Generic
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- Feb 24, 2011
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I sometimes wonder if the reason that so many restaurants go out of business is simply they have no idea what marketing is. Really, a B&B is in your area, you think you could come over, introduce yourself and give a menu, so that guests can peruse a sample menu when making a decision.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!!!!we had this once - one of our loyal regulars, she came right back to me and told me.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.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..
Not the first time we heard he had done that.
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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.
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We have a street with 10 restaurants, most struggling, very close to us. In all the years just 1 of the restaurants has dropped off a menu and that was when they were opening. At least they made an effort.