Local back scratching

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JBloggs

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So the new restaurant within walking distance incorrectly (twice now) sent an email meant for someone else, auto populate from his iPhone or whatever. No biggee.
I deleted it the first time. But today I replied to let him know in case he auto populates our address, no worries of course...and I said we will be sending guests there all week and this weekend is a huge event weekend with folks from all over who will enjoy their restaurant. Here is his response:
Wrong e-mail address, my apologies. On that note; as we begin to develop our catering I will be sure to send you catering packet.
So folks what do ya think, maybe thank you for sending us business? Or something along those lines? We don't need no stinkin' catering, fyi.
These are the things that get my goat. No he is not a local. No it is not a diner, it is an expensive place for our area and we have been packing them in over there.
My back is really itching...will they ever scratch it?
shades_smile.gif
 
I would not hold my breath waiting for a thank you, let alone some reciprocity. It rarely happens here either. Isn't it amazing that restaurant owners do not realize the power of suggestion that B+Bs have for literally thousands of potential diners?
We have one restaurant in the next town who shows some gratitude by stopping by at the beginning of the season with some home made preserves or a comped dessert. But that is about it.
sad_smile.gif
 
I would not hold my breath waiting for a thank you, let alone some reciprocity. It rarely happens here either. Isn't it amazing that restaurant owners do not realize the power of suggestion that B+Bs have for literally thousands of potential diners?
We have one restaurant in the next town who shows some gratitude by stopping by at the beginning of the season with some home made preserves or a comped dessert. But that is about it.
sad_smile.gif
.
Silverspoon said:
I would not hold my breath waiting for a thank you, let alone some reciprocity. It rarely happens here either. Isn't it amazing that restaurant owners do not realize the power of suggestion that B+Bs have for literally thousands of potential diners?
We have one restaurant in the next town who shows some gratitude by stopping by at the beginning of the season with some home made preserves or a comped dessert. But that is about it.
sad_smile.gif
Oh yes, please stop by and hand me some papers to give you more business. And not being a dolt, I actually have the best caterer in the whole area at the end of my street.
I am not holding my breath at all, it is really something else. A comped dessert would speak volumes.
I think innkeepers are the only nice ones in the hospitality business.
 
Jimmy's recognizes the business we send by making the salad Himself gets the same price as the spaghetti special. The other restaurant in walking distance made us a super half veggie pizza and only charged for 2 toppings. The other pizza place, in all the years of us sending guests and delivering to guests never did squat. I felt I repaid them for their support of donated pizzas to a couple events by the time we were in business 10 years. We found we like the pizza Robin makes better also so it is an easy switch for me. For the most part, we DO help each other here. The little shops all gave me something for a basket for the Clerks/Recorders and I send them my guests.
 
'Thank you' would have been nice. Instead of looking at you like a different revenue stream, look at you like the one that is getting business in the door and how can we increase that number? Let's work on this together!
There is only one place in town now that comps us a dinner every year. Some places do something for the guests (10% off) but never contact us to find out what else they could do. I KNOW they work hand in hand with the hotels. They don't see us as any $$$ to them at all. And it's too much work for them to go around to each inn (the same number of inns as hotels but 1/10 of the guests).
We refer to the places we like to go. The ones we hear good reviews back about as well. But there's no free lunch around here any longer.
 
I would not hold my breath waiting for a thank you, let alone some reciprocity. It rarely happens here either. Isn't it amazing that restaurant owners do not realize the power of suggestion that B+Bs have for literally thousands of potential diners?
We have one restaurant in the next town who shows some gratitude by stopping by at the beginning of the season with some home made preserves or a comped dessert. But that is about it.
sad_smile.gif
.
Silverspoon said:
I would not hold my breath waiting for a thank you, let alone some reciprocity. It rarely happens here either. Isn't it amazing that restaurant owners do not realize the power of suggestion that B+Bs have for literally thousands of potential diners?
We have one restaurant in the next town who shows some gratitude by stopping by at the beginning of the season with some home made preserves or a comped dessert. But that is about it.
sad_smile.gif
Oh yes, please stop by and hand me some papers to give you more business. And not being a dolt, I actually have the best caterer in the whole area at the end of my street.
I am not holding my breath at all, it is really something else. A comped dessert would speak volumes.
I think innkeepers are the only nice ones in the hospitality business.
.
Joey Bloggs said:
I am not holding my breath at all, it is really something else. A comped dessert would speak volumes.
I think innkeepers are the only nice ones in the hospitality business.
OMG!! You are SO right!
 
