Coopetition

[Morticia]

We send guests to other B&Bs when we are full. We don't think twice about it. I figure it's good for the industry and the B&Bs that I do this with, send people to me as well.
We did find a restaurant that was doing Air illegally and that was the end of sending guests there. If you don't have scruples... why should I trust you to take care of our guests.
We were in a restaurant and the service was lacklustre. We send a LOT of guests there. I discussed it with management. They assured me that from then on, my guests would get the right treatment. It was sort of a wake-up call... that you never know who may be in your restaurant and that serving us badly could have meant tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue. I've asked our guests since then and they are all enthusiastic about the service... but every reservation is done in the B&Bs name... so he knows that I'm watching all the time.
Stop sending guests. Mention it as the last alternative with no accolades, just matter of fact. And then if they decide they are going there, tell them not to mention where they are staying because the owner gets a little "odd" when you do. People will get the message..

Regarding referrals (to restaurants), I don't think innkeepers should refer a guest to any business without vetting it. Either a place you really like to eat, one that is award winning in your area. Our name is on every referral, and if the guest is not so impressed with the referral, then it reflects on you.
Bad or lukewarm Yelp/TA reviews, B&B reports, etc. should probably be checked and considered. Not always spot on, but at least a source of info.
There are too many bad to ordinary businesses out there, and I think the whole point of being an innkeeper is to be the expert/reliable source of the places to definitely go.
Doesn't matter if they are next door. If not really good, I would not be in a hurry to send guests there.
.

We saw this in action when we moved here. We were told by several innkeepers to never refer to ABC and XYZ inns because they weren't up to someone's standard.
Obviously we couldn't stay at every inn in town but we also didn't shun anyone because of someone else's opinion.
We met the innkeepers, we took a tour, they shared some recipes with us, offered advice, etc. Sure, their places weren't as nice as ours but they were also quite a bit lower on price.
When guests wanted me to give a referral of course I referred to them saying we'd not stayed with them but they were nice people and had the price the guest was looking for.
When a guest has a bad experience at a restaurant I have recommended I ask for details. Long wait? Poor service? Bad meal? There's nothing I can do about it but sometimes people just want an ear. If I get too many reports like that I forget that place for awhile.
We try to stay current with each restaurant but there are 15 of them within 3 blocks. Plus the summer-only places. One restaurant has horrible reviews because of the owner's politics and attitude. Not attitude at the restaurant, but public persona.
We have a lot of new inn owners here. I'm not going to not refer to them, but I suggest guests read reviews if they don't feel comfortable.

 

[MtnKeeper]

Same thing happened to us, we heard from excellent guests who got married here that the other inn was offering at dessert time to give a tour so they would stay there next time. Gave them discount coupon with their check to use on a stay in next 6 months. My guest was appalled and brought it back to me. She, on her own, wrote them a bad review because she said the push to take the tour ruined their anniversary dinner. Their menu is not in our book and I don't recommend them. They operate their business as they see fit and I do the same.

 

[Flower]

Similar situation here. Another inn, close by, but not next door, used to chat up random people in the street and ask where they were staying. One couple staying here thought it was odd and told us about it. Said he went into a sales pitch about everything he offered that we didn't.
We also used to do joint dinners with them until our guests came back and said their entire meal was like being at one of those vacation rental presentations.
They lifted our website info word for word, had the same packages, etc.
We never mentioned it to them but we were no longer available to do the dinners. And when we were full we referred to other places first..

If you had a copyright notice on the bottom of your website (and everyone should) you could have had your attorney send them a cease and desist letter requiring that they change their website.
Our competitor regularly copies everything we do, usually within 3 months of us initiating it -- from adding a fire pit and seating along to the river, to adding raised-bed gardens to grow vegetables for meals. My usual dismissal is "imitation is their sincerest form of incepting."
.

