Cost of no-shows slashed by £5bn
Figures from tech provider Zonal and insight business CGA by NielsonIQ revealed the number of consumers honouring their bookings has risen by 15 percentage points, cutting the cost to £12.6bn – a saving of more than £5bn.
The data marked the one year anniversary of Zonal’s #ShowUpForHospitality campaign, which showed no-shows were costing the sector approximately £17.6bn a year in lost revenue with one in seven (14%) people not turning up and not letting the venue know.
Information published in February this year that included research from 2,000 consumers in January found no-shows then had dropped by 11%.
Costly impact
Zonal chief sales and marketing officer Olivia FitzGerald said while no shows continue to have a costly impact on the sector, the research revealing the number of people honouring their bookings has increased was welcome.
She added: “Now we’re a year on from the launch of #ShowUpForHospitality, it’s clear the industry’s efforts have resulted in a significant reduction in no shows.
“Pubs, bars, restaurants and cafés play a pivotal role in our communities and everyday lives so it’s important to raise awareness on how crucial it is to support them and always show up for hospitality.”
She previously advised top tips on how to avoid no-shows during the Christmas trading period.
Advice given
This included sending reminders, taking deposits, making it easier to cancel bookings, adopting an over-booking policy and taking a targeted approach.
Commenting on the latest figures, the number of no-shows almost being halved was “extremely positive”, according to CGA client director Andy Dean.
“On premise, businesses face a multitude of challenges right now and it is important as we head into winter months and beyond that consumers continue to embrace their bookings and support hospitality businesses,” he said.
