How to Enhance Owner Experience with Effective Feedback Strategies for Resorts

Insights for this month’s article are provided by Bob Kobek, President of Mobius Business Partners and Joanni Linton, Director of Resort Operations of Breckenridge Grand Vacations.

Question: “How can companies effectively gather and implement owner feedback to enhance the owner experience at their resorts?”

According to Bob Kobek, President of Mobius Business Partners, timeshare companies should steadily survey their owners – even if they already have a highly engaged ownership base – to ensure ongoing satisfaction. Bob says that companies should take a strategic approach to their efforts to use the data gathered from these surveys in a truly effective way. This strategic approach includes the following insights:

• Understand what you want to accomplish with your data: To start, it’s crucial that companies focus on the changes to their operations that will add consistency, not detract from it. That’s why getting a project plan in place that is tested for spam filters, ADA compliance, and other regulatory protocols that a third-party firm like Mobius Business Partners can provide is the first thing companies should do when organizing their surveys.
• Segmentation is key: The secret sauce to capturing data is segmentation. Bob believes that if you can think of a problem or subject, you should be able to segment it, and if you segment it, you should be able to capture it and report it, so it becomes actionable. Working with a third-party consulting company can help determine what questions to ask to get the most actionable data.
• Constantly analyze your data: Today, data is available 24/7. Employing the help of a data consulting firm allows companies to effectively analyze data to interact with owners in real-time. This is particularly helpful if an owner or guest has an issue on-site. One alert system that Mobius Business Partners offers is a 5-point rating scale that is sent to owners after they’ve checked into a resort. If the check-in experience is rated poorly, a manager is notified immediately with a report detailing why the guest had a bad experience. That way, they’re able to do damage control while the owner is still on property.
• Be aware of survey fatigue: Surveys that are long and arduous will lower a company’s response rate. It’s important that companies are regularly making sure the questions they’re asking are questions they actually need answers to, and then make the decision to cut unnecessary content. Additionally, companies should always time surveys appropriately by working with their marketing departments to ensure they aren’t deploying a survey that will step on other messaging and inundate the recipient with too much information at once.

Finally, Bob says companies should view their response rates as a benchmark for their owner’s level of engagement with the brand. If owners are not engaged, then they won’t respond to your surveys, which means you likely have an underlying issue with connecting to your owner base. The lower the response rate, the lower the engagement – it’s the reason companies should survey in the first place.

Joanni Linton, Director of Resort Operations of Breckenridge Grand Vacations (BGV) says implementing feedback is about prioritizing owner loyalty, not simply owner satisfaction. With Mobius’ Customer Count as Breckenridge Grand Vacations’ primary platform for measuring Net Promoter Score (NPS) and capturing post-stay insights, they gain a comprehensive view of their performance. The scores show the team how they did, while the comments reveal the why and what they should focus on moving forward to drive improvements. This approach allows BGV to address each detail that shapes the owner experience, ensuring they consistently exceed expectations. Here’s a look at how other companies can learn from their approach:

• Closing the Loop on Feedback: Recognizing patterns in owner feedback is essential. Having a dashboard that allows the team to search comments by keyword allows them to quantify feedback frequency to identify areas to either celebrate or elevate. Joanni calls this process “Closing the Loop,” where the team addresses recurring themes rather than isolated incidents. When multiple owners share similar experiences, it’s clear that they should prioritize these areas in their action plans, demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement driven by owner insights.
• Implementing Change Through Collaboration: Feedback-driven change at BGV is a team effort. They bring together a variety of stakeholders, from leadership to frontline team members, and from multiple departments whenever needed to determine the best adjustments, whether it’s identifying training needs and/or updating processes. BGV inclusively sets goals and then does a deep dive into operational realities. By sharing goals and seeking input, a culture where everyone is committed to enhancing the owner experience is created.
• Using NPS Scores as Incentives During Peak Seasons: During peak seasons, when demands are high, BGV uses NPS and other metrics to keep team morale focused and strong. The Customer Count dashboard allows them to review historical scores and trends for valuable comparisons. By setting incremental improvement goals and celebrating achievements with events and recognitions, they help maintain team enthusiasm and engagement. These year-over-year and seasonal improvements motivate staff and foster a supportive work environment during even the busiest periods.
• Transparent Communication with Owners: Transparency strengthens the relationship with owners by demonstrating that owner feedback directly shapes their future experiences. For every post-stay survey, the BGV team responds with genuine gratitude and often reaches out for further details to gain deeper insights to inform on positive changes. This follow-up can be a personal call or an email, depending on the context. Additionally, they keep owners informed through regular newsletters, annual meetings, social media updates, and team member interactions. This proactive approach shows the team’s commitment to listening and acting on shared insights, reinforcing their unwavering dedication to enhancing owner experience.
• Measuring Long-Term Impact and Building Loyalty: The commitment to improvement should be continuous. The BGV team measures the effectiveness of changes through follow-up surveys and ongoing NPS assessments, allowing them to adjust strategies as needed. This cycle of feedback, action, and assessment allows them to maintain loyalty and continually elevate the experience.
• Creating Lasting Memories: BGV focuses on creating unforgettable moments and ‘Sharing Smiles’. By integrating owner feedback into their operations, they not only refine their experience but build a trusted relationship. With every suggestion, they turn satisfaction into loyalty and loyalty into lasting memories.