We have the same thing going on for some years now . It even went so far as coping our names. We started out with one name had a big water issue had to close down for a while opened up with another name. Then a month later they open with a name from both our names.
Then we got a hot tube they got one. We had suites they tried to get close to a suite. Then they sold to someone else and the new people have gone on copying what ever we do. We grew grapes in the first year on our place. then 2 kinds of apples. They did also.
. We do a fancy breakfast they are starting to do the same. Where we advertise they follow . I should be proud they are copying me but after so many years I am growing tired of it. Can't be different at all. any thing I try they do. Our names are so close that it gets guests confused. They have taken our guest also . We have proof.
At this point they are trying to copy our web site but can't quite get there. In Nov. I posted we were going to increase our price and posted that. Now I am laughing cause we did not change our price But they did ..hahaha.
So between a B&B just starting up that we helped them so much by sending them guest and helping them with web site set up reservations and the works.
To our other B&B using a bit of both our names the old one and the new one that we were using.
Heck even other business winery's get us mixed up. You just can't win for trying LOL or can you ?

 

[undersea]

Similar situation here. Another inn, close by, but not next door, used to chat up random people in the street and ask where they were staying. One couple staying here thought it was odd and told us about it. Said he went into a sales pitch about everything he offered that we didn't.
We also used to do joint dinners with them until our guests came back and said their entire meal was like being at one of those vacation rental presentations.
They lifted our website info word for word, had the same packages, etc.
We never mentioned it to them but we were no longer available to do the dinners. And when we were full we referred to other places first..

If you had a copyright notice on the bottom of your website (and everyone should) you could have had your attorney send them a cease and desist letter requiring that they change their website.
Our competitor regularly copies everything we do, usually within 3 months of us initiating it -- from adding a fire pit and seating along to the river, to adding raised-bed gardens to grow vegetables for meals. My usual dismissal is "imitation is their sincerest form of incepting."
.

We have the same thing going on for some years now . It even went so far as coping our names. We started out with one name had a big water issue had to close down for a while opened up with another name. Then a month later they open with a name from both our names.
Then we got a hot tube they got one. We had suites they tried to get close to a suite. Then they sold to someone else and the new people have gone on copying what ever we do. We grew grapes in the first year on our place. then 2 kinds of apples. They did also.
. We do a fancy breakfast they are starting to do the same. Where we advertise they follow . I should be proud they are copying me but after so many years I am growing tired of it. Can't be different at all. any thing I try they do. Our names are so close that it gets guests confused. They have taken our guest also . We have proof.
At this point they are trying to copy our web site but can't quite get there. In Nov. I posted we were going to increase our price and posted that. Now I am laughing cause we did not change our price But they did ..hahaha.
So between a B&B just starting up that we helped them so much by sending them guest and helping them with web site set up reservations and the works.
To our other B&B using a bit of both our names the old one and the new one that we were using.
Heck even other business winery's get us mixed up. You just can't win for trying LOL or can you ?
.

If you had registered your name with the state as DBA, etc. - then if someone else uses something too similar, you can file a complaint. Imagine a nice story in your local paper that XYZ caught infringing on another's name...
Heaven knows, places like McDonalds and other corporations aggressively go after those that infringe.

 

[Flower]

Similar situation here. Another inn, close by, but not next door, used to chat up random people in the street and ask where they were staying. One couple staying here thought it was odd and told us about it. Said he went into a sales pitch about everything he offered that we didn't.
We also used to do joint dinners with them until our guests came back and said their entire meal was like being at one of those vacation rental presentations.
They lifted our website info word for word, had the same packages, etc.
We never mentioned it to them but we were no longer available to do the dinners. And when we were full we referred to other places first..

If you had a copyright notice on the bottom of your website (and everyone should) you could have had your attorney send them a cease and desist letter requiring that they change their website.
Our competitor regularly copies everything we do, usually within 3 months of us initiating it -- from adding a fire pit and seating along to the river, to adding raised-bed gardens to grow vegetables for meals. My usual dismissal is "imitation is their sincerest form of incepting."
.

