Discounts for neat and tidy guests who don't smoke
Posted on: Mon, 11/16/2009 - 8:05am
Original Topic
OfflineFrom an email today "Is there any kind of discount if you stay for a week? my sister and I are looking for a decent place in the area to stay, but cannot afford $100 per night. Am looking for AARP or senior discounts. We are very neat and clean and do not smoke. We are coming in late August to visit family in the area.
She is retired and I am unemployed presently as so manyof us are right now. Just looking for a good deal if there is one available.
Thank you"
FYI We are celebrating 20 years as a B&B in 2010 and are offering a midweek special of $20 off per night, me thinks this is pretty dang good. Apparently not good enough for the "neat and clean and do not smoke" unlike our normal rowdy dirty smokers we get. LOL I referred her to this very good special.
__________________
"There are 3 types of players in this world: those who make it happen, those who watch it happen, & those who wonder what happens." (sorta Lasorda)
Comments
This gets me. Sorry, but if you can afford to go on a week-long vacation where you have to travel to the location, eat your meals out, pay for your entertainment, do NOT weep on MY shoulder about how tough times are. Stay home.
__________________
Spare me the perky.
Sorry, I have to earn a living as well
I think $20 is more than enough. I have people that tell me after I tell them the price that they were hoping not to pay that much. I just say I am very sorry. I am thinking of saying my gift to my guests is that I have not raised my prices in several years.
Most of my guests are very neat and don't smoke. I can't pay my bills on giving everyone a discount. I had a guy that told me he thought because I was not fullly booked I would be happy to have him at a much lower price. I told him that was a misconception that we as innkeeper should be happy to give big discounts if we are slow.
I would like to raise prices but we are on the top of all around and I don't think I can at this point.
__________________
sandynn
*sigh* I guess you can't fault them for asking, but it just irritates me. I don't go to the movie theatre and ask if I can have a discounted ticket because no one else is seeing that particular movie at that particular time.
But sometimes it really is just about perception, and actually pointing out your discount can be enough to make them feel like they are getting "a deal". Unfortunately we've found through our own experience here that these folks aren't usually happy even with a discount, they always make you feel like "What do I get for staying here? Why is it so much?" You either get why a b&b is more, or you don't.
__________________
What you call love was invented by guys like me to sell nylons.
We talk about this on often. We are always ready to help folks find the right place for their budget. We're happy, they're happy, and the world is a happier place.
__________________
Aloha
Chances are good they will find someone who would jump at it. If I have the room, and it wouldn't be filled at full price, I would take the $700.00...but then my highest rates are lower than the lowest rates of many Inns. On top of that, I myself never pay more than $100 per night when I travel....could be why I always pick the smallest owner-run Inns.
So, just say no graciously if you can't do it, you shouldn't get mad at people for asking or take it personally, not in this economy. $700 is alot of money to me; if I was willing to spend that for lodging on vacation, and an innkeeper said or acted like "if you can't afford to stay with me, stay home", I would say "no, I'm going on vacation, but will stay with someone else".
At least they are considering B&B's as a lodging option.
__________________
The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue. ~Author Unknown
As an aside, I would never make a guest feel like they were poor if they couldn't afford to pay my rates. I would refer them to my comp who charges $95/night.
I should have expanded on my original statement...I personally cannot afford a week's vacation. Guess what? I stay home. I don't grovel at someone's doorstep to take me in at a discount. I don't make the assumption that everyone else out there is poor like me and would take whatever I want to pay, I assume their prices are what their prices are and they are that for a reason.
I couch surf when I want to get away. (Or, like a few weeks ago, I go with friends who chip in toward the room.) Or I travel off season when rates are generally lower. But I wouldn't take the bread out of an innkeeper's mouth so I could have a vacation I cannot afford. I might, however, go for 4 days instead of 7. (I'm not above asking for a reciprocal discount at another lodging property.)
I'm in the wrong business...ha, ha...I think people who are unemployed and on the edge should be looking for work and pinching pennies. I don't think they should be begging for a vacation. Are they going to do the same thing at the restaurants? 'Hi, we can't afford this prime rib, but we want it anyway. How about we pay you $5 for that?'