We get nothing, zilch, zero, from any business around here. In fact, our local fine dining place tried to steal one of our weddings. I sent the couple to them because they wanted to take their guests out after their ceremony here. The owners of the business asked if they had already signed a contract with us and even after the couple telling them they were having us do everything but dinner, the owners still tried to steal them.
That's the last time I will ever send a guest to them...wedding or b&b guest.
 
I had another innkeeper try to steal 3 of my guests once. They were meeting their sister here at my place and were going to do some local things, including seeing a show. It just so-happened that on the back of the tickets, this other B&B had an advertisement and one of the sisters thought that's were they were staying. Well, the sister who got here first (a personal friend) called the others to see what had happened to them. I was none too happy.
Now, most of us in these parts play nice in the sandbox and when one of us gets a call from a potential guest who's need they cannot fill for whatever reason, MOST of us will refer the guest to another inn that can help them. I only will sent phone PITA's to this theiving inn. Like ones who call and want to put 5 people in one room.
 
I had another innkeeper try to steal 3 of my guests once. They were meeting their sister here at my place and were going to do some local things, including seeing a show. It just so-happened that on the back of the tickets, this other B&B had an advertisement and one of the sisters thought that's were they were staying. Well, the sister who got here first (a personal friend) called the others to see what had happened to them. I was none too happy.
Now, most of us in these parts play nice in the sandbox and when one of us gets a call from a potential guest who's need they cannot fill for whatever reason, MOST of us will refer the guest to another inn that can help them. I only will sent phone PITA's to this theiving inn. Like ones who call and want to put 5 people in one room..
Poaching. We've had that here. Found out from one of my guests they were approached at an event by a guy who chatted them up. Asked where they were staying, how long, all that. Then he told them his B&B was nicer. That next time they should skip staying here and go to him.
Not the first time we heard he had done that.
 
We made an arrangement with one restaurant that offers our guests 10% off. And we have one place buy us a bottle of wine. But we generally don't disclose who we are until after the meal. We do introduce ourselves. We had one restaurant where I had to talk to the manager after the meal to ensure they treated our guests better than they treated us.
 
I would not hold my breath waiting for a thank you, let alone some reciprocity. It rarely happens here either. Isn't it amazing that restaurant owners do not realize the power of suggestion that B+Bs have for literally thousands of potential diners?
We have one restaurant in the next town who shows some gratitude by stopping by at the beginning of the season with some home made preserves or a comped dessert. But that is about it.
sad_smile.gif
.
Silverspoon said:
I would not hold my breath waiting for a thank you, let alone some reciprocity. It rarely happens here either. Isn't it amazing that restaurant owners do not realize the power of suggestion that B+Bs have for literally thousands of potential diners?
We have one restaurant in the next town who shows some gratitude by stopping by at the beginning of the season with some home made preserves or a comped dessert. But that is about it.
sad_smile.gif
Oh yes, please stop by and hand me some papers to give you more business. And not being a dolt, I actually have the best caterer in the whole area at the end of my street.
I am not holding my breath at all, it is really something else. A comped dessert would speak volumes.
I think innkeepers are the only nice ones in the hospitality business.
.
Joey Bloggs said:
I am not holding my breath at all, it is really something else. A comped dessert would speak volumes.
I think innkeepers are the only nice ones in the hospitality business.
OMG!! You are SO right!
.
Aussie Innkeeper said:
Joey Bloggs said:
I am not holding my breath at all, it is really something else. A comped dessert would speak volumes.
I think innkeepers are the only nice ones in the hospitality business.
OMG!! You are SO right!
thumbs_up.gif

