How do you reply to people always looking for a discount?

[Iris]

I have a nothing throwaway line when people ask if there are any discounts, or if we have a AAA or AARP discount:
"Our discounts are already built into our rates."
Amazingly, after 2 years of using this, no a single person has thought twice to question it. Amazing..

I have a nothing throwaway line when people ask if there are any discounts, or if we have a AAA or AARP discount:
"Our discounts are already built into our rates."
Amazingly, after 2 years of using this, no a single person has thought twice to question it. Amazing.

This has worked very well for me, too. Earlier last month, I met with a SCORE adviser because my business was down 10% from last year. There were several factors leading to this, not many of which were under my control. Anyway, he helped me look at the entire business thru his eyes and he's not a B&B guru, but a very savvy businessman. I got rid of all of my discounts and re-adjusted the rates. Since doing this, the reservations have increased and I figured that with the new adjusted rates, my ADR is not going to be any less than I was getting with all the discounts. The rate is what it is and it's SO much easier not having to calculate everything!
So, when guests call and ask about discounts, that's exactly what I tell them - we've re-adjusted the rates to include all the previous discounts and specials. NO ONE has questioned it!
.

To me, discounts are never for peak seasons. But for midweek or offseason, I think can discount rather than have an empty bed, on a case by case basis. But it doesn't have to be publicized.
If for a Tuesday, someone is waving a $100 bill for a $125 room, and prospects are not good, I would grab it.
.

To me, discounts are never for peak seasons. But for midweek or offseason, I think can discount rather than have an empty bed, on a case by case basis. But it doesn't have to be publicized.
If for a Tuesday, someone is waving a $100 bill for a $125 room, and prospects are not good, I would grab it.

And here is why I will not take it.
That person has just said my B & B and my room is not worth my rate. I am not good enough to pay the rate I am asking. I will not be belittled or devalued.
That $25 that person is not willing to pay is part of what I need to pay for what he has used being here. In the winter it costs to heat the room(s - if in private bath), in summer to run A/C. If the rooms are empty those are not on. It costs me in water/sewer/garbage/laundry costs/time to iron. It costs for the breakfast foods I do not buy if I do not have guests. My guests get the premium grade ingredients - we live from the lets get rid of shelf.
So no, I am not going to take the $100 that person has offered as if we were "drag a $100 bill through the trailer court". MY bed & breakfast is and I am CLASS.
.

To me, discounts are never for peak seasons. But for midweek or offseason, I think can discount rather than have an empty bed, on a case by case basis. But it doesn't have to be publicized.
If for a Tuesday, someone is waving a $100 bill for a $125 room, and prospects are not good, I would grab it.

And here is why I will not take it.
That person has just said my B & B and my room is not worth my rate. I am not good enough to pay the rate I am asking. I will not be belittled or devalued.
That $25 that person is not willing to pay is part of what I need to pay for what he has used being here. In the winter it costs to heat the room(s - if in private bath), in summer to run A/C. If the rooms are empty those are not on. It costs me in water/sewer/garbage/laundry costs/time to iron. It costs for the breakfast foods I do not buy if I do not have guests. My guests get the premium grade ingredients - we live from the lets get rid of shelf.
So no, I am not going to take the $100 that person has offered as if we were "drag a $100 bill through the trailer court". MY bed & breakfast is and I am CLASS.

But it the room would stand empty anyway, why turn it away? If it's 10 PM and you're ready to retire, here comes a guy who wants a quick sleep - I'd take it under that circumstance.

 

[happykeeper]

I have a nothing throwaway line when people ask if there are any discounts, or if we have a AAA or AARP discount:
"Our discounts are already built into our rates."
Amazingly, after 2 years of using this, no a single person has thought twice to question it. Amazing..

I have a nothing throwaway line when people ask if there are any discounts, or if we have a AAA or AARP discount:
"Our discounts are already built into our rates."
Amazingly, after 2 years of using this, no a single person has thought twice to question it. Amazing.