I think pointing them to the $20 off discount and reiterating what all is included in the price is excellent marketing.
We're lucky in that we know a lot of innkeepers now who have offered us 'a place at the inn' if we can travel to their locations. I thank them one and all. For once in my life I have 'an uncle in the biz.'
Bree your response brought me to a deja vu. You responded this way before and I just remembered someone else asking this same thing, I wonder if it is the same person? It was a tear jerker email and they are coming to visit family and she is unemployed and really wants a nice play to stay etc. I may have posted it on here!!!
Stay with your family!
You know I had locals once say to me - a teacher no less: "We don't stay at B&B's or hotels, we have family" as a dig. They think we only host the orphans I suppose.
Ah yes, I didn't notice that before, they are coming to visit family. They could alternate, a few days with family and a few days with you.
I wouldn't take the bread out of an innkeeper's mouth so I could have a vacation I cannot afford.
Pretty much up to them to decide if they can or cannot afford it or not, and up to the individual innkeepers to decide they would starve for saying yes. $700.00 for a week at the end of August would certainly not be taking food out of MY mouth (given my historical occupancies for that week or so every year), but just might buy the month's groceries. Guests have no idea which Innkeepers that may be the case for, so they have to call around to find out. While you might not appreciate those calls, I do.
If an Inn is sitting pretty, up in revenues and/or occupancy, and kicking the competition's butt (or are down but can afford to ride it out) then the keeper can "just say no" and generously refer the budget travelers to the competition. What if cost-concious travelers became your area's demographic throughout the recession and beyond? If a particular Inn's occupancies are down (and down long enough), and most callers are asking for a discount, then it's time to reconsider demographic, rates, amenities, everything. After all, pride goeth before a fall.
If you don't like the ones that ask for discounts, tweak your marketing to appeal to the more affluent traveler or post on your website "NO DISCOUNTS FOR ANYONE, EVER, FOR ANY REASON. IF YOU HAVE TO ASK, YOU CAN'T AFFORD IT, AND IT'S JUST GOING TO MAKE ME MAD".
That will get rid of the cheapskates, and you won't have to be offended by their calling.
Guess you missed what she said. They did not want to pay $100 a night...MUCH LESS...like maybe $50. Would you take them for $50 a night. I sure would not! I don't care if all my rooms were sitting empty. My time and effort is worth WAY MORE THAN THAT. If you want to give your rooms away...so be it. I would not.
I am giving away rooms this month, and it's a purposeful part of our annual marketing strategy. November is our slowest month...last year was the first year of this special, and we did twice what we normally do in November (revenue and occupancies). This November, we're already up 50% over last November. The hubs is hunting most of the month, and I would just be sitting around with nothing to do. This special will bring in around $2000 in revenue, so is well worth my while to do. There are very few three room inns that do our revenues or seasonal occupancies, so don't get the impression that I'm easy or a doormat....just a smart marketer and flexible with my guests and policies. Even more than smarts, flexibility is the key for any business owner.
There is no way I would take this kind of rate during high season...not for any length of stay or reason. I really could just rest on my laurels and sit here stiff and proud all this month with no business, saying "I'm worth more than that, so I won't give in to anyone". No doubt many of you would applaud that, and I know my rooms and efforts are worth more, but I would be sitting here alone with my pride and no revenue, and that's just not my style.
I rarely get people who ask for a discount, so maybe I have no room to speak on the subject. But if suddenly low occupancies or discount-mongering became a real problem for me, I would find out why and fix it...but that's just me!
I am giving away rooms this month, and it's a purposeful part of our annual marketing strategy. November is our slowest month........
There is no way I would take this kind of rate during high season...not for any length of stay or reason.
So in essence you are saying you would NOT offer them a deep discount either.... August is HIGH season for them... So I do not understand the tone in your messages.
Bree, I would have had the same toughts going through my head. It is most likely (if I were to take the reservation) that they would be the ones to cancel just before my cancel policy saying the could not afford to take the trip with even more of a sob story.. OR come and be some of the most neady guests. I think I would be starving before I would have taken that reservation and I have quite the built in storage.
