In the dynamic world of hospitality, the key to success isn’t just in the amenities but in responding swiftly to guest needs. That’s where a mobile reporting solution like 1st Reporting comes in, an app that’s transforming the way incidents are reported and managed in real-time. 

Imagine empowering your team to address issues promptly, impressing guests with your efficiency. The 1st Reporting app brings this capability to your fingertips, ensuring seamless incident resolution no matter where you are. Let’s dive into how this app is not just a tool but a game-changer in enhancing guest experiences.

The Challenge of Incident Management in Hospitality

As Michael Slagle, A.R.M., and Director of Risk Management and Loss Prevention at AMPEX Brands, states⁽¹⁾, “So much of protracted frivolous litigation is from a Guest that gets emotional about a claim because they feel they were treated poorly when an accident occurred.”. Sadly, this scenario is all too recurring in today’s hospitality industry, usually because team members are often ill-equipped to deal with and manage incidents effectively.

Many years ago, I ran security teams for a security firm that handled the security of many major hotel chains. The biggest problem we faced in this industry was dealing with incidents that occurred after hours. No one ever seemed to know what to do, whom to call, or how to manage it. These situations left many a client with a foul memory of how no one was able to rectify incidents, sometimes not even the following day.

I can tell you that back in the day, it was a good thing that Google reviews were not a mainstay on the internet yet, or many a hotel would have lost much potential business.

These days, people are far too ready to jump down your throat the moment things go out of sync. With our technologies promising us faster and faster results, the number of complaints and privileged guests is definitely on the rise.

Like no time in history, we expect instant gratification for the simplest of things. Talk to any guest services pro, and they’ll tell you that things have gotten downright ridiculous out there. However, it’s not just after-hours incidents that are presenting a challenge for hospitality incident reporting and management. A fundamental lack of understanding of the best solutions is still a significant issue for guest services worldwide.

Furthermore, delays in managing incidents and matching client expectations about those incident responses often translate to crushing reviews for any organization not up to the challenge. It potentially can mean the end of an establishment if their primary source of clients is stopped in their tracks by a bad online review.

Real-Time Reporting: A New Era for Guest Services

Guest service professionals are no strangers to the radio and telephone. These old tools have helped hospitality pros manage and handle incidents of the past. However, there’s a much more refined method, just a click away – one that promises to transform how your organization has looked at incident reporting and management: Real-time reporting.

Real-time reporting is a concept whereby a team member reports an incident using a robust mobile team reporting platform like 1st Reporting, and appropriate personnel receive notifications concerning the incident in real-time. In other words, you could get a notification about an incident before your team member can complete their report – that’s how intelligent managers are able to make data-driven decisions in real time. Talk about a fast response!

Let’s take this one step further: Let’s say you were to get your team equipped with the mobile reporting solution, 1st Reporting. Next, you set up a customized incident report for your team. But wait! Using the 1st Reporting’s public-facing report features; you can also create a simple and easily accessible client report that your clients could use to submit a problem, submit excellent or bad comments, or other information you want them to provide. Imagine having a notification in real-time about an issue sent by a client, and you could respond and have a resolution before they have the chance to walk to your front desk. That’s just one of the features of 1st Reporting that is helping hospitality professionals blast their incident response times out the door with real-time information and management.

Remember, the faster your team can respond to an incident, the happier the guests are likely to become about your incident management.

Features of 1st Reporting that Enhance Guest Experience

I briefly touched on the public reporting features of 1st Reporting. However, if you consider the usefulness of this feature, you’ll see that your organization can use it for even more than just incident reporting.

Public reporting enables your team to create custom forms that your clients can use to relay information. You could use it for client bookings or even client feedback.

Enabling your clients to submit feedback right from their smartphone can help them feel empowered and connected to your organization. This feeling can help your team to communicate with clients in a much more profound way, leading to increased client engagement.

According to Expedia Group⁽²⁾, 42% of travelers said that cleanliness was a factor in determining where they stay. Imagine if you could ensure your rooms were up to par with a simple yet effective room cleanliness report that your team could complete right on their smartphone. That’s just one of the ways that 1st Reporting is helping guest service professionals meet and exceed client expectations.

The Impact of Efficient Incident Reporting on Guest Satisfaction

Did you know that 31% of hospitality organizations have faced a data breach⁽³⁾ in their systems? It’s a genuine concern in today’s industry that cannot be ignored. A data breach is just one form of an incident that your team might encounter. However, the faster the response, the more your clients will feel protected.

Guests who experience an incident at your facility will judge your facility, organization, and team on the effectiveness of how they manage the incident. That means a fast response is crucial to maintaining positive client relations.

Studies show that when properly managed, incidents can either drive clients away or, in some cases, even make the client more loyal due to the appropriate management of an incident.

One such study highlighted the critical role of crisis management in the hospitality and tourism industries⁽⁴⁾. Efficient incident reporting can be seen as a crucial component of crisis management, especially in times of crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic or when other natural disasters strike.

The study mentions health-related crises, social media influences, political disturbances, and terrorism as significant trends over the past decade that underscore the need for adaptable and responsive incident reporting systems in the hospitality industry. It supports the argument that efficient incident reporting is essential for managing crises effectively and ensuring guest satisfaction.

Integrating the 1st Reporting Solution into Hospitality Operations

Integrating the 1st Reporting application into your hospitality operations can significantly enhance incident response, incident management, and data-backed decision-making. 

