Customer satisfaction edges up slightly for hotels

Customer satisfaction edged up slightly for hotels (+0.1 to 82.8) and airlines (+0.1 to 75.7) but declined for rental car companies (–0.4 to 79.2) in the third quarter of 2009.

According to Market Metrix third quarter Hospitality Index, travellers feel that they are getting more for their money.

Compared to last year, scores for “Value” changed more than any other measure (+1 to 81.8) across all hotels.

Upscale Casinos (+1.5) and Luxury Hotels (+1.4) showed the biggest gains in customer value while Timeshare Accommodations (–0.3) showed a decline in perceived value among their guests. Among hotel brands, Mandarin Oriental (+10), Pan Pacific Hotels & Resorts (+7), and Kimpton Hotels (+6) have achieved the biggest gains in overall customer value, compared to 2008 results.

Customer satisfaction for hotels was highest for Timeshare Accommodations (87.0) with WorldMark by Wyndham (89.5) earning the top spot for the first time. Economy brands (+0.8 to 78.5) have improved more than any other segment in 2009 with Jameson Inns earning the top score (87.5) and Rodeway showing the biggest gain (+3.7 to 80.1). Compared to 2008, the brands with the biggest improvement include Mandarin Oriental (+3.0 to 93.6), Kimpton Hotels (+2.3 to 92.2) and Stratosphere Casino Hotel & Tower (+2.2 to 80.9). Gaylord Entertainment (–5.7 to 82.8) and Bellagio (–3.9 to 85.5) have posted the biggest declines in 2009.

Airlines

Passenger satisfaction with airlines improved (+0.1 to 75.7) in the third quarter. Airlines remain the lowest scoring industry in the MMHI. Virgin Atlantic (87.1) was the top scoring airline.

Car rental

The car rental industry (–0.1 to 79.6) continues to face a difficult operating environment with fewer people renting cars and rising costs. Reductions in staff and operational cutbacks continue to hamper service and impact customer satisfaction. Alamo (+1.0 to 79.4) showed the biggest improvement in customer satisfaction while National (–0.8 to 79.5) showed the biggest decline. Enterprise continues their industry dominance with overall satisfaction and loyalty scores well above competitors.