__________________
"Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it." Hebrews 13:2
I think I would be starving before I would have taken that reservation and I have quite the built in storage.
Ah, yes, the new innkeeper weight loss plan...low occupancy...
BTW, did you, a long time ago, post about a yoga tape you used to good advantage? If so, could you again? I forgot which one is was.
No Yoga tape here, quite a few 'Sweatin to the Oldies' and Jane Fanda tapes that are collecting dust... I was too slow for Jane and Richard S. just turns my stomach.... come to think of it, maybe that is how I can loose weight! LOL
The last week or ten days in August is quieter for us (just before school starts), so I would likely discount for an 7 night stay during that particular week. If the request was early August or July, I would not. I have at least one room that could go well below $100 per night, but nowhere near $50.00. So, that explains that.
I practice Yield Management as ingrained during my hotel career. That often requires discounting, opening up one-night weekend stays at the last minute or whatever.... especially when travel and the economy are down. I don't like doing it, but it certainly contributes to our bottom line. I HATE one night stays, but with an open room all weekend, $125 for a one night stay looks good at the last minute. When that weekend's gone, it's gone.
My goal is to make the most of every opportunity and to keep increasing revenue and room nights. $43k last year? Well I want more this year, and more the year after that. Certainly many keepers are happy with current occupancies and revenues, and it's their perogative to stick to their guns for all policies. It's in my nature to want to max out what this little three room Inn can do.
My of doing things is obviously colored by my hotel experience...how could it not be? Don't hold it against me, I spent twice the time in that sector that I have so far in this one.
Where did you read they were paying $100 a night? They said they can't afford $100 per night. So reading between the lines if you were to find out it would be one of those $50 or less a night requests. $700 is not what they are offering to pay. UGH!
What is kind of surprising is that there is a cheapo hotel nearby isn't there? They could get a room for $81/night, including continental brek. So, if they have done any checking it means they can't pay even THAT amount for a room.
What is kind of surprising is that there is a cheapo hotel nearby isn't there? They could get a room for $81/night, including continental brek. So, if they have done any checking it means they can't pay even THAT amount for a room.
There are plenty of fleabag motels on the highway not far from us. The thing is they want to stay in a nice B&B and want a break, it is that simple. They figured it couldn't hurt to ask. No biggee, I just found it funny.
Maybe they could work for a room, clean and make up all our rooms for the week! me says after wiping down baseboards on my hands and knees in one room this morning - wide victorian baseboards - sot there are like 6 levels of grooves for dust to collect, actually these right here - exactly:
We have these kinds of molding too and what helped us the most was painting them all a dark color. When we got here they were all beige...and because of all the grooves and they way they catch the light here, it always looked "dirty" to me. So we painted them dark and it spared me having to wipe them down constantly...the trade off is I do need to touch them up with paint 3-4 times a year because they get dinged up with suitcases.
Maybe this could be your chance to try out your locked and loaded special. If they really really want a discount, fine. Pay in advance, no cancellations, no exceptions.
That is, if you feel inclined to offer them any discount at all. Won't August be a busy time for you?
__________________
“What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.” Pericles
Maybe this could be your chance to try out your locked and loaded special. If they really really want a discount, fine. Pay in advance, no cancellations, no exceptions.
That is, if you feel inclined to offer them any discount at all. Won't August be a busy time for you?
oh yeah the locked and loaded, prepay with a check in full no cancellation at any time granny. Yes August is in season, not out.
Wow, I totally missed the August part of that original post...I can MAYBE see trying to get a discount for a last-minute getaway but to try to get a discount almost a year in advance??? No way.
okay let's try to not throw digs in here please
Hmmmmmmmmmm.............. maybe I should UP my prices because I'm unemployed!
__________________
Carolyn
Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint.
Mark Twain
OK now, we all know we are supposed to feel all warm & fuzzy and giving when we hear someone whine they are retired (perhaps with more than i have though) or unemployed (poor me). Don't you know that we are in business and therefore are rich and supposed to give to the poor! We are supposed to be part of the redistribution of wealth and being in business are wealth so should give to the poor unemployed (down-sized? eliminated? or fired?).
