Turning a negative guest experience into a positive one starts with a thoughtful, timely response. Here are our recommended best practices to help your team get the most out of Guest Recovery and create memorable service moments, even when things haven’t gone to plan.
1. Respond Quickly
Speed matters. Guests are more likely to be receptive to recovery efforts if they hear from you soon after their visit.
Aim to respond within 24 hours (or sooner if possible)
Use the Average Response Time in your dashboard to monitor performance
2. Personalise Every Reply
Generic messages won’t rebuild trust. Tailor your response based on what the guest shared.
Use their name, refer to the specific issue, and reflect the tone of their feedback
Avoid copy-paste replies — use templates as a starting point, not the final message
3. Acknowledge and Apologise
Whether the issue was in your control or not, acknowledging the guest’s experience goes a long way.
Start with a genuine apology and thank them for their honesty
Show empathy — let the guest know their feedback matters
4. Offer to Make It Right
A meaningful recovery doesn’t always mean a freebie — but it does mean making an effort to restore trust.
Be clear about what you’re offering (e.g. a refund (Full or Partial), voucher, or return invite)
Match the resolution to the priority and nature of the complaint
5. Use the Right Status and Priority
Keep your dashboard tidy and your team aligned by updating each case:
Set the priority to match the severity of the issue (High, Medium, Low)
Update the status as you move through the recovery (New → In Progress → Recovered / Lost / Closed)
6. Close the Loop
Once the guest has been contacted and the case resolved:
Change the status to Recovered (if successful) or Lost (if no reply or resolution wasn’t possible)
Add internal notes if needed, especially for learnings or follow-up with the team
7. Learn from Every Case
Use the insights from guest feedback to improve operations and training:
Look for patterns (e.g. recurring menu or service issues)
Share success stories in team meetings to build confidence and consistency
Additional Tips
The guest email includes your name, venue, and the full message thread
Replies should be clear, calm, and aligned with your brand tone of voice
A thoughtful response today can lead to a loyal guest tomorrow