3rd party gift cards?

[Madeleine]

How would you handle this?
Set up - you take 3rd party gift cards, you have taken them for years, this guest has used them before.
Situation - you have decided to no longer accept 3rd party GC's on holidays or big events in town. (This question is not about whether or not you can do that according to the TOS of the GC issuer, don't be distracted!!!) Guest who has stayed with you 10+ years calls and wants to use a lot of GC's to pay for the stay. As in, almost 100% of a 3 night stay will be paid for using GC's. A weekend you can easily get 3 nighters at full price and then some, so you're essentially giving a 25% discount.
Do you -

• Accept these one last time from this very loyal guest who has stayed many times (using the GC's and not), explaining why you can't do it next year?
• Tell guest you're sorry you are no longer accepting them on holidays but please come on another date?
• Tell guest you're not taking them on holidays, can't help, no can do?
• Tell guest you're not taking them on holidays, but if they need to come on that weekend you know this other inn does take them and they're very nice people, too?

 

[TheBeachHouse]

Accept these one last time from this very loyal guest who has stayed many times (using the GC's and not), explaining why you can't do it next year?
Loyal, return, nice, well behaved guests are worth quite a bit.

 

[JBloggs]

this one is what I would do:
Accept these one last time from this very loyal guest who has stayed many times (using the GC's and not), explaining why you can't do it next year?

 

[EmptyNest]

Bite the bullet especially if they are long time repeats. Tell them So sorry, I am not accepting them any longer, but I will one last time JUST FOR YOU!

 

[Breakfast Diva]

I agree, let them use them, but I would not tell them you won't be taking them until they are ready to check out. You don't want them to feel like they are putting you out or have any negative feelings.
Just spin it..."Oh I'm so glad you used all your cards this year, because from now on...

 

[JBloggs]

AND...wherever they are getting them, maybe for Christmas or anniversaries, let them know so the family can purchase GC's from YOU directly.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

AND...wherever they are getting them, maybe for Christmas or anniversaries, let them know so the family can purchase GC's from YOU directly. .

More than likely, they're getting them themselves at Costco

 

[Generic]

Loyalty. Turn a blind eye completely. Put your price up for the holiday next year

 

[gillumhouse]

I agree to take them saying glad you used them all now because...... It would be a case of keeping a few more dollars in your pocket now but losing a lot of dollars over the years in revenue if he goes elsewhere.

 

[BananaE29]

I'm with everyone else - definitely accept them this last time, but mention they won't be able to use them during special events, holidays, etc in the future. They've been loyal to you - give them the heads up.

 

[Madeleine]

From the conversation I had with the guest, they get these from their family for every holiday/anniversary/birthday. They have a lot of them. (We don't take these GC's so it's not me the guest is angry with. I'm the one who was the 'big ear' as she poured out her frustration.)

 

[EmptyNest]

From the conversation I had with the guest, they get these from their family for every holiday/anniversary/birthday. They have a lot of them. (We don't take these GC's so it's not me the guest is angry with. I'm the one who was the 'big ear' as she poured out her frustration.).

why doesn't she just tell them....no more of these gift cards. what isnshe afraid of? She can say lots won't take them any longer and it would be a waste of money. she could give them your name and number and to just buy GC from you

 

[Madeleine]

From the conversation I had with the guest, they get these from their family for every holiday/anniversary/birthday. They have a lot of them. (We don't take these GC's so it's not me the guest is angry with. I'm the one who was the 'big ear' as she poured out her frustration.).

why doesn't she just tell them....no more of these gift cards. what isnshe afraid of? She can say lots won't take them any longer and it would be a waste of money. she could give them your name and number and to just buy GC from you
.

why doesn't she just tell them....no more of these gift cards. what isnshe afraid of? She can say lots won't take them any longer and it would be a waste of money. she could give them your name and number and to just buy GC from you

I think it's a tradition in the family to give these for every celebration. Yes, of course, she can tell the family no more. But now she has a lot of these piled up and she wants to use them. Maybe because I took the time to talk with her she will tell her family to buy direct. But, we're talking years before she uses up the ones she has (based on what she told me).

 

[Generic]

From the conversation I had with the guest, they get these from their family for every holiday/anniversary/birthday. They have a lot of them. (We don't take these GC's so it's not me the guest is angry with. I'm the one who was the 'big ear' as she poured out her frustration.).

why doesn't she just tell them....no more of these gift cards. what isnshe afraid of? She can say lots won't take them any longer and it would be a waste of money. she could give them your name and number and to just buy GC from you
.

why doesn't she just tell them....no more of these gift cards. what isnshe afraid of? She can say lots won't take them any longer and it would be a waste of money. she could give them your name and number and to just buy GC from you

I think it's a tradition in the family to give these for every celebration. Yes, of course, she can tell the family no more. But now she has a lot of these piled up and she wants to use them. Maybe because I took the time to talk with her she will tell her family to buy direct. But, we're talking years before she uses up the ones she has (based on what she told me).
.