__________________
Happy in my Hills
In my 20+ years of experience within the industry, it's obvious to me that the ones asking for discounts are NEVER the poorest or even the unemployed. It's always the wealthiest traveler that has the least shame in asking for a discount or even trying aggressively to negotiate a lower rate. So Joey's emailer aside (at here at the Inn), it seems the lowest income or unemployed guests not only don't ask for discounts, they appreciate the stay and what's offered far more than the AARP members or the luxury car driving guests do.
Could just be my demo area, tho.
Not just your area. The tips of ant kind are most likely to be left (here anyway) by Joe Schmoe rather than George Gotrocks..
Hey, I will be super neat and tidy and I don't smoke, so................can I come stay with you and you pay ME??!
the reason i dropped AAA
i am unemployed, i go from underemployed to unemployed ... but i still might plan to visit family far away. maybe i am saving up for months to do so. and i still might have the nerve to ask if someone offers a discount if i stay an entire week. especially if i saw an appealing website and thought 'i wish i could stay there' ... probably not, but i just might try.
august in new england is high season all around, but there are some little b&b's up in maine, near where i was, those ladies could stay in. their rates are way low ... all the time. they, to quote, offer 'simple accomodations' 'basic comforts' and continental breakfast. muffins, fruit, cereal, coffee, tea. just enough really.
i would point the ladies in their direction. their rates are in the chart below. and i have a feeling they might even give the ladies a break for staying a week. maybe not. i think it's a good idea to know of a place to send someone that is looking for low cost first and foremost. multiplying 6 or 7 nights by a room rate is quite a bit of money. i take the lady's statment for what it is. and trying to reassure you by saying they are neat and clean and don't smoke maybe is trying to show that, even though they don't have a lot of money, they would respect your property.
i said this a lot, 'the lowest rate i can offer is $$$.' pause -- if they don't want to book then i said, ' you might try xyz b&b .... ' and i was sincere in my recommendation.
i have had sisters stay with me and share a bed to save money. no problem to me or to them. $75 for the two of them at this place i'm talking about if they share the bed ... and the bath with another ... a nice room, nice bed, safe house, clean and cozy, basic breakfast ... not bad. just basic.
__________________
' not all those who wander are lost ... ' jrr tolkien
A couple years ago I had a call from a lady looking for a weekend meet-in-the-middle with her sister. Since money was a factor, she booked one of the rooms with the double be and shared bath. It was not high season but the weather was still decent. When they arrived, I gave them both of the rooms that shared the bath for the price of one. They said I made their get together more than wonderful because they have totally different sleep patterns (one was a recent widow and the other a nurse). They spent their last night together making me a no-sew throw that I cherish. It is nice to be able to do those things, but I am afraid August would not be the time.
I do not fault for asking because my pholosophy is if you do not ask, you will never know and the worst case scenario is the answer is no and you have lost nothing by asking. The big thing is actually in HOW you ask.
Example: our first windjammer cruise I had received a lot of brochures and one gave a 10% discount if you booked before Feb 1 and sent the deposit. We decided which schooner but I could not remember if HE was the discount so I called. answer no. (pause, when are you coming?) Last week of August. August! I can't give a discount for August, it is my busy season. (Me - OK) Him: how many in the party? 6 OK 10%. When I asked, I was accepting of his answer, but bringing 1/3 of his occupancy in one throw. HE was smart enough to ask his own questions. I went back 3 more times and each time took another cabin occupant. He more than made his 10% back.
Just had a webervations reservation come in for this weekend, closely followed by an email from the guest. As my November special was extended, rooms are dirt cheap right now. She wanted to include a third adult and a dog for that price; I told her no, but she would be welcome to rent a second room at that reduced rate. She cancelled.
What the ....? She had to check the policies box in webervations that states no pets and two people per room. And where else around here does she think she's going to stay with that hoard for that price....and her email signature shows that she is a muckety-muck for Daimler Benz! Excuse me for not grasping at that straw....I'd rather sleep in!
Edited to add: Double WTF!!?? My realtor just called me to say that a lady by the same name (what a co-inkydink) wants to set up a showing for the house on Saturday. Now what in the hell.......