We have the same thing going on for some years now . It even went so far as coping our names. We started out with one name had a big water issue had to close down for a while opened up with another name. Then a month later they open with a name from both our names.
Then we got a hot tube they got one. We had suites they tried to get close to a suite. Then they sold to someone else and the new people have gone on copying what ever we do. We grew grapes in the first year on our place. then 2 kinds of apples. They did also.
. We do a fancy breakfast they are starting to do the same. Where we advertise they follow . I should be proud they are copying me but after so many years I am growing tired of it. Can't be different at all. any thing I try they do. Our names are so close that it gets guests confused. They have taken our guest also . We have proof.
At this point they are trying to copy our web site but can't quite get there. In Nov. I posted we were going to increase our price and posted that. Now I am laughing cause we did not change our price But they did ..hahaha.
So between a B&B just starting up that we helped them so much by sending them guest and helping them with web site set up reservations and the works.
To our other B&B using a bit of both our names the old one and the new one that we were using.
Heck even other business winery's get us mixed up. You just can't win for trying LOL or can you ?
.

If you had registered your name with the state as DBA, etc. - then if someone else uses something too similar, you can file a complaint. Imagine a nice story in your local paper that XYZ caught infringing on another's name...
Heaven knows, places like McDonalds and other corporations aggressively go after those that infringe.
.

Thanks undersea. But in this province there is nothing to stop any one using a name.

 

[undersea]

Similar situation here. Another inn, close by, but not next door, used to chat up random people in the street and ask where they were staying. One couple staying here thought it was odd and told us about it. Said he went into a sales pitch about everything he offered that we didn't.
We also used to do joint dinners with them until our guests came back and said their entire meal was like being at one of those vacation rental presentations.
They lifted our website info word for word, had the same packages, etc.
We never mentioned it to them but we were no longer available to do the dinners. And when we were full we referred to other places first..

If you had a copyright notice on the bottom of your website (and everyone should) you could have had your attorney send them a cease and desist letter requiring that they change their website.
Our competitor regularly copies everything we do, usually within 3 months of us initiating it -- from adding a fire pit and seating along to the river, to adding raised-bed gardens to grow vegetables for meals. My usual dismissal is "imitation is their sincerest form of incepting."
.

We have the same thing going on for some years now . It even went so far as coping our names. We started out with one name had a big water issue had to close down for a while opened up with another name. Then a month later they open with a name from both our names.
Then we got a hot tube they got one. We had suites they tried to get close to a suite. Then they sold to someone else and the new people have gone on copying what ever we do. We grew grapes in the first year on our place. then 2 kinds of apples. They did also.
. We do a fancy breakfast they are starting to do the same. Where we advertise they follow . I should be proud they are copying me but after so many years I am growing tired of it. Can't be different at all. any thing I try they do. Our names are so close that it gets guests confused. They have taken our guest also . We have proof.
At this point they are trying to copy our web site but can't quite get there. In Nov. I posted we were going to increase our price and posted that. Now I am laughing cause we did not change our price But they did ..hahaha.
So between a B&B just starting up that we helped them so much by sending them guest and helping them with web site set up reservations and the works.
To our other B&B using a bit of both our names the old one and the new one that we were using.
Heck even other business winery's get us mixed up. You just can't win for trying LOL or can you ?
.

If you had registered your name with the state as DBA, etc. - then if someone else uses something too similar, you can file a complaint. Imagine a nice story in your local paper that XYZ caught infringing on another's name...
Heaven knows, places like McDonalds and other corporations aggressively go after those that infringe.
.

Thanks undersea. But in this province there is nothing to stop any one using a name.
.

ok - I am only familiar with American law; was under the impression that you had similar protections. Did you register your name with someone, originally?

