Hotel Online  Special Report



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Market Metrix Announces Third Quarter
2004 Hospitality Index Results
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-- Four Seasons, Midwest Airlines and Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Take Top Industry Categories --

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SAN RAFAEL, Calif. - November 17, 2004 -- Market Metrix, LLC, the leading provider of market research services for the hospitality industry, today announced results of the Market Metrix Hospitality Index (MMHI) for the third quarter of 2004. Four Seasons, Midwest Airlines and Enterprise Rent-A-Car ranked number one in hotel, airline and rental car industry customer satisfaction, respectively. While this is the first time for Midwest Airlines in the top spot, Four Seasons and Enterprise continue to dominate in their industry categories.

�Brands like Four Seasons and Enterprise have made customer satisfaction a driver of business decisions,� said Jonathan Barsky, Ph.D., Market Metrix co-founder and partner and University of San Francisco marketing professor.  �Their dedication to using satisfaction as a core management tool is clearly the reason behind consistent placement at the top of our index rankings.� 

Highlights from Q3 2004 MMHI Data

Among hotels, the highest customer satisfaction ratings went to Four Seasons (92.3), Homewood Suites (92.2) and Staybridge (91.9).  Overall, Extended Stay Hotels received the highest ratings (88) with Luxury hotel guests reporting the second highest levels (86).  Walt Disney World Resorts (Upper Upscale) and Drury Inns (Midscale without food & beverage) continue to dominate their segments.

AmericInn provided the most consistent guest experience across their hotel system while Howard Johnson guests reported the most varying levels of product and service quality.

Hotel room rates, which have not increased in four years, are rebounding.  But despite higher rates, which tend to increase guest expectations, customer satisfaction has remained flat in 2004 (unchanged at 83).  The only exceptions are the Extended Stay and Economy hotel segments where price hikes have come with lower customer satisfaction ratings.

Among all hotel segments, guests are willing to absorb an additional 11% price increase before switching.  Although this number has continued to rise, it is still lower than the pre 9/11 level (11.3%).

More guests are booking their reservations online, but satisfaction with the reservation process is mixed.  Satisfaction with hotel websites is increasing (La Quinta Inns finished first) while satisfaction with travel websites is declining.

Scores for cleanliness of bedrooms and bathrooms are declining in 2004, especially for extended stay hotels where cleanliness scores posted the steepest decline.
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MMHI Top-Hospitality Rankings
Q3 2004


Hotel - Four Seasons Hotels

Airline - Midwest Airlines

Car Rental - Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Luxury - Four Seasons Hotels

Upper Upscale - Walt Disney World Resorts

Upscale - Hilton Garden Inn

Midscale w/ F&B - Holiday Inn Select

Midscale w/o F&B - Drury Inns

Economy - Jameson Inns

Extended Stay - Homewood Suites

Casino - Isle of Capri

Upscale Casino - Bellagio

Hotel Reservations Website � Hotel Brand - La Quinta Inns

Hotel Reservations Website � Travel - Yahoo! Travel


MMHI Overview
July 2004 to September 2004





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About MMHI
The Market Metrix Hospitality Index is a quarterly report of customer satisfaction with hotel, airline and car rental companies based on 35,000 in-depth consumer interviews. The MMHI ranks top hospitality brands by industry and, for hotels, by categories such as luxury, mid-price and economy. Detailed, in-depth and customized reports are available for subscribers. No other customer satisfaction index offers MMHI's reporting frequency, volume of customer interviews, cross-industry results or innovative satisfaction measures.

About Market Metrix
Market Metrix, LLC was founded in 1996 by partners Jonathan Barsky, Ph.D., and Lenny Nash to provide the hospitality industry with better customer and employee satisfaction measurement programs and management tools. In addition to MMHI, Market Metrix provides clients with award-winning survey systems and strategic services. Market Metrix also operates the Consumer Research Center, which provides focus group services, data entry services and a state-of-the-art specialty call center. Based in San Rafael, Calif., Market Metrix is partner-owned and has 50 employees. For more information, log onto www.marketmetrix.com or call 1-800-239-7515.
 


 
Contact:

Sarah Conner
Market Metrix
tel 415-721-1300
     http://www.marketmetrix.com

Also See: Market Metrix Announces Second Quarter 2004 Hospitality Index Results Four Seasons, Jet Blue Airways and Enterprise Rent-A-Car Take Top Industry Categories / August 2004
Market Metrix Announces First Quarter 2004 Hospitality Index Results - Staybridge Suites, Jet Blue Airways and Enterprise Rent-A-Car Take Top Industry Categories / May 2004
Walt Disney World Resorts Ranks Number One in Hotel Customer Satisfaction; Market Metrix Fourth Quarter 2003 Hospitality Index Results / February 2004
Market Metrix Third Quarter 2003 Hospitality Index Results; First-Ever Measure of Satisfaction With Online Hotel Reservations Places Radisson and Yahoo! Travel on Top / November 2003
Market Metrix Second Quarter 2003 Hospitality Index Results -- Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Improves
Satisfaction Score to Take Top Hotel Prize / Aug 2003


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