 
Joey Bloggs said:
These are the things that get my goat. No he is not a local. No it is not a diner, it is an expensive place for our area and we have been packing them in over there.
My back is really itching...will they ever scratch it?
shades_smile.gif
Would you be willing to be aggressive about this? When (if) he ever shows up to sell the catering to you, would you ask what he's going to do for you given all of the guests you have referred there? Maybe even quote some comments you heard back from the guests?
We've never had anyone show up who wanted us to do anything other than put the brochures out and most of them said to stop in, here's their card, have something on the house. But that's once in 10 years someone shows up with the brochures.
We had guests who arrived on the late side and I know some places are closed at 9. We generally refer to the hotel when it's late. They said yesterday morning it was so good they were going back last night and what could I recommend for lunch?
THAT'S what the restaurants don't get. They think people will see them as they walk by and just come in. NO, they are going to ask, almost every single one of them, where WE go.
That's a couple of thousand people each year looking for lunch and dinner. If we're conservative, we'll guess that's $30/person for dinner. And the restaurant owner can't comp a dessert or a couple of drinks?
Yes. we've had a couple of restaurants call us to ask if we have availability for someone who's decided they don't want to go on to their next stop. But it's rare.
 
so disappointing! i had a great relationship with one restaurant. the owner/chef was amazing and gracious and used to give them a small comp. the only place around that saw any value in my sending folks his way so you can bet i sent EVERYONE to him before i'd send them across the road.
restaurants would close if they weren't busy ... just like that. turn the sign around and close. never ever called to let me know, not once. i would call each week and say can you just please call and tell me if you're closing early any nights this week. or if you're closed to the public for a private party. nada. you know who the guests were angry at if they headed out to eat someplace and found it closed? me. like i had all the time in the world to call around and ask 'are you serving dinner tonight?' i'd say, use the hall phone and call to make sure ... because we had no cell service, the guests couldn't call from the road.
blah
 
We get nothing, zilch, zero, from any business around here. In fact, our local fine dining place tried to steal one of our weddings. I sent the couple to them because they wanted to take their guests out after their ceremony here. The owners of the business asked if they had already signed a contract with us and even after the couple telling them they were having us do everything but dinner, the owners still tried to steal them.
That's the last time I will ever send a guest to them...wedding or b&b guest..
One of the other B&Bs in town actually did "steal" a group booking from me for a wedding for the rooms. OK...I did not like groups really, but this was a sneaky and low deal. Then, they had the nerve to come physically knocking on the door because they had overbooked their place with other guests. Sorry, no room at my inn because there would have been some complicated arrangement rather than those guests just being guests of my B&B. The other innkeeper said, "Really, you don't have any rooms?" Not for you, bless your heart...
 
Yes, it would have been nice to get a simple "thank you" for your efforts to support their new local business. I do not understand how a lot of other businesses in my town can't figure out the benefits of cooperating. It amazes me, it truly does.
Had the director of one of our fine arts venues call on me when we had the B&B because an Internet search revealed that I was blogging about them. He was so impressed that I was helping to market that historic theater. Had a nice chat over tea & treats at my B&B. Promised to come back with/or send comp tickets for me to package with something. Never heard from them again, even after I followed up with an email.
I was scratching my head until I realized that NOBODY works together. Weird....
 
