The email follow-up survey is the mainstay of getting feedback from a customer about their experience during a trip.
In fact, many airlines and hotels, online travel agencies and tour operators will often have an email waiting in the inbox of the traveller before they've even opened the front door on returning home (they've probably read it on their mobile way before then anyway).
Brands often use these surveys not only to get feedback about the experience but to also feed into the guest ratings and reviews that are used online.
But how do different types of travellers react to receiving a survey via email from a travel provider?
Ryan Solutions, a hotel CRM provider, specifically wanted to see if the success (or otherwise) of email surveys has any generational considerations.
Firstly, here are the results of a general email activity from a travel brand (marketing, promo, membership-type stuff):
And then an email which includes a survey:
There are a number obvious observations to make here.
Generally, consumers are far more likely to open and click on the content in an email when it is specifically about a survey.
In addition, those at the older end of the age spectrum are clearly more inclined to open emails, both general activity and survey-related.
But look a little closer at the results for Gen-X/Millenials - they are slightly more likely to act on a survey email than another variety.
An obvious conclusion regarding the older generation is that they are perhaps more likely to be email users - in contrast to younger travellers who maybe be more included to use instant messaging platforms.