/ #GuestFeedback #SurveyDesign #HospitalityMarketing #CustomerExperience #RestaurantReviews #OnlineReviews #CXStrategy #HospitalityInsights #YelpReviews #FeedbackMatters

Why “How Likely Are You to Recommend?” Might Be the Wrong Question In this mini-episode of Feedback Matters, Jeff and Rich tackle one of CX measurement's most sacred cows: the Net Promoter Score question. 👉 “How likely are you to recommend our hotel to a friend or family member?” It sounds smart. It looks official. It’s everywhere. But have you ever really thought about what it’s asking? We dig into why this question often fails to deliver useful insight, especially in hospitality. From scale confusion to vague context, we make the case that it’s time to rethink how we measure guest loyalty. This is just the beginning — in an upcoming episode, we’ll break down how NPS is actually calculated (and why that might be an even bigger problem). 🎧 Subscribe for more honest, practical insights about surveys, feedback, and the guest experience.  #NetPromoterScore #GuestFeedback #SurveyDesign #HospitalityInsights #CustomerExperience #FeedbackMatters #CX

In this episode, Jeff and Rich review the guest feedback survey from a boutique hotel operated by one of the world’s largest hospitality brands. While the guest experience was exceptional, the survey left much to be desired—long, inconsistent, and surprisingly unpolished for such a well-run property and major hospitality brand. They explore why this happens more often than it should, and why the final touchpoint of the guest journey—the post-stay survey—should never feel like an afterthought. Key Takeaways Even top-tier hospitality brands can send poorly constructed surveys. The guest survey is part of the guest experience—and it should feel that way. Overly long, poorly constructed and edited surveys frustrate respondents. A great guest experience deserves a strong finish. The final impression you leave can shape how guests remember their stay. Hotels of all sizes should treat feedback design with the same care as service delivery. A better survey design leads to better data—and better guest satisfaction. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ Want to know what we think about your feedback loop? Book a free discovery call to find out! 👉  https://www.guestinsight.com/book-a-free-discovery-session  ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ Music licensed via Epidemic Sound: https://www.epidemicsound.com/  #guestexperience #hospitalityindustry #hotelmanagement #guestsatisfaction #surveys #guestfeedback #cx #feedbackloop #feedback #customerfeedback #reviews #businessimprovement #customerexperience #OnlineReviews

In this episode, we take a look at the customer feedback loop of a regional furniture chain. Jeff and Rich get into the weeds on what turned out to be a confusing feedback process after a transaction. They reflect on the overall customer journey, including the delivery experience, and lament how businesses often don't pay the same attention to detail on their feedback loop as they do on other parts of the customer journey. Key Takeaways •The review process can often be confusing for customers. •Surveys and reviews serve different purposes and should be clearly distinguished. •Customers may not always receive the feedback requests they expect. •Businesses should prioritize collecting quality feedback to optimize customer experience. •Clear communication is essential in the feedback loop. •Feedback mechanisms should be user-friendly and accessible. •Improving feedback processes can lead to better business outcomes. ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ Want to know what we think about your feedback loop? Book a free discovery call to find out! 👉 https://bit.ly/4gPtkUv ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ #customerfeedback #cx #reviews #surveys #feedbackloop #feedback #businessimprovement #customerexperience

In this episode, we analyze the guest feedback requests from a non-traditional lodging experience—a short-term rental booked through a major platform. Jeff and Rich discuss the post-stay emails, the review prompts, the survey, and the differences between public reviews and private feedback channels. Are platforms prioritizing better guest experiences or simply looking to boost ratings? We break down how hospitality businesses—both traditional and short-term—can optimize their surveys to collect more meaningful insights while still staying focused on online reputation. Plus, we get into the legitimacy of "trading" mutual reviews, and the one simple change that could have made this guest feedback process much better. Unlock the Full Potential of Your Guest Feedback 🔑✨ - Book A Free Consultation or Demo Today: https://www.guestinsight.com/who-we-are #VoiceOfTheGuest #VoiceOfTheCustomer #GuestExperience #CustomerFeedback #ShortTermRentals #Hospitality #HotelManagement #CX #Surveys #VacationRentals #OnlineReviews #GuestSatisfaction #surveys

