A performance target may need to change when the asset, service scope, data or operating conditions change. If the record is incomplete, later reviews can compare results against different definitions without anyone noticing. Learn about Feathers Hospitality’s approach, review the hotel management platform, or contact the team about owner reporting and governance.
Preserve the original target, rationale, evidence, approvals, effective date and reporting impact whenever an agreed performance measure changes.
In brief
- Preserve the old target, formula, baseline and data source.
- Record rationale, approvals, effective date and financial or reporting impact.
- Keep versions and historical results so performance remains interpretable.
Preserve the original definition
Record the target exactly as agreed, including metric name, formula, units, scope, data source, reporting period and exclusions. Save the version and date that were in effect. A label such as “guest satisfaction” is not enough if survey channels or response rules differ. Keeping the baseline makes it possible to understand why a later target changed and prevents historical results from being silently rewritten.
Explain the trigger and supporting evidence
Describe what prompted the proposal: a changed asset, revised service scope, data-system replacement, unusual disruption or a discovered measurement defect. Attach evidence and identify its limitations. Separate a temporary adjustment from a permanent change. If evidence is incomplete, state what remains uncertain and whether further measurement is planned. A clear rationale helps parties assess whether the target still measures the intended outcome rather than merely becoming easier or harder to achieve.
Show the revised measure side by side
Write the new formula and scope in full, then show how it differs from the prior version. Where possible, calculate a transition period under both definitions to reveal the effect. Identify changes to data source, timing, sample, exclusions or threshold. Do not splice the series without an explanation. A side-by-side view helps owners and operators distinguish genuine performance movement from a measurement change.
Record authority and contractual basis
Identify who proposed, reviewed and approved the change, and the date each approval was given. Link the relevant management agreement clause, schedule, side letter or formal variation reference. UK public-sector contract-management materials recommend controlled change and clear records as process practice; they do not govern a private hotel agreement in Portugal. Follow the actual agreement and obtain local legal advice where required. Meeting notes alone may not satisfy the contract’s amendment requirements.
Document timing and transition treatment
State the effective date, reporting period affected and whether any target is applied prospectively or to a period already underway. Explain how partial periods, system cutovers and open performance reviews will be handled. Preserve the old target for earlier periods unless the agreement authorises another treatment. If an incentive or fee depends on the measure, explicitly document the impact and approvals rather than assuming the financial calculation follows automatically.
Check dependencies and unintended incentives
Ask whether the revised target changes related measures, service standards, budget assumptions or staff behaviour. A narrower target can create incentives to shift effort away from an unmeasured outcome. List dependencies and assign owners to update linked dashboards, reports and procedures. Review whether safeguards remain in place for safety, guest experience and compliance. This is a practical governance check, not a claim that every KPI change causes gaming.
Communicate one controlled version
Publish the approved definition in the agreed repository and mark superseded versions clearly. Notify the people producing, reviewing and using the report, including finance or asset teams where relevant. Update data dictionaries and report labels together so that the same figure is not described differently across systems. Record the date of communication and a contact for questions. Version control supports continuity when personnel change or reports are prepared months later.
Schedule a review and retain the audit trail
Set a review date and identify evidence that would confirm the revised target remains useful. Keep proposal, analysis, approvals, effective dates, calculations and communications together under the property’s records policy. Change-control guidance from professional and government sources is a useful process reference, but the hotel’s agreement and applicable law govern actual variations. Revisit the target when the underlying conditions change, without deleting the history needed to interpret past performance.
Frequently asked questions
Should the new target replace historical results?
Usually preserve historical figures under their original definition. If a comparable restatement is authorised and useful, show both methods and document the treatment.
Are meeting minutes enough to approve a target change?
Not necessarily. Check the agreement’s authority and variation requirements, and obtain appropriate legal review before relying on minutes as an amendment.