 

[Breakfast Diva]

Similar situation here. Another inn, close by, but not next door, used to chat up random people in the street and ask where they were staying. One couple staying here thought it was odd and told us about it. Said he went into a sales pitch about everything he offered that we didn't.
We also used to do joint dinners with them until our guests came back and said their entire meal was like being at one of those vacation rental presentations.
They lifted our website info word for word, had the same packages, etc.
We never mentioned it to them but we were no longer available to do the dinners. And when we were full we referred to other places first..

If you had a copyright notice on the bottom of your website (and everyone should) you could have had your attorney send them a cease and desist letter requiring that they change their website.
Our competitor regularly copies everything we do, usually within 3 months of us initiating it -- from adding a fire pit and seating along to the river, to adding raised-bed gardens to grow vegetables for meals. My usual dismissal is "imitation is their sincerest form of incepting."
.

We have the same thing going on for some years now . It even went so far as coping our names. We started out with one name had a big water issue had to close down for a while opened up with another name. Then a month later they open with a name from both our names.
Then we got a hot tube they got one. We had suites they tried to get close to a suite. Then they sold to someone else and the new people have gone on copying what ever we do. We grew grapes in the first year on our place. then 2 kinds of apples. They did also.
. We do a fancy breakfast they are starting to do the same. Where we advertise they follow . I should be proud they are copying me but after so many years I am growing tired of it. Can't be different at all. any thing I try they do. Our names are so close that it gets guests confused. They have taken our guest also . We have proof.
At this point they are trying to copy our web site but can't quite get there. In Nov. I posted we were going to increase our price and posted that. Now I am laughing cause we did not change our price But they did ..hahaha.
So between a B&B just starting up that we helped them so much by sending them guest and helping them with web site set up reservations and the works.
To our other B&B using a bit of both our names the old one and the new one that we were using.
Heck even other business winery's get us mixed up. You just can't win for trying LOL or can you ?
.

If you had registered your name with the state as DBA, etc. - then if someone else uses something too similar, you can file a complaint. Imagine a nice story in your local paper that XYZ caught infringing on another's name...
Heaven knows, places like McDonalds and other corporations aggressively go after those that infringe.
.

All they have to do is change a word. There's a couple I know who owned 2 motels. Across the road from one another. Sold the 2nd one. New owners came in and changed the name.
Motel A was "Inn at (name of town)
Motel B was now named "(name of town) Inn
Nothing they could do. Bad blood from the get go. Not a way to ingratiate yourself with the community.

 

[undersea]

Similar situation here. Another inn, close by, but not next door, used to chat up random people in the street and ask where they were staying. One couple staying here thought it was odd and told us about it. Said he went into a sales pitch about everything he offered that we didn't.
We also used to do joint dinners with them until our guests came back and said their entire meal was like being at one of those vacation rental presentations.
They lifted our website info word for word, had the same packages, etc.
We never mentioned it to them but we were no longer available to do the dinners. And when we were full we referred to other places first..

If you had a copyright notice on the bottom of your website (and everyone should) you could have had your attorney send them a cease and desist letter requiring that they change their website.
Our competitor regularly copies everything we do, usually within 3 months of us initiating it -- from adding a fire pit and seating along to the river, to adding raised-bed gardens to grow vegetables for meals. My usual dismissal is "imitation is their sincerest form of incepting."
.

We have the same thing going on for some years now . It even went so far as coping our names. We started out with one name had a big water issue had to close down for a while opened up with another name. Then a month later they open with a name from both our names.
Then we got a hot tube they got one. We had suites they tried to get close to a suite. Then they sold to someone else and the new people have gone on copying what ever we do. We grew grapes in the first year on our place. then 2 kinds of apples. They did also.
. We do a fancy breakfast they are starting to do the same. Where we advertise they follow . I should be proud they are copying me but after so many years I am growing tired of it. Can't be different at all. any thing I try they do. Our names are so close that it gets guests confused. They have taken our guest also . We have proof.
At this point they are trying to copy our web site but can't quite get there. In Nov. I posted we were going to increase our price and posted that. Now I am laughing cause we did not change our price But they did ..hahaha.
So between a B&B just starting up that we helped them so much by sending them guest and helping them with web site set up reservations and the works.
To our other B&B using a bit of both our names the old one and the new one that we were using.
Heck even other business winery's get us mixed up. You just can't win for trying LOL or can you ?
.