This has worked very well for me, too. Earlier last month, I met with a SCORE adviser because my business was down 10% from last year. There were several factors leading to this, not many of which were under my control. Anyway, he helped me look at the entire business thru his eyes and he's not a B&B guru, but a very savvy businessman. I got rid of all of my discounts and re-adjusted the rates. Since doing this, the reservations have increased and I figured that with the new adjusted rates, my ADR is not going to be any less than I was getting with all the discounts. The rate is what it is and it's SO much easier not having to calculate everything!
So, when guests call and ask about discounts, that's exactly what I tell them - we've re-adjusted the rates to include all the previous discounts and specials. NO ONE has questioned it!
.

To me, discounts are never for peak seasons. But for midweek or offseason, I think can discount rather than have an empty bed, on a case by case basis. But it doesn't have to be publicized.
If for a Tuesday, someone is waving a $100 bill for a $125 room, and prospects are not good, I would grab it.
.

To me, discounts are never for peak seasons. But for midweek or offseason, I think can discount rather than have an empty bed, on a case by case basis. But it doesn't have to be publicized.
If for a Tuesday, someone is waving a $100 bill for a $125 room, and prospects are not good, I would grab it.

And here is why I will not take it.
That person has just said my B & B and my room is not worth my rate. I am not good enough to pay the rate I am asking. I will not be belittled or devalued.
That $25 that person is not willing to pay is part of what I need to pay for what he has used being here. In the winter it costs to heat the room(s - if in private bath), in summer to run A/C. If the rooms are empty those are not on. It costs me in water/sewer/garbage/laundry costs/time to iron. It costs for the breakfast foods I do not buy if I do not have guests. My guests get the premium grade ingredients - we live from the lets get rid of shelf.
So no, I am not going to take the $100 that person has offered as if we were "drag a $100 bill through the trailer court". MY bed & breakfast is and I am CLASS.
.

To me, discounts are never for peak seasons. But for midweek or offseason, I think can discount rather than have an empty bed, on a case by case basis. But it doesn't have to be publicized.
If for a Tuesday, someone is waving a $100 bill for a $125 room, and prospects are not good, I would grab it.

And here is why I will not take it.
That person has just said my B & B and my room is not worth my rate. I am not good enough to pay the rate I am asking. I will not be belittled or devalued.
That $25 that person is not willing to pay is part of what I need to pay for what he has used being here. In the winter it costs to heat the room(s - if in private bath), in summer to run A/C. If the rooms are empty those are not on. It costs me in water/sewer/garbage/laundry costs/time to iron. It costs for the breakfast foods I do not buy if I do not have guests. My guests get the premium grade ingredients - we live from the lets get rid of shelf.
So no, I am not going to take the $100 that person has offered as if we were "drag a $100 bill through the trailer court". MY bed & breakfast is and I am CLASS.

But it the room would stand empty anyway, why turn it away? If it's 10 PM and you're ready to retire, here comes a guy who wants a quick sleep - I'd take it under that circumstance.
.

Well it does depend on some other things. We are not a hotel and we do not employ a heads in beds method to measure our total success. Others may behave very much like a hotel, in which case you are driven by occupancy where taking in a discounted rate might make perfect sense.
For us, perhaps because we so hands on, that would never have worked. We would have been burned out by year three. The people who stay with us our people who planned ahead to do so and they are our perfect guests. the fellow who shows up and is trained to bargain since it is last minute- not so much.

 

[Donald Draper]

My standard reply is "I'm sorry, we're just too small to be able to do discounts". Most of the time they say they understand and it didn't hurt to ask.
Just continue to stand your ground. They obviously they enjoy what you provide and keep coming back. I'm like you, I'd rather have an empty room than to give the pushy ones a discount. It's not as if we don't have to look them in the eye every day they're here!.