What the ....? She had to check the policies box in webervations that states no pets and two people per room. And where else around here does she think she's going to stay with that hoard for that price....and her email signature shows that she is a muckety-muck for Daimler Benz! Excuse me for not grasping at that straw....I'd rather sleep in!
I'm with you. I will give some discount for our low season now, but I'm not working for nothing and not cramming people into my beautiful rooms.
RIki
__________________
Riki Goodell
Arcady Vineyard Bed & Breakfast
Arcady Vineyard Wine Tours
www.arcadyvineyard.com
Come! Let us show you the beautiful Monticello Appellation!
You will HAVE to keep us updated on this one! And are you going to pretend that you don't know who she is?! What a dufus! I guess some people think that just becos they are dumb, everyone else is too!
__________________
God is great, beer is good and people are crazy!
Wow, that is interesting. So, she wanted to have a look see at the place on the cheap and now she has to stay elsewhere to do it? Is she from nearby or will she be paying someone else the money she wouldn't pay to you?
Hopefully, if she is a serious looker, she'll remember her own behavior when it happens to her down the road!
Wow, that is interesting. So, she wanted to have a look see at the place on the cheap and now she has to stay elsewhere to do it? Is she from nearby or will she be paying someone else the money she wouldn't pay to you?
Hopefully, if she is a serious looker, she'll remember her own behavior when it happens to her down the road!
After she left our website, she did googled "cheap lodgings in XXXX, MI), and ended back up on our site. Even the fleabag motel in town in the same rate as we are....bleck.
I told my realtor to grill her about her intentions, and her finances. If she does not have the cash or some kind of private financing in place, I don't want her to even come. Already had one lady like this who turned me inside out for what appears to be nothing. I'm not so desperate that I will clean my arse off and sweat it for some shmoe who just wants to yank me around.
Oh, great, 'cheap lodgings,' that's what she's interested in? You're right to make sure your broker only brings qualified viewers. No use wasting your time.
Agreed.
Even if she is a real potential buyer (which I would seriously doubt) can you imagine how ridiculous the negotiations would get with someone you already know is, how should we say, not so nice?
I can't remember what site I was on today reading...inns for sale in some state...and the statement was made that if they bought the place they would be reimbursed for any stays at the inn prior to the sale. I thought that was an interesting way to go about it.
I can't remember what site I was on today reading...inns for sale in some state...and the statement was made that if they bought the place they would be reimbursed for any stays at the inn prior to the sale. I thought that was an interesting way to go about it.
Oooh I like that
__________________
Inngenious Bed and Breakfast Website Design Advice
After she left our website, she did googled "cheap lodgings in XXXX, MI), and ended back up on our site. Even the fleabag motel in town in the same rate as we are....bleck.
OK, not knowing much about computers, etc. I am wondering how you know that she went to google and what she typed in?? I'm assuming you can see that "cheap lodgings in XXXX, MI" is what brought someone to your site, but how do you know it was her???
After she left our website, she did googled "cheap lodgings in XXXX, MI), and ended back up on our site. Even the fleabag motel in town in the same rate as we are....bleck.
OK, not knowing much about computers, etc. I am wondering how you know that she went to google and what she typed in?? I'm assuming you can see that "cheap lodgings in XXXX, MI" is what brought someone to your site, but how do you know it was her???
Tracking software probably.
RIki
After she left our website, she did googled "cheap lodgings in XXXX, MI), and ended back up on our site. Even the fleabag motel in town in the same rate as we are....bleck.
OK, not knowing much about computers, etc. I am wondering how you know that she went to google and what she typed in?? I'm assuming you can see that "cheap lodgings in XXXX, MI" is what brought someone to your site, but how do you know it was her???
Tracking software probably.
RIki
Yes, that's why I love Opentracker, it allows me to see what people are doing on my site in real time. After using GA for several days now, I don't like it anywhere near as much as my OT.
Funny thing is, she made online reservations again this morning, but for two rooms both nights, no dog. Makes my head spin. And my realtor still has not heard back from her, so who knows what she's thinking. I will, however, take the four room nights and be my charming and gracious self no matter what happens!
