Upon closer inspection – the importance of auditing

A country's reputation can have a huge impact on its success as a tourist destination. Travellers will often have a preconceived idea about a place, taken from the images presented by media such as film and television. For example, Danny Boyle's 2008 blockbuster hit Slumdog Millionaire did little to deter the stereotypical view of India as a developing country affected by severe poverty and crime.

Of course, these problems exist for countries all over the world but, in order to benefit from tourism, a more positive picture needs to be pushed out and backed up with real action. Global hotel brands have a huge part to play, and a responsibility towards the countries they operate from.

By committing to deliver the highest possible standards of service to their guests, hotel brands can help countries to smash the stereotypes they are fighting against.

Thanks to an international marketing campaign, "Incredible India", the travel and hospitality sector is flourishing in India. But, the demanding temperatures there mean food spoilage and contamination are still major challenges for many hotels.

As with poverty and crime, difficult weather conditions and poor hygiene are problems that emerging holiday destinations have to cope with. When this is the case, it doesn't matter how much effort is put into pushing out a positive image of a country. In order to truly strengthen a fragile reputation and encourage repeat bookings, the proper foundations have to be put into place. This will help towards combating, and hopefully one day eradicating, the factors that affect a country's image in a negative way.

Poor hygiene standards can lead to an extremely negative experience for a hotel guest, which they may then associate with the country as a whole rather than the establishment they have stayed in. This could impact their travel plans in the future and, in turn, affect tourism. It is therefore important for hotel brands to establish their core values and commit to delivering a positive experience to all guests across the globe.

The matter at hand

Most hotel groups are facing the same opportunities and challenges in the expanding global marketplace, so what sets a chain apart are its qualities and values. Brands need to be ready; not just with sleek, effective marketing and advertising, but by ensuring high and consistent standards of quality in all things they do, no matter how small. They need to concentrate on everything, from the water supply to room cleanliness or food hygiene.

Once processes have been put in place to deliver and maintain the agreed values, the crucial next step for global chains is to make sure that they are actively monitoring the performance of each of their hotels. This can help them to identify any weak links that require particular and immediate attention.

Through regular and thorough auditing, hotel chains can improve not only the image of their brand, but the image of the countries they operate from as well. Crime, poverty and unpredictable weather conditions may be out of a brand's control, but that is no excuse. Every possible step should be taken to ensure the safety of guests. If tourists feel safe and secure in a country, the likelihood is that they will return again.

But, it is important that hotel groups deliver a consistently positive experience for all their guests at all of their establishments, regardless of whether one is in a developing market or not. Brand inconsistency can be a real problem because, whatever the location, guests rely on the knowledge that one hotel will deliver the same level of service they experienced at another from the same group.

If a guest has a bad time and is let down during their stay at a hotel, they will associate any negative feelings with the entire chain. This can result in irreparable damage to reputation, and can affect the possibility of repeat bookings.

The reviews are in

With over 65 million monthly users on TripAdvisor, online hotel review sites are clearly not disappearing any time soon. With this rise, and the explosion of social media, a guest's bad experience can now be shared with others - quickly and easily. For example, it was recently reported that a hotel manager at The Georgian House Hotel in Glasgow was dismissed for their response to some bad feedback posted on TripAdvisor. The story proves just how much of a significant problem online review sites are for the hospitality industry. It is more important than ever for hotels to ensure they commit to providing the best service possible.

Hotel chains need more than just a star system to demonstrate their commitment to the customer and assurance to hotel groups that brand values are being maintained. The star system has long been accepted as the benchmark for accommodation quality, but it does not cover issues of health and safety. It is only the facilities that are recognised by the system, and not other essential factors like hygiene. A common misconception made by holidaymakers searching for a place to stay is that a four to five star rating equals the highest in standards. This is not always the case. Star ratings are a useful way for hotels to share their standards with customers, but should be just one part of a bigger picture.

The first step that a brand should take is making a decision about what its core values are. A hotel group should decide to deliver the best standards possible in all areas. If they want to succeed and maintain a good reputation, they should not be accepting or delivering anything less.

High-quality service for guests can be achieved by putting the proper foundations into place that, again, means regular and thorough auditing of every hotel in a group. Hotel groups should not rely on internal checks alone, and will benefit from impartial feedback from a second party. Independent auditors can ensure a hotel chain is meeting its own expectations and, if not, work with them until they are. As a result, high standards will not only be consistent, but also continuous.

Hotel chain owners also need to be monitoring the individual performance of every separate establishment. This means that any weak links can be identified, and any problems can be addressed and corrected. Observation is an essential part of overcoming the problem of brand inconsistency.

With hotel groups across the world facing the same challenges and opportunities, a brand can set itself apart with its values and quality. In order to stand out against the competition, a consistent experience at all hotels is part of what a quality brand has to offer. Measurable results from regular auditing are something than can help the careful monitoring and management of brand inconsistency. They can also be used as evidence, and can be shared with guests to show true commitment to excellence. Unlike a star system, auditing results are solid and all encompassing.

With guest feedback accessible at the click of a button on TripAdvisor, hotel managers should really take the right steps to ensure that brand values are maintained.