The hospitality experience gap: Why businesses lose bookings before guests arrive

The hospitality industry has always believed that exceptional customer experience begins when a guest walks through the door.

Our latest research suggests it begins much earlier. Long before someone checks into a hotel, arrives for dinner or attends an event, they've already formed an opinion of your business based on one simple question: how easy was it to get in touch?

Based on Moneypenny research among 2,000 UK business decision-makers, including 200 hospitality leaders, and 5,001 UK consumers.

Key takeaways

• Hospitality businesses consistently rate their customer communications more highly than consumers do, across every channel tested
• Customers judge the experience from the very first enquiry, not from arrival
• 70% of consumers are likely to choose the business that responds first, and only 47% say they'd keep trying if they couldn't get through
• Out-of-hours enquiries represent hidden booking opportunities that many hospitality businesses aren't set up to capture
• AI is welcomed when it speeds up service, provided customers can still reach a real person
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What is hospitality customer experience?

Hospitality customer experience refers to every interaction a guest has with a business before, during and after their visit. While many businesses focus on the in-person experience, customers increasingly judge brands much earlier, during the booking journey itself.

This includes:

• Calling to make a reservation
• Completing an online enquiry
• Sending a message on social media
• Using live chat
• Asking questions outside normal opening hours
• Speaking with AI or reception teams

Every one of these interactions influences whether someone books or chooses a competitor.

What is the hospitality customer experience gap?

In simple terms: hospitality businesses believe they're delivering a smoother customer journey than customers actually experience. The gap exists because businesses naturally measure intent and effort, while customers judge outcomes.  

Customers remember: was it easy? Did someone answer? Was I understood? Did I get what I needed quickly? Hospitality leaders, meanwhile, often focus on service quality, personalisation and attention to detail, strengths that customers may never experience if the initial interaction creates friction.

The first interaction matters more than ever

Hospitality businesses overestimate how well their contact channels perform, across every channel tested. Traditionally, customer experience began at reception. Today, it starts with the very first enquiry, whether someone is booking a hotel room, reserving a restaurant table, organising a wedding, or enquiring about an event.

These findings suggest hospitality businesses consistently overestimate how well customers experience their contact channels, and the gap is widest on exactly the channels where a booking is most likely to be lost quietly: social media and web forms.

Hidden revenue loss happens before a guest books

Lost bookings are often invisible, because customers rarely complain that they couldn't get through. They simply move on. When businesses believe their communication channels are performing well but customers encounter delays or frustration, potential revenue quietly disappears.

In hospitality, where decisions are often made quickly and competitors are only a click away, every unanswered enquiry represents an opportunity for someone else.

Welcome to the one-shot economy

This means speed is no longer a competitive advantage. It's an expectation. For hospitality businesses, every delayed response increases the likelihood that a booking will be made elsewhere.

What customers really value

Hospitality businesses often overestimate the importance of personalisation during first contact. Customers are looking for something more fundamental: clear communication, fast responses, first-time resolution, and professional, knowledgeable support. These operational basics create confidence and reduce friction during the booking journey.

Why out-of-hours availability is becoming a competitive advantage

51% of hospitality leaders believe out-of-hours availability improves competitiveness, and 52% say it improves customer experience. Hospitality doesn't operate within traditional office hours. Customers search, plan and book in the evenings, early mornings and at weekends. While many hospitality leaders recognise the importance of being available outside 9 to 5, practical constraints often prevent it.

If customers can't reach you when they're ready to book, they often choose another venue that is available.

AI is changing hospitality, but trust still matters

68% of consumers say they're comfortable with AI only if they can switch to a real person whenever needed. Artificial intelligence is becoming part of everyday customer service, and consumers are generally positive about AI when it removes friction. They are most comfortable using AI for answering calls promptly, booking appointments, answering simple questions, and handling routine enquiries.

AI should make customer journeys faster, not less human. The average customer journey doesn't tell the whole story either: older customers are generally less comfortable with digital-first communication channels, which matters for hospitality businesses serving higher-value guests. Luxury hotels, weddings, fine dining and premium experiences often rely on older audiences who expect reassurance and human interaction before committing to a booking.

Five ways hospitality businesses can close the customer experience gap

How Moneypenny helps

Exceptional hospitality starts before guests arrive. Moneypenny helps hotels, restaurants, venues and hospitality businesses ensure every enquiry is answered professionally, promptly and consistently.

Whether through Telephone Answering, AI Receptionist, Outsourced Switchboard or Lead Management services, we help businesses capture more enquiries, improve customer confidence and reduce missed booking opportunities, while keeping a clear route to a real person whenever it matters.