Unlock the Full Potential of Your Guest Feedback 🔑✨ - Book A Free Consultation or Demo Today: https://www.guestinsight.com/who-we-are   Join Jeff Robbins and Rich Raffel in this episode (#10 of the So You Want My Feedback series) as they analyze a real guest experience feedback request from a popular restaurant platform. Discover the pitfalls of relying solely on reviews, the missed opportunities for meaningful feedback, and the trade-offs businesses face when using reservation platforms for guest insights. Learn how restaurants can balance the need for reviews with actionable data to improve their operations. Don't miss this engaging discussion on the art and science of guest feedback!

In this episode, we get into a discussion of different motivations for sending guest experience surveys. It's a follow-up episode to episode 8 ( https://www.podbean.com/eas/pb-ixx38-171cffa ), in which we were less than impressed by the guest survey sent by a great boutique hotel. That episode may be found here: https://youtu.be/pm3HD8gTFuU Our "So You Want My Feedback?" series reviews the feedback requests from hotels, restaurants, retailers, and other businesses through the eyes of a guest or customer. We believe that if you are involved in a business that asks for feedback from guests or customers, you should regularly give feedback to businesses that you undoubtedly get feedback requests from during the course of your day-to-day routine (both personal & business). Why? You'll discover elements of feedback loops that resonate with you, those that don't, and how you might think of your own feedback "asks" as more of an evolving process, rather than a "set it and forget it" practice. After all, that survey request you send out is often the last point of contact in the guest experience transaction. #cx #survey #bestpractices #guestinsight #hospitality #hotelmanagement #hotelier #review #guestexperience feedbackmatters.org

In this episode, we review the feedback "ask" from an independent boutique hotel. As the subtitle suggests, we found this survey to be disappointing. For a great property, their guest survey doesn't cover anything substantive or actionable.   #cx #survey #bestpractices #guestinsight #hospitality #hotelmanagement #hotelier #review #guestexperience Our "So You Want My Feedback?" series reviews the feedback requests from hotels, restaurants, retailers, and other businesses through the eyes of a guest or customer. We believe that if you are involved in a business that asks for feedback from guests or customers, you should regularly give feedback to businesses that you undoubtedly get feedback requests from during the course of your day-to-day routine (both personal & business). Why? You'll discover elements of feedback loops that resonate with you, those that don't, and how you might think of your own feedback "asks" as more of an evolving process, rather than a "set it and forget it" practice. After all, that survey request you send out is often the last point of contact in the guest experience transaction.

In this very short episode (less than 4 minutes), we take a look at a simple feedback request that follows through on an online transaction. Despite a really nice UX and a request that is respectful of the customer's time, we discover sloppy technique. This is the 6th episode in our So You Want My Feedback? series, in which we review the feedback requests from hotels, restaurants, retailers, and other businesses through the lens of a guest or customer. We believe that if you are involved in a business that asks for feedback from guests or customers, you should regularly give feedback to businesses that you undoubtedly get feedback requests from during the course of your day-to-day routine (both personal & business). Why? You'll discover elements of feedback loops that resonate with you, those that don't, and how you might think of your own feedback "asks" as more of an evolving process, rather than a "set it and forget it" practice. After all, that survey request you send out is often the last point of contact in the guest experience transaction. #cx #survey #bestpractices #guestinsight #hospitality #review #guestexperience #surveys

In this episode, we review the feedback "ask" from a fine dining restaurant. This is the 6th episode in our So You Want My Feedback? series, in which we review the feedback requests from hotels, restaurants, retailers, and other businesses through the lens of a guest or customer. We believe that if you are involved in a business that asks for feedback from guests or customers, you should regularly give feedback to businesses that you undoubtedly get feedback requests from during the course of your day-to-day routine (both personal & business). Why? You'll discover elements of feedback loops that resonate with you, those that don't, and how you might think of your own feedback "asks" as more of an evolving process, rather than a "set it and forget it" practice. After all, that survey request you send out is often the last point of contact in the guest experience transaction. #cx #survey #bestpractices #guestinsight #hospitality #review #guestexperience #surveys