If you had registered your name with the state as DBA, etc. - then if someone else uses something too similar, you can file a complaint. Imagine a nice story in your local paper that XYZ caught infringing on another's name...
Heaven knows, places like McDonalds and other corporations aggressively go after those that infringe.
.

All they have to do is change a word. There's a couple I know who owned 2 motels. Across the road from one another. Sold the 2nd one. New owners came in and changed the name.
Motel A was "Inn at (name of town)
Motel B was now named "(name of town) Inn
Nothing they could do. Bad blood from the get go. Not a way to ingratiate yourself with the community.
.

True. But you can still file a complaint (USA) with the state and let the officials decide. If they turn you down, it didn't cost much to try.

 

[Garden_Pix_Inn]

We send guests to other B&Bs when we are full. We don't think twice about it. I figure it's good for the industry and the B&Bs that I do this with, send people to me as well.
We did find a restaurant that was doing Air illegally and that was the end of sending guests there. If you don't have scruples... why should I trust you to take care of our guests.
We were in a restaurant and the service was lacklustre. We send a LOT of guests there. I discussed it with management. They assured me that from then on, my guests would get the right treatment. It was sort of a wake-up call... that you never know who may be in your restaurant and that serving us badly could have meant tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue. I've asked our guests since then and they are all enthusiastic about the service... but every reservation is done in the B&Bs name... so he knows that I'm watching all the time.
Stop sending guests. Mention it as the last alternative with no accolades, just matter of fact. And then if they decide they are going there, tell them not to mention where they are staying because the owner gets a little "odd" when you do. People will get the message..

We were in a restaurant and the service was lackluster. We send a LOT of guests there. I discussed it with management. They assured me that from then on, my guests would get the right treatment. It was sort of a wake-up call... that you never know who may be in your restaurant and that serving us badly could have meant tens of thousands of dollars in lost revenue.

We had that happen but we did not feel that the manger--owner's brother-in-law, would be receptive to such a conversation. I ended up posting a mediocre review on TripAdvisor. A mutual friend came to me--a year later now--and asked me to take it down. The problem manager and staff are gone and the restaurant is "trying hard." I said "OK, but if I see or hear of non-improvement another review goes up!" [Probably won't but people need to be accountable to SOMEBODY!]
What we do is try to sample all the local food (a few of them I just can't stand personally and no, I've only be there once or not at all). We try to keep menus current (if you don't visit that is tough and I've NEVER had a restauranteur "remember me" with a menu--even though menus are what actually SELLS their customers.)
I try to give an accurate description of the experience they can expect while pointing out any oddities they need to know (cash only, reservations required, not open late, no alcohol, etc.) Guests can then judge for themselves and NOT hold me accountable for anything they end up not liking.
Through the years (first out of self preservation) the restaurant nearest me has become a "close friend." And yes, I often mention them first but not always. They aren't always perfect; none of us are. However, knowing them well, we feel we can recommend with confidence. The same goes for another restaurant whose food is excellent (I simply don't like their sauces so I rarely eat there myself).
I can't tell you how valuable it is to have at least one local restaurant you trust like your business partner! There are times when each of us has gotten in a bind and we each know they other will be there for the other. Example: caterers really do not want to work Mondays; restaurants here are rarely open on Mondays. My "buddy" will work it out so we can do a small catered dinner on a Monday night. As the chef said "It's Judy. Of course we'll work it out!"
I don't look for pay back but THAT can-do attitude is the pay back you get from a very close, professional relationship. Mind you: I do tell them when something goes wrong or something doesn't taste the way I think it should or complaints are expressed. I expect to hear feedback as well.
We all get a bit defensive with criticism; it helps when you know the giver only has your best interests at heart (be the best you can be!)