I had another innkeeper try to steal 3 of my guests once. They were meeting their sister here at my place and were going to do some local things, including seeing a show. It just so-happened that on the back of the tickets, this other B&B had an advertisement and one of the sisters thought that's were they were staying. Well, the sister who got here first (a personal friend) called the others to see what had happened to them. I was none too happy.
Now, most of us in these parts play nice in the sandbox and when one of us gets a call from a potential guest who's need they cannot fill for whatever reason, MOST of us will refer the guest to another inn that can help them. I only will sent phone PITA's to this theiving inn. Like ones who call and want to put 5 people in one room..
Poaching. We've had that here. Found out from one of my guests they were approached at an event by a guy who chatted them up. Asked where they were staying, how long, all that. Then he told them his B&B was nicer. That next time they should skip staying here and go to him.
Not the first time we heard he had done that.
.
I heard that from guests here too that other B&Bs were saying that their place was nicer than mine because they were larger (had more rooms). Both the other inns were totally run by staff.
 
Oh, almost forgot - the bike shop where I take my bikes once a year to be "gone over" sent me guests last week - one night turned into 2 because the guests liked us so much.
 
I had another innkeeper try to steal 3 of my guests once. They were meeting their sister here at my place and were going to do some local things, including seeing a show. It just so-happened that on the back of the tickets, this other B&B had an advertisement and one of the sisters thought that's were they were staying. Well, the sister who got here first (a personal friend) called the others to see what had happened to them. I was none too happy.
Now, most of us in these parts play nice in the sandbox and when one of us gets a call from a potential guest who's need they cannot fill for whatever reason, MOST of us will refer the guest to another inn that can help them. I only will sent phone PITA's to this theiving inn. Like ones who call and want to put 5 people in one room..
Poaching. We've had that here. Found out from one of my guests they were approached at an event by a guy who chatted them up. Asked where they were staying, how long, all that. Then he told them his B&B was nicer. That next time they should skip staying here and go to him.
Not the first time we heard he had done that.
.
we had this once - one of our loyal regulars, she came right back to me and told me.
we have a local Italian - VERY good and always takes perfect care of my people - ie one guest really fancied spagettie carbonara so the made it for him from scratch even though it wasn't on the menu.
They started doing gelato and sent me a package with 3 types in it so I could give it a try.
We used to have an indian which did 10% off to any BB which gave their guest a card to hand in - ie then they could easily track referals - however they all went to prison for holding staff as slaves.
 
I had another innkeeper try to steal 3 of my guests once. They were meeting their sister here at my place and were going to do some local things, including seeing a show. It just so-happened that on the back of the tickets, this other B&B had an advertisement and one of the sisters thought that's were they were staying. Well, the sister who got here first (a personal friend) called the others to see what had happened to them. I was none too happy.
Now, most of us in these parts play nice in the sandbox and when one of us gets a call from a potential guest who's need they cannot fill for whatever reason, MOST of us will refer the guest to another inn that can help them. I only will sent phone PITA's to this theiving inn. Like ones who call and want to put 5 people in one room..
Poaching. We've had that here. Found out from one of my guests they were approached at an event by a guy who chatted them up. Asked where they were staying, how long, all that. Then he told them his B&B was nicer. That next time they should skip staying here and go to him.
Not the first time we heard he had done that.
.
we had this once - one of our loyal regulars, she came right back to me and told me.
we have a local Italian - VERY good and always takes perfect care of my people - ie one guest really fancied spagettie carbonara so the made it for him from scratch even though it wasn't on the menu.
They started doing gelato and sent me a package with 3 types in it so I could give it a try.
We used to have an indian which did 10% off to any BB which gave their guest a card to hand in - ie then they could easily track referals - however they all went to prison for holding staff as slaves.
.
Not much to choose from near me. There is a good home-style cooking spot close by and they tend to close when they're not busy. But even when I do call, they sound annoyed, as if they don't want anyone to come because they just want to go home early! Now, I just warn guests that if they don't eat early, they'll have to go to the roadhouse a few blocks over. They're slow, but the food is decent and I've never heard any complaints. It must be nice not to have to worry about getting any new business. Even when I stopped by during a lull to introduce myself, they just kind of brushed me off and said I could pin my cards to a board in the entryway. Thanks so much for your excellent customer service skills!!!!
 
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