In this episode, we review the feedback "ask" from a large multi-national hotel chain. This is the 5th episode in our So You Want My Feedback? series, in which we review the feedback requests from hotels, restaurants, retailers, and other businesses through the lens of a guest or customer. We believe that if you are involved in a business that asks for feedback from guests or customers, you should regularly give feedback to businesses that you undoubtedly get feedback requests from during the course of your day-to-day routine (both personal & business). Why? You'll discover elements of feedback loops that resonate with you, those that don't, and how you might think of your own feedback "asks" as more of an evolving process, rather than a "set it and forget it" practice. After all, that survey request you send out is often the last point of contact in the guest experience transaction. #cx #survey #bestpractices #guestinsight #hospitality #review #guestexperience #surveys

In this episode, we review the feedback "ask" from a "fine dining" restaurant. This is the 4th episode in our So You Want My Feedback? series, in which we review the feedback requests from hotels, restaurants, retailers, and other businesses through the lens of a guest or customer. We believe that if you are involved in a business that asks for feedback from guests or customers, you should regularly give feedback to businesses that you undoubtedly get feedback requests from during the course of your day-to-day routine (both personal & business). Why? You'll discover elements of feedback loops that resonate with you, those that don't, and how you might think of your own feedback "asks" as more of an evolving process, rather than a "set it and forget it" practice. After all, that survey request you send out is often the last point of contact in the guest experience transaction.   Watch the video version: https://youtu.be/JMo7khgRGPY #cx #survey #bestpractices #guestinsight #hospitality #review

In this episode, we review the feedback "ask" from a large resort. This is the third episode of our So You Want My Feedback? series, in which we review the feedback requests from hotels, restaurants, retailers, and other businesses through the lens of a guest or customer. We believe that if you are involved in a business that asks for feedback from guests or customers, you should regularly give feedback to businesses that you undoubtedly get feedback requests from during the course of your day-to-day routine (both personal & business). Why? You'll discover elements of feedback loops that resonate with you, those that don't, and how you might think of your own feedback "asks" as more of an evolving process, rather than a "set it and forget it" practice. After all, that survey request you send out is often the last point of contact in the guest experience transaction. #cx #survey #bestpractices #guestinsight #hospitality #review

In this episode, we review the feedback ask from a hotel in a city location. Spoiler alert- things start out great but then take a turn. This is the second episode of our So You Want My Feedback? series, in which we review the feedback requests from companies, hotels, restaurants, services through the lens of a guest or customer. We point out the good, the bad, and the ugly...names and places will, of course be hidden to protect the innocent (or guilty). #cx #survey #bestpractices #guestinsight #hospitality #review

This is the first episode in our So You Want My Feedback? series, in which we review the feedback requests from companies, hotels, restaurants, services through the lens of a guest or customer. We show the good, the bad, and the ugly...names and places will, of course be hidden to protect the innocent (or guilty). In this episode, the feedback "ask" from a restaurant is a bit confusing... #cx #survey #bestpractices #guestinsight #hospitality #review

In this series, we review the feedback requests from different kinds of businesses - from the perspective of a guest or customer of each business. Among the things we'll get into: Does the "ask" strike the right tone? Is the survey appropriate for the experience provided? Is the survey too long (or too short)? Blog Post That Started This: "Tell Me What I Want To Hear" https://www.guestinsight.com/feedback-matters-blog-posts/tell-me-what-i-want-to-hear-its-not-about-you-its-about-me   #cx #survey #bestpractices #guestinsight #hospitality #reviews

What's this podcast all about? All things related to guest & customer experience feedback. Join us for discussions about feedback surveying in general- both from an historical perspective, as well as how it fits into today’s online review fueled purchase economy. We explore survey design best practices, as well as look at the always increasing number of ways to analyze the data that well designed surveys provide. And, we get into some more broad consumer behavior topics like customer and guest experience and loyalty, and, of course online reviews and their influence in consumer purchase decisions.