 

[gillumhouse]

Similar situation here. Another inn, close by, but not next door, used to chat up random people in the street and ask where they were staying. One couple staying here thought it was odd and told us about it. Said he went into a sales pitch about everything he offered that we didn't.
We also used to do joint dinners with them until our guests came back and said their entire meal was like being at one of those vacation rental presentations.
They lifted our website info word for word, had the same packages, etc.
We never mentioned it to them but we were no longer available to do the dinners. And when we were full we referred to other places first..

If you had a copyright notice on the bottom of your website (and everyone should) you could have had your attorney send them a cease and desist letter requiring that they change their website.
Our competitor regularly copies everything we do, usually within 3 months of us initiating it -- from adding a fire pit and seating along to the river, to adding raised-bed gardens to grow vegetables for meals. My usual dismissal is "imitation is their sincerest form of incepting."
.

We have the same thing going on for some years now . It even went so far as coping our names. We started out with one name had a big water issue had to close down for a while opened up with another name. Then a month later they open with a name from both our names.
Then we got a hot tube they got one. We had suites they tried to get close to a suite. Then they sold to someone else and the new people have gone on copying what ever we do. We grew grapes in the first year on our place. then 2 kinds of apples. They did also.
. We do a fancy breakfast they are starting to do the same. Where we advertise they follow . I should be proud they are copying me but after so many years I am growing tired of it. Can't be different at all. any thing I try they do. Our names are so close that it gets guests confused. They have taken our guest also . We have proof.
At this point they are trying to copy our web site but can't quite get there. In Nov. I posted we were going to increase our price and posted that. Now I am laughing cause we did not change our price But they did ..hahaha.
So between a B&B just starting up that we helped them so much by sending them guest and helping them with web site set up reservations and the works.
To our other B&B using a bit of both our names the old one and the new one that we were using.
Heck even other business winery's get us mixed up. You just can't win for trying LOL or can you ?
.

If you had registered your name with the state as DBA, etc. - then if someone else uses something too similar, you can file a complaint. Imagine a nice story in your local paper that XYZ caught infringing on another's name...
Heaven knows, places like McDonalds and other corporations aggressively go after those that infringe.
.

All they have to do is change a word. There's a couple I know who owned 2 motels. Across the road from one another. Sold the 2nd one. New owners came in and changed the name.
Motel A was "Inn at (name of town)
Motel B was now named "(name of town) Inn
Nothing they could do. Bad blood from the get go. Not a way to ingratiate yourself with the community.
.

Exactly. We have to register the business name with the Secretary of State and there can be only one business of any kind in the State with that name (tax dept easily confused I guess) but if spelling is different, even if it would sound the same, or one letter/word is different, all is OK. It is only the BIG Boys corporations that have the dollars to fight similar names. Most of us do not bother to copyright our business names - no way am I starting a chain of B & Bs.

 

[Copperhead]

Oh, boy can I relate on 2 properties. One when we first opened, which has been closed for 10 years now. And one that is in business now.
I would refer to each when we were full or the other one (either) had the amenities the person desired.
The first one did themselves in when I heard stories from guest who had either previously stayed there or had called them first. Found out a lot about the couple and their ways. I had heard from the innkeeper who groomed me how the other could be but I chose to learn myself. And I learned a lot.
Second one accepted pets. Anyone calling who was traveling with a pet was referred there. That was before we did business with them in another regard. I learned just how they treated their customers. NO THANK YOU. And they never have gotten a referral since. Since they do offer other business offerings, others have stayed here and gone to their business for the other offering. Many a time the guest told me she put down our place and that her B&B was so much better. Glad I was told, never send customers there when there are 2 other places that offer same offerings - and without grief or thief (of my customers).