About Us

About Us


Introducing HGEM

Our Story

HGEM are the market leaders in Guest Experience Management. With over 20 years of experience and having worked with most of the brands across UK high-streets throughout the years, you can be sure HGEM are the experts in helping hospitality businesses grow through actionable guest insights.


HGEM - Hospitality Guest Experience Management

HGEM has always been a pioneer. We created the term ‘Guest Experience Management’ (GEM) in 2016 as part of our mission to empower hospitality businesses through adopting GEM as a core business discipline. We wanted to go further than just monitoring feedback by actively managing the experience of guests and generating a culture of continuous improvement within teams.

Fast forward a few years, and we can proudly state our mission is flourishing - Guest Experience Management is now considered a common business practice across the industry. Many businesses are employing ‘Guest Experience Managers’ that use our original GEM framework and award-winning platform - The Hub.

But the pioneering spirit goes back further than that. In our original guise as The Mystery Dining Company, back in 2003, we created the term ‘mystery dining’ as a specialist form of mystery shopping. It reflected the deeper and longer experiences that are typical in hospitality, as compared with retail. Hot on the heels of the dot.com explosion, we were the first to use the internet to provide next-day reporting.

Throughout our story, we have valued working with clients that have a similar pioneering spirit. Together, we drive each other forward, always striving for innovative ways to achieve the ultimate goal of giving guests a great experience that they talk about, in order to build future sales. Some of our larger clients include wagamama, Pret a Manger, Brewdog, Lounges and Heineken’s Star Pubs & Bars. But we also enjoy working with many smaller businesses, sometimes with only a handful of sites but with bagfuls of ambition and creative ideas. Altogether, we support over 10,000 restaurants, pubs, hotels, cinemas and caterers.

Our service includes designated Client Success Managers, who ensure our clients get the best value out of our products. Most of the Client team have hospitality backgrounds, which enables them to understand the operational challenges and the factors that lead to success within a hospitality business.

We believe in developing close partnerships with our client contacts, helping them become the heroes of their team and leading the business to success.


Our People

Many of our people have joined us having worked in the hospitality industry and so it truly has shaped who we are and the way we behave. We understand the pressures and challenges of your teams because we have been there, and we’re passionate about supporting you to deliver a great guest experience every time. We were also crowned Employer of the Year at the Bath Live Business Awards.

Bethany Prior

Bethany Prior

Senior Marketing Executive

I have a passion for all things marketing & love to create content. I am so happy that I get to do this at HGEM alongside such a lovely team.

Maisie Harris

Maisie Harris

Client Success Manager

I love the variety of my role and working with my clients to help enhance their customer service journey.

Nick Nikolenko

Nick Nikolenko

Software Engineer

I like being part of a team that solves complex problems and has fun doing it.

Megan Gibbs

Megan Gibbs

Support Coorinator

I absolutely love working with such a friendly and supportive team! I enjoy helping diners with any queries they have and helping to make their overall experience positive.

Rebecca Moore

Rebecca Moore

Assessor Recruitment Coordinator

I care most about maintaining our high standards of quality, and ensuring each report gives useful insight to our clients.

Charlotte Carr

Charlotte Carr

Mystery Guest Advisor

It’s great to be working in such a varied role and be part of a hardworking, supportive team.

Chloe Walker

Chloe Walker

Business Development Manager

I care most about finding the solution for client's challenges - listening to their needs and designing a scheme that suits the brand gives me great enjoyment.

Grace Ison

Grace Ison

Client Success Manager

I love getting to understand and learn each client's unique focus when it comes to their guests journey.

Elliott Ellis

Elliott Ellis

Support Coordinator

It is so nice to work for such a friendly and welcoming company, where everyone is listened to and encouraged. Every day is something different and I am learning all the time.

Graziella Whitehouse

Graziella Whitehouse

Mystery Guest Advisor

I enjoy reading all about different dining experiences and still be part of the hospitality world. A huge bonus is that I work with a wonderful, supportive team.

Niamh Geraghty

Niamh Geraghty

Support Coordinator

I’m so lucky to be able to work for such a supportive, caring company and be able to meet people from all different walks of life.

Lloyd Williams

Lloyd Williams

Senior Business Intelligence Developer

Our Business Intelligence solutions are inspired by translating your needs into technical specifications. Our data drives actions through insight, allowing you to focus on what matters to you.

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Our Mystery Guests

At HGEM we are fortunate to have a fantastic community of mystery guests that we try hard to nurture and support as stakeholders in 'empowering hospitality'. In return, they go the extra mile to provide detailed and practical feedback on their experiences.

If you are interested in becoming one of our mystery guests, please go to mysterydining.net.

Learn more about what we do