The story of how the loyalty metric, Fan Value Score, was inspired by the Plus/Minus hockey rating.   guestinsight.com #cx #guestexperience #customerexperience #sportsanalytics #customerloyalty #brandloyalty     Our Guest/Customer Loyalty Series: Introduction - https://youtu.be/L6Zsbl_CrLM Part 2 - https://youtu.be/jrHb4UuLI9M Part 3 - https://youtu.be/LOLSfmEskN0

What is your guest survey doing for you? How is it integrated into your organization's operations? We recently published a free checklist for hospitality operators to use as a guide to getting the most out of guest feedback. In this episode, we discuss how and why to use it. Whether you're looking to make changes to your current guest feedback solution or are happy with what you have in place, taking a look at the checklist (and watching/listening to this discussion) can add some context to the guest feedback process. #guestexperience #cx #feedback #bestpractices Get the checklist here: https://subscribepage.io/zi547G

The world has changed quite a bit in the 17 years we've been collecting and analyzing guest experience feedback. In this episode, Rich and Jeff discuss some of the big changes we've seen in our industry over that timespan, as well as how, perhaps surprisingly, some things haven't really changed at all. #hospitality #guestexperience #surveys #surveydesign #cx #bestpractices #hotelbusiness #restaurantbusiness #feedback

We recently released a new Guest Feedback Dashboard for our clients to visualize and digest their guest experience feedback data. In this episode Jeff and Rich discuss usability of dashboards and deeper data reporting within the context of stakeholders who use these tools. To view the dashboard yourself, start here: https://survey.guestinsight.com/survey/theinn

After a month hiatus from the podcast because we were immersed in software upgrades to our GuestInsight feedback platform, we're back at it.   In this episode (audio only), Jeff and Rich discuss some of the data out there relating to the recovery from the pandemic.

Cheers! Looking back on 2021; some interesting data about travel and hospitality, shopping trends, the PNC Christmas Index, and even a little baseball analytics. THINK WITH GOOGLE - The Year In Search https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/consumer-insights/consumer-trends/redefining-normal-in-2021/ PNC CHRISTMAS PRICE INDEX https://www.pnc.com/en/about-pnc/topics/pnc-christmas-price-index.html LASTING DESIGN EFFECTS OF COVID https://www.nytimes.com/2021/11/23/magazine/covid-design-legacy.html?smid=li-share #feedback #holidays #trends #2021wrapup #holidayshopping #christmasindex

In this episode we take a look at the number of marketing emails being sent around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, as well as discuss some email communication best practices. #feedback #emailmarketing #blackfriday #cybermonday #cyberweek #givingtuesday #smallbusinesssaturday #bestpractices #followthrough #transactionalemail  

Learn some interesting stats and facts about Thanksgiving and some traditions. Jeff quizzes Rich on Turkey Day history, travel, retail, movies, parades, and football. #cx #feedback #thanksgiving #trivia

If you could only ask your customers/guests 1 question, what would it be? #feedback #cx #guestexperience #customerexperience

Customer/Guest Expectations and the word you don't want to read in your online reviews.   Blog post about Customer/Guest Expectations: https://www.databasesciences.com/blog/guest-expectation-tricky-business

A quick look at the lighter side of online reviews; bad coffee, Schrute Farms from The Office, and the best restaurant in London...that didn't exist.   Schrute Farms https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Rehttps://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g52842-d730099-Reviews-Schrute_Farms-Honesdale_Pocono_Mountains_Region_Pennsylvania.html   The Shed https://www.vice.cohttps://www.vice.com/en/article/434gqw/i-made-my-shed-the-top-rated-restaurant-on-tripadvisor SHOW LESS

In this third episode about online reviews, we continue the discussion about the rating scales used by the big consumer review sites.

Continuing the discussion from the last episode (Feedback Matters Podcast 21-08-01), we dive into a deeper discussion about online reviews, including the positivity problem; because so many reviews skew to the positive, they don't accurately represent what's really going on with a business, product, or service.

(audio only) -video may be found here: https://youtu.be/OEAE8yUNvP4 A recent Twitter post by New Jersey News Channel 12 about a business owner who fires back at people leaving him negative online reviews got us talking about how the it's still the wild west out there in the world of online reviews- a topic we first addressed 15 years ago (https://www.databasesciences.com/blog/fake-reviews-are-in-the-news-again).