M&R Managers Discuss Guest Satisfaction Best Practices

Last month, M&R’s Hilton and Marriott hotel general managers and operations managers came together for a dynamic front office meeting focused on exchanging best practices for guest satisfaction. Several strategies emerged from the discussions, with a strong emphasis on guest expectations, anticipating guest needs and timely resolution of guest concerns.

According to Yan Chung, general manager of the Fairfield New York Manhattan/Central Park, who hosted the meeting, key highlights included:

‍Utilizing QPower for improvement: Identifying areas of low performance through QPower, a customer review management software, allows hotels to create action plans that track progress and implement improvements to enhance guest satisfaction.‍
Departure letters for follow-up: Sending departure letters to guests, especially those providing lower feedback scores, is an excellent way to recover relationships and demonstrate commitment to guest satisfaction.‍
Lobby ambassadors for peak checkout times: During busy checkout periods, having a lobby ambassador can help ease pressure on front desk staff by proactively uncovering issues and addressing them.‍
Unexpected delights for nonmembers: A surprise treat or gesture at check-in can delight nonmembers, creating a lasting positive impression.
Welcome gifts for elite members: Offering thoughtful welcome gifts to elite members ensures that their loyalty is recognized and appreciated.‍
Follow-up with guests after complaints and service calls: Creating cases in GXP for timely follow-up on guest complaints or service requests ensures that no issue goes unresolved.

According to Janeel Brown, room division manager at the Fairfield New York Manhattan/Central Park, one of the most effective strategies is “engaging and building rapport with guests” through personalized communication and timely follow-up after complaints or service requests.

Janeel highlighted some common guest concerns, such as room size and elevator speeds. Her team takes a proactive approach by asking for room preferences upon booking and offering alternatives, like lower-floor rooms where stairs might be more convenient to use and the room would have more space.

Fairfield New York team members go the extra mile to make guests feel valued with personalization in guest interactions, Janeel said. “Some of the ways the staff goes above and beyond include recognizing special occasions the guest may be celebrating with a complimentary amenity and handwritten card, singing happy birthday to them during breakfast, soft plush toys for young children and a warm welcome letter from the general manager with a treat in the room.”

Additionally, the hotel encourages front desk staff members to mention each other’s names during interactions, helping to create a more personal connection with guests. “Recognizing staff individually who are mentioned in guest reviews also builds their confidence and creates a healthy competition among peers,” said Janeel.

David Ruas, area general manager at the Hilton Garden Inn New York Times Square South and Hotel Alameda, said he “really enjoyed sharing best practices and learning how our other hotels are moving the needle in loyalty enrollments as well as guest service scores,” adding, “It's always great to get away from the hotel and spend time with my colleagues. This is when we are able to get creative and find better ways to service our guests.”

The 2025 front office meeting featured an impressive lineup of M&R leaders, general managers and assistant general managers including:

Erik Anderouard, M&R vice president of operations
David Ruas, area general manager at the Hilton Garden Inn New York Times Square South and Hotel Alameda
Steven Lamour, general manager at the TownePlace Suites New York Manhattan/Times Square
Janilda Arias, assistant general manager at the TownePlace Suites New York Manhattan/Times Square
Stevie Kaye, general manager at the Residence Inn & SpringHill Suites New York Queens
Ayana Isaac, assistant general manager at the Residence Inn & SpringHill Suites New York Queens
Robert Solis, area general manager at the SpringHill Suites New York Midtown Manhattan/Park Avenue and Holiday Inn Express Manhattan Midtown West
Dawn Klisures, assistant general manager at the SpringHill Suites New York Midtown Manhattan/Park Avenue
General Manager Yan Chung and Room Division Manager Janeel Brown at the Fairfield New York Manhattan/Central Park
General Manager Tanya Jamal and Assistant General Manager Sana Arshad at the SpringHill Suites New York Manhattan Times Square.

This collaboration exemplifies M&R’s ongoing efforts to continuously elevate guest experiences through shared knowledge, innovation and dedication to service excellence!

Erik Anderouard, left, M&R vice president of operations, leads a discussion on guest satisfaction at a front office meeting last month hosted by the Fairfield New York Manhattan/Central Park. The gathering brought together a wealth of expertise from key leaders across the region with the goal of refining service delivery, enhancing guest experiences, and fostering collaboration between front-office staff and hotel operations. — Erik Anderouard, left, M&R vice president of operations, leads a discussion on guest satisfaction at a front office meeting last month hosted by the Fairfield New York Manhattan/Central Park. The gathering brought together a wealth of expertise from key leaders across the region with the goal of refining service delivery, enhancing guest experiences and fostering collaboration between front-office staff and hotel operations.

Janeel Brown, room division manager at Fairfield New York Manhattan/Central Park, discusses service delivery and guest satisfaction scores with her front office colleagues during the front office meeting at their hotel.

Guest Service Agent Brian Colon, left, who recently joined the Fairfield New York Manhattan/Central Park team, joins Guest Service Agent Polina Kysi and Erik Anderouard, M&R vice president of operations, during a front office meeting last month at the property.