Guest experience score drives results at Florida resort

After joining forces with Expedia Group, The Marker Key West Harbor Resort’s operations manager, Jody-Kay Rivas, wanted to improve the hotel’s guest experience score and ensure a premium experience for its VIP guests.

At the time Rivas stepped into her role, it was important for the hotel to find ways to stand out in the competitive Key West market and create an exceptional, unique experience as a boutique hotel. They wanted to provide memorable experiences and engage with their guests, which was where improving the guest experience score came into play.

“At a boutique hotel you have the flexibility to make changes that work for your guests as opposed to a brand hotel,” she told us. “That’s why the guest experience score for us is so important — we use this tool to tweak how we engage with guests.”

To improve their guest experience score and create memorable experiences, Rivas and her team focused on leveraging the tools available to them within Partner Central and driving priorities based on their score breakdown.

By taking advantage of different tools on the platform, specifically the help center and guest relations, they significantly improved response time for post-stay reviews (addressing them within 24 hours), and sped up in-house feedback response time to within 10 hours.

“You cannot beat the help section,” said Rivas. “Everything I want to get done, boom! If I need to issue a refund or change something for a guest, I just hit the help button and I can get a live agent or the automated system to help me.”

The Marker Key West Harbor Resort also wanted to provide memorable, personalized experiences for Expedia Group's highest-tier rewards members. They introduced welcome letters to all VIP Access guests with pre-arranged perks such as complimentary beverages and vouchers for use at the hotel’s restaurant. Additionally, the highest-tier members are now offered room upgrades at check-in when available to elevate their stays further.

The hard work put in by Rivas and her team has paid off. They experienced a substantial increase in the volume of in-house feedback and post-stay reviews, enabling them to gain valuable insights and identify areas for improvement.

Their post-stay score, which had been in the mid-60s, skyrocketed to 90+ — and the exceptional experiences they were providing VIP and non-VIP guests led to a 17% (13-point) increase in their guest experience score.

Additionally, their revenue grew by 11% year-over-year during the first half of 2023 — a period in which their competitive set saw falling revenues — and they surpassed their revenue fair share by almost double.

For The Marker Key West Harbor Resort, creating a unique, memorable experience and elevating their guest experience score remains a key priority. They were able to cement their position in the competitive Key West market, and with Expedia Group’s tools, they have been able to continue driving their guest experience and earnings forward.