Smith Travel Research (“STR”), a leading hotel financial performance firm, forecasts that US hotel supply will increase by 1 percent in 2013 and 1.5 percent in 2014.
As of April 2013, 73,000 rooms are under construction in the USA, a 20% increase of rooms under construction compared to April 2012. Globally, STR has reported Hong Kong, Abu Dhabi, Ukraine, and several other major markets witnessing supply increases, often while demand stays flat.
Hiring has increased within the hospitality industry due to the rise in supply, with an 8 percent increase in open positions from last quarter, and a 25% increase over Q2 2012.
Once hired, these new employees must learn to convey their brand’s messaging and understand the unique procedural standards. Hotel companies have been strategic about hosting thorough training and development programs for new hires via their HR departments.
Once these new employees have been trained, ensuring these principles are actually put into practice on a daily basis is the responsibility of the hotel’s quality assurance team.
Now is the Perfect Time for a Hotel Quality Audit
Hotel quality assurance is a lot like an onion, consisting of many layers. The quality assurance process begins with management filling out daily reports and assessments.
The second layer of a hotel quality audit includes internal self-audits and checks to ensure standards and controls are being carried out as expected. Guest satisfaction surveys (GSS) are an additional layer of ensuring quality of service, products, and procedures.
The outermost layer of this onion is one in which hospitality or hotel quality assurance companies provide mystery shopping checks of brand standards. The mystery shopping component is unique in that it captures all (not just some) of the typical guest experience and, increasingly, hotel QA managers are requiring subjective, experiential data.
How Have Hotel Quality Assurance Companies Helped Clients?
As the trends of growth and increased hiring in the hospitality market continue, hotel companies have adopted unique ways to attract guests. Lifestyle brands often offer crafted amenities, local artwork and high-end dining and nightlife concepts to attract the curious, modern travelers. Curiosity only lasts so long until a newer, more ‘ultra-chic’ hotel comes along and steals that thunder, though.
The hotel’s performance can also be permanently and instantly documented in social media and on the ubiquitous review sites, such as TripAdvisor. Poor service experiences, documented by guests, can adversely affect thousands 
of other potential guests.
From the day a hotel opens, now more than ever, it’s important for these properties to focus in on brand reputation and quality assurance.
You Need Hotel Quality Assurance Services That Get Results
In recent years, hotel executives have realized that the emotional connection their brand makes with the guest is as important as the fit and finish of the product.
Coyle Hospitality Group has developed actionable, emotional analysis of mystery shopping data that delivers hotel operations with precise, emotionally connected feedback.
Kimpton Hotels, Trump Hotels, Denihan Hospitality and other top companies understand the importance of hotel quality assurance and have adopted a quality assurance program with Coyle Hospitality that measures service excellence and emotional feedback while arming the hotel company with action points to keep them ahead of the competition.