I think you should be honest about it with her. Considering that she is loyal that you may want to make an exception for her if she comes up with a good compromise between your costs and her ability to use them. Or she may find somewhere else to use them and you lose someone who is very loyal and likely so much in a groove that it saves you time as well.
Perhaps, if she is so loyal, she could write a wonderful review?

 

[Madeleine]

From the conversation I had with the guest, they get these from their family for every holiday/anniversary/birthday. They have a lot of them. (We don't take these GC's so it's not me the guest is angry with. I'm the one who was the 'big ear' as she poured out her frustration.).

why doesn't she just tell them....no more of these gift cards. what isnshe afraid of? She can say lots won't take them any longer and it would be a waste of money. she could give them your name and number and to just buy GC from you
.

why doesn't she just tell them....no more of these gift cards. what isnshe afraid of? She can say lots won't take them any longer and it would be a waste of money. she could give them your name and number and to just buy GC from you

I think it's a tradition in the family to give these for every celebration. Yes, of course, she can tell the family no more. But now she has a lot of these piled up and she wants to use them. Maybe because I took the time to talk with her she will tell her family to buy direct. But, we're talking years before she uses up the ones she has (based on what she told me).
.

I think you should be honest about it with her. Considering that she is loyal that you may want to make an exception for her if she comes up with a good compromise between your costs and her ability to use them. Or she may find somewhere else to use them and you lose someone who is very loyal and likely so much in a groove that it saves you time as well.
Perhaps, if she is so loyal, she could write a wonderful review?
.

I think you should be honest about it with her.

Not my guest. She called me asking if I took them and then went into a lengthy discussion of how she couldn't believe, after all those years, the other B&B wouldn't let her use them.
HERE, we had a discussion about it. We are very generous with our repeats. Discounts, one night stays on two night mins, gifts, free cancellation, etc.

 

[EmptyNest]

From the conversation I had with the guest, they get these from their family for every holiday/anniversary/birthday. They have a lot of them. (We don't take these GC's so it's not me the guest is angry with. I'm the one who was the 'big ear' as she poured out her frustration.).

why doesn't she just tell them....no more of these gift cards. what isnshe afraid of? She can say lots won't take them any longer and it would be a waste of money. she could give them your name and number and to just buy GC from you
.

why doesn't she just tell them....no more of these gift cards. what isnshe afraid of? She can say lots won't take them any longer and it would be a waste of money. she could give them your name and number and to just buy GC from you

I think it's a tradition in the family to give these for every celebration. Yes, of course, she can tell the family no more. But now she has a lot of these piled up and she wants to use them. Maybe because I took the time to talk with her she will tell her family to buy direct. But, we're talking years before she uses up the ones she has (based on what she told me).
.

I think you should be honest about it with her. Considering that she is loyal that you may want to make an exception for her if she comes up with a good compromise between your costs and her ability to use them. Or she may find somewhere else to use them and you lose someone who is very loyal and likely so much in a groove that it saves you time as well.
Perhaps, if she is so loyal, she could write a wonderful review?
.

I think you should be honest about it with her.

Not my guest. She called me asking if I took them and then went into a lengthy discussion of how she couldn't believe, after all those years, the other B&B wouldn't let her use them.
HERE, we had a discussion about it. We are very generous with our repeats. Discounts, one night stays on two night mins, gifts, free cancellation, etc.
.

Oh...not even your guest. must have missed that. So then I guess all of this discussion was just that.

 

[Silverspoon]

From the conversation I had with the guest, they get these from their family for every holiday/anniversary/birthday. They have a lot of them. (We don't take these GC's so it's not me the guest is angry with. I'm the one who was the 'big ear' as she poured out her frustration.).

Loyal, repeat guests are golden so I would not turn them away....this time. But like everyone else here, I would let them know that this is the last time I will be accepting GCs during a busy weekend. Then stick to it. Put something on the web site about 3rd party GC stating that there are limitations on when this type of card can be redeemed.
We no longer issue or honor any type of Gift Certificate and it has made our life much simpler. People still give gifts but the reservation is made and paid for at the going rate with the same 30 day cancellation period.

 

[Joey Camb]

I would say yes for this year but not again and explain why ie it costs the BB 25% or whatever - relatives are welcome to buy direct.