Here’s a breakdown of how your team can achieve this:

• Streamlining Incident Response
  • Mobile Accessibility: Equip your team with mobile devices that have the 1st Reporting app installed. The app empowers your team members to report incidents as soon as they occur, irrespective of their location within the facility.
  • Real-Time Notifications: Utilize the app’s notification feature to alert relevant personnel immediately when an incident is reported, ensuring swift action.
  • GPS Functionality: Use the built-in GPS feature to pinpoint the exact location of incidents, enabling faster response times, especially in large properties like resorts, conference centers, or multi-building or location facilities.
• Enhancing Incident Management
  • Customizable Forms: You can tailor the app’s forms to capture specific details pertinent to different types of incidents in the hospitality setting (e.g., guest complaints, maintenance issues, safety concerns).
  • Photo and Video Uploads: Enable your team to attach photos or videos to their reports, providing more precise context and details about the incidents and aiding in more accurate assessment and resolution.
  • Secure Cloud-Based Document Management: Store all your incident reports securely in the cloud, allowing for easy access and retrieval by authorized personnel for review and follow-up actions.
• Improving Data-Backed Management Decision-Making
  • Data Analytics: Utilize our app’s data analytics capabilities to aggregate and analyze incident data. This feature can reveal patterns and trends, such as frequent types of incidents, peak times for specific issues, and areas within the facility that are prone to particular problems.
  • Risk Assessment and Mitigation: Based on the data collected, you can identify areas of high risk and develop strategies to mitigate these risks, enhancing overall guest safety and satisfaction by utilizing strong preventive approaches.
  • Performance Tracking: Monitor response times and resolution effectiveness. Use this data to evaluate staff performance and identify areas for improvement or additional training.
• Training and Culture Building
  • Staff Training: Conduct comprehensive training sessions for staff to familiarize them with the app’s functionalities and best practices for reporting incidents. The app is straightforward with an intuitive interface, making it easy to learn and use in mere minutes.
  • Promoting a Safety Culture: Foster a culture where staff are encouraged to report incidents promptly and are recognized for their proactive approach to guest safety and satisfaction. Furthermore, you could provide a public-facing form for clients to anonymously provide feedback, enabling an even greater ability to prevent incidents and increase client satisfaction.
• Integrating with Existing Systems
  • System Integration: If possible, integrate 1st Reporting with existing property management systems (PMS) or customer relationship management (CRM) tools to streamline operations and maintain cohesive data flow. Our app already works seamlessly with the Microsoft Teams® and Power BI® systems.
• Feedback and Continuous Improvement
  • Guest Feedback: Use the app’s public reporting feature to gather feedback from guests regarding how your team handled an incident, offering insights into areas of strength and those needing improvement.
  • Iterative Improvement: Regularly review the incident management process and make iterative improvements based on staff feedback, guest comments, and data analytics.

By implementing these strategies, 1st Reporting can become an integral part of a hospitality operation’s toolkit, not just for managing incidents but also for using data to make informed management decisions. This enhanced reporting ability ultimately improves guest satisfaction and operational efficiency.

Leveraging Data for Continuous Improvement

Fast response times to incidents are critical in guest services. However, prevention is even better. Imagine a facility where the worst scenarios include clients tripping on their own feet, and no one complains about dirty rooms or dangerous situations. It might seem trivial to consider, but it’s a reality if you mitigate incidents before they start. How? With a robust system for identifying hazards, reporting dangerous situations, and acting on prevention.

By leveraging data collected from incidents, you can determine trends in time, place, or other factors that enable hazards to occur. Data collected within the 1st Reporting app can easily be viewed through one of the KPI reports built into the app, allowing your insight into potential incidents to clarify for advanced incident prevention management.

Elevating Guest Services with Proactive Incident Management

1st Reporting is more than an app; it’s a pivotal change agent in guest service management. By enabling real-time responses and proactive incident handling, this tool is set to redefine the standard of guest satisfaction. 

You might say that we’re enhancing guest experiences by empowering guest service pros with the tools they need to be more efficient and effective.

With its advanced features like customizable forms and data analytics, 1st Reporting equips your team not only to address issues effectively but also to anticipate and prevent potential incidents. This approach paves the way for a safer, more satisfying guest experience.

Embrace the power of 1st Reporting and transform your approach to incident management. The path to elevated guest satisfaction and operational excellence is clear – are you ready to embark on it?

Additional Resources

• Building a Data-Driven Culture at Scale
• How to Leverage Business Intelligence Tools for Competitive Advantage
• Build Your Enterprise-Wide Risk Management Strategy Today: A Step-By-Step Guide
• Equipment and Facility Asset Management: Best Practices and Modern Solutions

Article Sources

1. “LinkedIn.” 2023. Linkedin.com. 2023. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hospitality-incident-management-when-you-dont-have-5-slagle-a-r-m-/.
2. Group, Expedia. 2021. “New Expedia Group Research Reveals What Travelers Want in 2021 – Expedia Group Media Solutions.” Expedia Group Media Solutions. May 18, 2021. https://advertising.expedia.com/blog/research/expedia-group-research-what-travelers-want-2021/.
3. Hertzfeld, Esther. 2023. “Report: 31% of Hospitality Organizations Have Had a Data Breach.” Hotel Management. September 8, 2023. https://www.hotelmanagement.net/tech/report-31-hospitality-organizations-have-had-data-breach.
4. Tai Ming Wut, Jing Xu, and Shun mun Wong. 2021. “Crisis Management Research (1985–2020) in the Hospitality and Tourism Industry: A Review and Research Agenda.” Tourism Management 85 (August): 104307–7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2021.104307.