Will be curious to see if the dog shows up!
The ability to track a kook like this potential guest is interesting, but sleuthing of kooks aside, what business decisions or website changes has this level of tracking allowed you to make that would justify the $200-$240 per year that you pay for OpenTracker? Just wondering professionally what the ROI is.
The ability to track a kook like this potential guest is interesting, but sleuthing of kooks aside, what business decisions or website changes has this level of tracking allowed you to make that would justify the $200-$240 per year that you pay for OpenTracker? Just wondering professionally what the ROI is.
I check my stats ALOT, and I like the fact that OT concentrates on the visitors, in chronological order. Within one click, I can find their IP, area code and city location, how many times and when they've been on the site, and how many and what pages they looked at, and how long they spent on each page, which links they may have used to exit the site, which keywords they used each time they visited, and/or what referring pages brought them in. GA might allow for that, but I haven't found where.
The reports are very easy and very detailed....I guess I would have to cite my propensity to micromanage website traffic, ease of use, and the detailed information I get from visitors. With OT, I don't have to add anything to my outgoing links (of which both of my sites have MANY) in order to track them. Everything I need is in one easy spot. Maybe I just don't get the instant gratification with GA that I get with OT. I guess, to me, what it offers makes it worth the money....maybe it's just familiarity....but I like it. That makes it worth the $165 it costs me per year. In fact, I would pay that amount for OT before I would pay it for iloveinns or lanierbb.
I agree, OpenTracker is much more visitor centric while Analytics is probably better described as content centric and group centric. And don't take this the wrong way, I'm not trying to be argumentative or defend one approach over the other, I'm just interested in how the extra details have changed what you are doing?
For example: You have all your outgoing links tracked, what do you do with that info? If lots of people are following a link to XYZ, what do you change as a result of knowing that?
What do you do with knowing people's area codes? Has that info influenced how you market as opposed to just knowing their geolocation that you can get in one report from Analytics?
You have all your outgoing links tracked, what do you do with that info? If lots of people are following a link to XYZ, what do you change as a result of knowing that?
On my Michigan Inn Guide site, I generate traffic reports for each of the Inns with website links...many of whom don't track their own traffic at all. I can tell them not only how many visitors we sent, but how many people checked their availability calendar, and how many used the email to the Inn link.
On the Inn site, outgoing links are not as important, but it still allows me to track what information people are interested in most, and I can adjust my seasonal attractions and events links and information quickly as a result. Strangely, I've found that having some of that info on the home page results in longer site visits with more average pages viewed.
Really, after your last post, I did some side by side comparisons with OT and GA....I just don't like the way GA presents information...too many steps and back and forth and not enough detail to make me happy. For instance, I see a report New Guests vs. Returning Guests, but for instance, the "Returning Guests" report does not tell me who they are, how many times they've been, or where they are from, just numbers and percentages. No doubt there are other reports I could do, but I haven't found them yet, and none that I've seen give me the detail I crave all at once!
Long story short, for someone obsessed with web traffic, OT just works better for me. No doubt I could make do with GA...and I am going to save our regional Inns some $$$ by using it for the Association website in 2010. That site is only five pages, and I don't check stats on it anywhere near as often. Perhaps by next year, I'll be an old hand with GA and decide to switch all sites over...but not right now, my OCD would cause me to freak out.
With Opentracker, I can see when repeat visitors (like aspiring innkeepers from the Inns for sale pages) when they are on my site (some for the 30th time or more) and I know just who they are at a glance. Most people would not want that kind of detail, but I can't help myself.
So, I'll let you know when the Inn's OT account expires in a few months! I will be tracking using both until then.
Oh right, I forgot you run a guide site as well. Tracking outgoing traffic makes perfect sense there.
Analytics does not let you drill down to the specific visitor. That I believe is intentional so they do not run into the kind of privacy issues that legally require a disclaimer on every site. The tools are geared toward looking at patterns of the masses rather than the behavior of the individual. With properly set up goals you can come as close as most innkeepers need to tracking interested parties (but again not interested individuals)
Thanks for sharing how you use OT to guide your decisions. That helps.