The best data for improving your hotel program
Travel buyers’ top hotel program goals for 2019 are to reduce program costs, increase policy compliance and improve traveler satisfaction. In order to achieve these goals travel buyers need to use the right metrics to measure performance, use that data to build a robust plan and measure results based on key performance indicators (KPIs).
This sounds nice, but many travel buyers run into a big hurdle right at step one: what is the right data? What KPIs matter most?
We went ahead and picked out the most important metrics for measuring hotel cost, compliance and traveler satisfaction, so you can work smarter and achieve more.
Improve traveler satisfaction, increase compliance and save using these metrics.
Traveler Satisfaction
Hotel reviews indicate traveler satisfaction with individual properties.
Partner with travel management companies to collect reviews directly from
your travelers within your corporate tools.
If properties aren’t meeting traveler needs, you can block them from your
program or use the data to determine new lodging partnerships.
Compliance
Instead of reconciling traveler data from multiple sources to learn about
bookings made outside your hotel program, use your hotel attach rate
instead. It uses the percentage of air or rail bookings accompanied by
hotel bookings. A low hotel attach rate means your program may not be
meeting travelers’ needs, or you may need to communicate more often.
Track non-compliant rates reports to learn why travelers aren’t booking
in-policy. If travelers can’t book preferred rates because they’re unavailable,
you may need to review your contract and discuss the issue with your
lodging partners.
Savings
Top destination reports show where travelers stayed most. This helps
decide where to negotiate preferred rates. If you have less than 150+ room
nights per year, the ROI on the rate may not be worth it.
A rate mix report compares multiple rate sources–RoomIt Rates, third
party rates (i.e. Booking.com and Expedia Partner Solutions), public rates
and negotiated rates–to help identify savings opportunities. Relying too
much on one rate type may lead to overspending.
Benefits
Hotel Reviews
• Shows hotel amenities and attributes that improve traveler satisfaction
• Indicates hotels to partner with that meet traveler needs
Hotel Attach Rate
• Provides an efficient measure of program compliance
Non-Compliant Reasons Report
• Demonstrates if you’re realizing the full value of your negotiated rate program
• Illustrates ways to address traveler needs and educational gaps
Top Destination Report
• Helps you target top markets for negotiations
Rate Mix Report
• Teaches how diversifying rate sources creates savings