A survey is only useful if people answer it and you act on the answers. This guide walks through building a post-stay survey for a fictional west-coast hotel, then shows how the same method works for retailers, schools, clinics and professional firms in Barbados.
Step 1: Define one purpose
“Find out what guests think” is too broad. “Find out which parts of the stay make guests most likely to return and recommend us” is a purpose you can design around. Write it down; every question should serve it.
Step 2: Write fewer, better questions
Aim for a survey guests can finish on a phone in about three minutes, which usually means eight to twelve questions. For our hotel:
- How likely are you to recommend us to a friend? (0–10 scale)
- How would you rate your room? The beach and pool? The restaurant? The staff? (star ratings)
- What was the highlight of your stay? (free text)
- Was there anything we could have done better? (free text)
- Where do you live? (country dropdown, useful for comparing UK, North American and Caribbean guests)
- Would you like to hear about returning-guest offers? (optional, unticked, only if you want to use it as a marketing opt-in, and say so clearly)
Avoid leading questions like “How wonderful was your stay?” and avoid asking two things in one question.
Step 3: Build it in Mailpro
Create a new survey, add the questions, and choose question types. Use branching logic so a guest who gives a low score sees a follow-up asking what went wrong, while a happy guest is invited to leave a public review. Apply your brand colours with survey design options and add a progress bar.
Step 4: Explain how answers will be used
Add a short introduction covering who is asking, why, how long it takes, and how the answers will be used. If responses are linked to a named guest, the Data Protection Act 2019 applies, including the rights to access and erasure. Keep the tone warm and short.
Step 5: Send it at the right moment
- By email: one day after check-out. For guests heading back to the UK, time it for their morning. See sending a survey by email.
- By SMS: a short link to guests who gave a mobile number and agreed to messages, useful for day-trip operators whose guests are still on the island.
- On site: a QR code at checkout or on a table card.
An automatic reminder three days later, to non-respondents only, can raise response rates without annoying anyone.
Step 6: Read, share and act
Review results weekly in high season. Compare scores by country of origin, by month and by department. Share the highlights with staff, including positive comments. Fix one issue at a time, then tell guests what you changed in your next newsletter. People are more willing to answer the next survey when they see that answers lead somewhere.
Adapting the method
| Organisation | Survey purpose |
|---|---|
| Retailer or supermarket | Which products and opening hours customers want |
| School or training centre | Parent satisfaction and course feedback |
| Clinic | Patient experience, collected with care for sensitive data |
| Corporate-services firm | Annual client satisfaction and service priorities |
Survey data is stored in Switzerland, outside US jurisdiction. For more ideas, see online surveys in Barbados and our guide on boosting survey response.