Employees' interference with the distribution of guest satisfaction questionnaires

The literature claims that respondents who fill in guest satisfaction questionnaires do not form a truly representative sample of the hotel guests because they do so on a voluntary basis. This study explores the distribution of guest satisfaction questionnaires and the biases that employees bring to the process. Data were gathered via in-depth, semi-structured interviews. Individuals with different characteristics were selected in an attempt to reduce the risk of producing findings specific to a certain hotel settings. The results suggest that sampling procedures that were supposed to be carried out systematically are more often done at the convenience of hotel employees or for other, self-presentational reasons. It is suggested that the employees' intervention is a factor that biases the data and renders it less than informative. Recommendations for hotel operators are provided.