Blogs
Where guests fall in love
A huge 52% of guests surveyed said that they are most likely to fall in love with a brand via their website. Showing the importance of maintaining and updating your website to keep engaging and growing your loyal following. Instagram is where 23% of guests fall in love - it’s important to note that for younger generations the appeal of Instagram is much stronger with 60% of 18-35 year finding this the most influential platform.
Savvy brands are putting a lot of time and money into creating beautiful, shareable content to ensure they stand out and that guests will engage with them. Instagram offers the best of both worlds for guests, not only can they can see the content brands wants them to see, but by searching for relevant hashtags, they can get the inside scoop on what brands are really like through the eyes of other guests. Perhaps one day Instagram will take over websites as younger generations continue rely on it as their go-to to seek out the latest restaurants and travel destinations. The power of Instagram cannot be denied.
What guests are willing to let slide
When we asked guests what they would be willing to overlook for their most loved restaurant brand, 47% said that speed of service wasn’t important if the experience was great. Older generations are more forgiving when it comes to speed compared to 34% of 18-35 year olds. This is more than likely due to the fact that millennials are more on the go, life is generally much faster paced for millennials and they simply do not have the time to wait around for their food.
What this does highlight though is the importance of reading guests and matching the pace of service to their needs. A survey we carried out last year revealed that 63% appreciate it when restaurants adopt a flexible and responsive approach to their pace of service, so this is worth baring in mind for operators.
Things that guests would not overlook were cleanliness and food quality so no matter how great your brand, if you can’t provide the basics, guests will quickly turn off.
Sharing the love
So, when guests find a brand that they love, do they keep it to themselves? No - if you get it right, 84% of guests will actively promote your brand. So, it’s important to make sure that all of your communications, particularly your website and social media, are up to date, inspire your target audience and they will actively promote your brand.
Promoting love
Key attributes that guests look for in a brand are reliability (for 29%), willingness to go above and beyond (for 29%) and honesty (for 25%). A great way to showcase these attributes is via engagement. By making sure you respond to all queries and comments on social media and online review sites, as well as provide discounts for loyal customers and provide communications that reflect the look of your brand and experience you offer, you can show your audience that you meet their requirements.
To measure your guests’ perceptions of your brand, get in touch today to find out how we can support you in doing so. Give our team a call on 01225 470999 or email enquiries@hgem.com.