We're too small is the answer I give.
It only took me about a year to figure out that the folks who asked for a discount were also the ones who asked for extra coffee and towels and soap and bottled water, wanted Kcups of tea or hot chocolate instead of coffee in the room, decided to eat dinner before checking in and kept us waiting two extra hours without calling, wanted late checkout, etc.
Not so much that they were cheapskates as just DIVAS! I finally told hubby that if discounted rates meant discounted quality of guests, it wasn't worth it!
.

It only took me about a year to figure out that the folks who asked for a discount were also the ones who asked for extra coffee and towels and soap and bottled water, wanted Kcups of tea or hot chocolate instead of coffee in the room, decided to eat dinner before checking in and kept us waiting two extra hours without calling, wanted late checkout, etc.

Yes, yes and yes!

 

[undersea]

My standard reply is "I'm sorry, we're just too small to be able to do discounts". Most of the time they say they understand and it didn't hurt to ask.
Just continue to stand your ground. They obviously they enjoy what you provide and keep coming back. I'm like you, I'd rather have an empty room than to give the pushy ones a discount. It's not as if we don't have to look them in the eye every day they're here!.

We're too small is the answer I give.
It only took me about a year to figure out that the folks who asked for a discount were also the ones who asked for extra coffee and towels and soap and bottled water, wanted Kcups of tea or hot chocolate instead of coffee in the room, decided to eat dinner before checking in and kept us waiting two extra hours without calling, wanted late checkout, etc.
Not so much that they were cheapskates as just DIVAS! I finally told hubby that if discounted rates meant discounted quality of guests, it wasn't worth it!
.

I likely seek a discount, but do not try to be a burden on the person. I cannot agree that most who ask a discount are automatically PITAs. I have been a landlord for a while; there are a lot of people out there who are not that well off.
I remember at a Club Med many years ago. I was at a table with a doctor, who after a week at the Club Med, was jetting off to another resort in Canada. Meanwhile, there was a young, excited secretary at the table who was very happy and chatty. It became clear she vacationed rarely, because she had limited means. I am sure she did a little homework so she could afford coming.
It may be there is a higher correlation; discount seekers are not always prima-donnas. I think most people are seeking the best price. Many of them may not even have called you, because you were filtered out by price, etc. on the OTAs, or other sites.
I think the annoying habits as listed above, need to be mostly handled by good policies and procedures, such as your "we are too small" policy.

 

[Tom]

Aspirings take note! Over 60 posts on this thread ... sensitive topic?
On this, and on many other issues, a good innkeeper learns to politely say "no" when appropriate, and sticks to it once said.

 

[Morticia]

Caller today wanted to stay way longer than we're happy with. I'm good for about 8-10 days. This was 3 weeks. Wanted to negotiate a rate she was happy with. In peak season. Complained our prices were the highest in town (not even close). Demanded to know where we were located. (Demanded. Didn't ask.) Argued with Gomez about the building next door. Argued with him about something else. Finally hung up on him when she said she had a pet and he said we don't take pets. After telling her we don't do long term rentals, either.
We have a list of places that are half the price we charge. She didn't wait. I wouldn't have taken the rez after she started arguing with us anyway. Wrong fit. We're (ha, ha) a calm & serene place to stay. (I'm only wound up on here.)

 

[Lee2014]

Caller today wanted to stay way longer than we're happy with. I'm good for about 8-10 days. This was 3 weeks. Wanted to negotiate a rate she was happy with. In peak season. Complained our prices were the highest in town (not even close). Demanded to know where we were located. (Demanded. Didn't ask.) Argued with Gomez about the building next door. Argued with him about something else. Finally hung up on him when she said she had a pet and he said we don't take pets. After telling her we don't do long term rentals, either.
We have a list of places that are half the price we charge. She didn't wait. I wouldn't have taken the rez after she started arguing with us anyway. Wrong fit. We're (ha, ha) a calm & serene place to stay. (I'm only wound up on here.).

Sounds like you could live without that guest....enjoy the quiet!