The guest experience manager

Best Practices and up to the minute news on Customer Experience Management and Service Excellence

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Best Practices and up to the minute news on Customer Experience Management and Service Excellence

Tag Archives: Guest Experience

Number of Consumers Reporting Problems With Products and Services Has More Than Doubled Since the 1970s, Survey Finds

February 17, 2026Guest Experience NewsEmotions, Guest Experience, operationsKristen Grau

Customers and consumers are having more issues — and getting louder about them, according to a survey from late last year. The aptly-titled National Customer Rage Survey found that the number of U.S. consumers that reported experiencing a product or service problem in the past 12 months has more than doubled since 1976. The survey from Arizona State University's business school found that this could cost businesses $596 billion in revenue if customers continue to feel dissatisfied. "Defusing cus...

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Benefits of Seasonal Staffing for Guest Experience Managers

February 16, 2026Leadershipemployment, Guest Experience, operationsBenjamin Manning

Peak business seasons differ for every location; hotels may offer hospice to skiers looking for fresh powder, tourists wanting to see unique blossoms, or enthusiasts visiting for a local festival. Regardless, businesses must be appropriately staffed to handle the rush. Bringing on full-time team members to accommodate temporary increases in guests is costly – but so is missing out on opportunities due to understaffing. Seasonal employees are the solution for fulfilling that need. This employment...

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What Texas Roadhouse Is Getting Right in a Shaky Casual Dining Market

February 13, 2026Guest Experience NewsGuest Experience, Guest Loyalty, operations, restaurantsEvan Wechman

The casual dining sector has faced a turbulent stretch. Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy protection in 2024 after closing multiple locations, and other national brands have reduced their footprint amid rising labor and food costs. Yet not every chain is retrenching. Texas Roadhouse reported third-quarter sales growth last November and outlined plans to expand its restaurant count this year. “While the duration of these inflationary pressures remains uncertain, we are committed to running our bus...

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Making It Right Can Go Wrong – Don’t Make These Mistakes

February 12, 2026Competitive IntelligenceEmotions, Guest Experience, operationsBenjamin Manning

After dozens of uneventful trips with Amtrak, my most recent experience completely soured my view of travelling with America’s primary passenger train company. Poor customer experiences are undoubtedly costly (according to Forbes, reportedly up to $3 trillion costly). One experience can turn a customer away for good, and that can turn into a bad review that drives other customers away, too. Losing customers to competitors becomes a big financial risk. On top of that is the cost of trying to win ...

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A 5-Minute Cap on Hold Times for Customer Service Lines Could be Coming to California

February 10, 2026Guest Experience Newscall centers, Emotions, Guest ExperienceKristen Grau

Automated customer service lines are supposed to help with customer satisfaction. But with long wait times and unclear options, they often leave people feeling more frustrated than before they called. That's why an assemblymember from California is trying to change that. Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur proposed the Right to Human Customer Service Act (AB 1609) in January — which would prohibit customers from being placed on hold for more than five minutes. Plus, it would require that a human mus...

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How Architecture Impacts Guest Perception

January 30, 2026Insightsdesign and architecture, Guest ExperienceBenjamin Manning

Before decor enters the picture, the structure creates the frame. Interior architecture refers to the conscious design and construction of a building structure, with attention to elements like ceiling height or doors and windows. Each choice ultimately informs the utility and feel of the space. In general, open spaces tend to allow for more visibility and encourage connectivity. Tighter spaces often feel comforting, and the visual division can promote focus. Still, a lot comes down to the specif...

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How the Pursuit for a Sale Can Hurt Customer Relationships

January 30, 2026Communication and MessagingGuest Experience, operations, sales, timeshareEvan Wechman

Many organizations in hospitality and beyond are losing customers due to overly aggressive sales tactics. The pursuit of the all-mighty sale often neglects the principles of customer service and damages your brand. The exact origin of the term “commission breath” is unknown. However, when sales gurus mention the term, they are usually referring to a salesperson who is so desperate to make the sale that the focus on building relationships goes out the window. The potential customer can sense or e...

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Former Chick-fil-A Service Insider Shares the Secret Sauce to Guest Experience

January 29, 2026Emotions, Perceptions, FeelingsGuest Experience, Guest Loyalty, marketing, operationsJoe Pye

Chick-fil-A has always been clever. The cows alone proved that. But the reason people keep coming back isn’t the advertising. It’s the fact that the experience usually matches the promise. Orders are right. The operation feels controlled. The basics hold up, day after day, across locations. That consistency is the part most businesses misunderstand when they talk about guest experience, according to Scott Wozniak, a former insider who spent years studying how loyalty is actually built. Wozniak h...

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Lighting Trends to Brighten Guests’ Experience

January 23, 2026Emotions, Perceptions, Feelingsambience, Emotions, Guest ExperienceBenjamin Manning

Lighting directs focus, sets the mood, and wholly transforms a space. There are many universally agreed upon aspects of lighting in interior design. Our understanding of the psychology has grown over time, but our brain wiring has hardly changed at all. Cool, bright lighting tends to simulate energy, and warm, dim lighting feels cozy. While these basics remain true, shifts in cultural preferences and scientific advances continue to lend to change in interior design practices. With new technology...

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Steps of Service for an Exceptional Restaurant Experience

January 22, 2026Best and Worst PracticesGuest Experience, operations, restaurantsBenjamin Manning

Which is less bothersome: a waiter who constantly interrupts the meal, or one who’s hardly present at all? Ideally, guests should encounter neither. In dining, timing and order of service play a major role in how guests experience a meal. When service flows well, it stays out of the way. When it doesn’t, even attentive service can feel disruptive. Food and beverage also represents a significant opportunity for hotels that invest in on-site bars and restaurants, making service execution more than...

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