Guest satisfaction index (GSI)
Why is it important to monitor the Guest satisfaction index in hotels?
The Guest satisfaction index is essential for evaluating service effectiveness and the alignment between guest expectations and their actual experience.
A high GSI indicates the hotel is delivering consistent, positive experiences; a low GSI highlights critical areas that could negatively affect reputation and profitability.
Measuring and analyzing the GSI continuously allows hotels to:
- Identify strengths and weaknesses in different departments.
- Act promptly on eventual operational issues.
- Engage the team in continuous service improvement.
- Build loyalty strategies based on real guest needs.
Among the main tools used to gather data for the GSI is the Net Promoter Score (NPS).
What is the Net Promoter Score (NPS) in a hotel?
The NPS is a summary indicator measuring guests’ likelihood to recommend the hotel to friends, family, or colleagues.
It’s based on a simple question:
“How likely are you to recommend our hotel?” with answers on a 0 to 10 scale.
Based on their responses, guests are classified as:
- Promoters (9–10): enthusiastic and loyal guests.
- Passives (7–8): satisfied but not highly engaged.
- Detractors (0–6): unhappy or critical guests
The NPS formula is:
NPS = % Promoters – % Detractors
For example: if 60% of guests are promoters and 20% are detractors, the NPS will be:
60 – 20 = 40
A positive NPS indicates good satisfaction; the closer the value is to 100, the higher the loyalty. This can be integrated into the GSI for a more comprehensive view of guest satisfaction.
How is the Guest satisfaction index calculated in hotels?
There is no single formula, as GSI may vary depending on data considered (online reviews, internal surveys, NPS, OTA ratings, etc.).
Reputation management software often aggregates scores from multiple sources to provide an average value on a 0–100 or 0–10 scale.
Example:
- Average Google rating: 4.4/5
- Average Booking rating: 8.9/10
- Calculated NPS: 42
Weighted according to custom criteria, these data can produce an overall GSI (e.g. 88/100).