Some customers should get real !

[AussieFarmStay]

Hi Everyone! Well here is a rather long rant.
A customer has been enquiring through a directory site the biggest over here I've been with them for 11yrs.
I sent him 2 responses to his 2 separate email enquiries one on the 08/01/15 and the other on the 13/01/05 ...... both within hrs.
His 13/01 email enquiry was sent at 11.32 at night
I contacted him by email at 10.16 am the next morning.
We are not hosted accommodation, we are self catering self contained HOST FREE accommodation which is really popular in farm stay type accommodation, especially for families over here in AUS.

He then leaves 2 separate messages on my answering machine - two hrs apart - to just ask questions not to book.
I was out for 4 hrs but our 30 second message on the answering machine has been recorded by a voice over professional. It is really informative and indeed explains we will call back as soon as we can.
He then calls the travel directory he found our property on ( a huge one over here) and opens a case (a complaint that needs to be investigated) that I haven’t responded promptly !!!!
I listened to the messages immediately on return at about 6 pm, as indeed a present guest may need help, or a farm animal may need assistance.
When it was a two call message I called him without opening my emails - so at this stage - I had not yet seen the complaint ‘opened Case email’ when I returned after a day at the beach.
I managed his discount pushiness professionally and was very friendly to him even though it was certainly trying, he was working on every angle……
1. He had enquired for 4 people in a cottage, but ‘couldn’t understand’ why more people 'suddenly' arriving from India would be extra than the quoted amount.
2. He ‘couldn’t understand’ why high season (school holidays) was dearer than low season.
3. He ‘couldn’t understand’ that he had requested Tues to Thur (my site even adds up the nights and specified the quote was for a time length of 2 nights), and that it didn’t therefore include Tues Wed and Thurs night.
4. He 'couldn’t understand' that I wasn’t going to give HIM a concession further than I had already offered.
5. He 'couldn’t understand' why there is a set arrival from time, and a departure time indeed he sounded (almost convincingly) surprised.
He asked when he can receive confirmation. He didn’t want to put down the dosh!!!!!!!
(Naturally) I said when you place the deposit, I can send you a full confirmation package with lots of information.
SQUEEZE SQUEEZE SQUEEZE. Luckily I am pretty used to most cultures as my retail shops were in a tourist location in high end retail Sydney. Throw me an objection, and I’ll bat it back in a friendly professional way…..Almost like sport!
I ended the call, offering to put it on hold till the following midday so he could work out how many people he was bringing (and indeed probably to work out how many people he could sneak in). He was happy with this, and indeed I feel strongly he was going to book (probably after going through some more bargaining antics) the following day.
Well, I then went to my computer, onto my emails to see what other enquiries had arrived, and LO and BEHOLD, I saw he had opened a ‘Case’ against me with my main directory at 5.01 pm.
Well I tell you what……. I called him back and told him firmly but professionally. I asked him why in no uncertain terms, he tried to wriggle and give excuses, BUT I DID’NT GIVE HIM AN INCH - or give him any back doors to get out of….
After I had cornered him and proven ( to a reasonable person anyway) his actions were well and truly over the top, I told him he was way too impatient and way too demanding (I never stooped to bring up his painful bargaining tactics or trickster ways….) and that he could look elsewhere for accom.
I am refusing to accommodate him.... as we are self contained HOST FREE accommodation this is actually our drawcard…….and someone without realistic expectations is bound to be disappointed, something we cannot have, so it is best he finds a place elsewhere.
God I felt good!
An email to the directory explaining my prompt timings, and thanking them, a couple of glasses of Merlot ...a nice family dinner and all was calm again....

 

[charlie may]

Welcome fellow rant-er. Always feels better after a rant.

 

[Lee2014]

Huh?!? Yes, you don't want him staying with you. We have found out from experience that the ones who try to "wheel and deal" to a lower price are more likely to be the most "needful" and uncaring of others property of our guests. So it's a lose-lose situation. Not all but most.
I hope this ends well for you all and I hope that he forgets about reviews online.

 

[charlie may]

QUESTION: Do you let the guests interact with the animals without you being present---in the pen with the animals or just through the fence? I also have friendly animals but will not let guests visit the barnyard without one of us---Just don't trust the city folks with their inexperience.

 

[happykeeper]

This is the innkeeper's discretion at work. We have a friend with a self-catered situation. He doesn't hesitate to weed the garden.
Where we live, pushing is very bad form. Many an application gets lost this way.

 

[An Old Tavernkeeper]

I am traveling your way, do you have anything available for my family of 6 for about 50p? If we pay your full room rate I assume transport from London to Sydney is included at no charge.
Too late, you took too long and I am upset. So I have already filed a complaint with the U.N.

 

[Aussie Innkeeper]

After the first 'complaint', I would have sent him packing!! You have the patience of Job. No amount of $$ is worth this hassle.

 

[JBloggs]

There really are cultural differences.
I am glad you are thick skinned and got wind of it to send him packing!
Now there's an innkeeping term we can all love and use.
There was another innkeeping term we had a chuckle about onTuesday, DH said that guy over there is "checking you out" and I said, oh contrare he is checking you out. (We were at the Psychedelic Furs concert - you may know what I mean by that) and so we laughed, as we are usually the ones "checking someone out"

 

[GoodScout]

There's a reason phones are built with buttons that hang up the call.
There's a reason computers have delete buttons.

 

[AussieFarmStay]

Hello Charlie!!!!
I let them walk in and pat the animals but there are super disclaimers everywhere, in their confirmation, on every gate, even on the fridge lol. I recommend travel insurance in my confirmation email too.
They are allowed to feed the animals BUT even with this we say it's over the fence and say how to do it. We warm them that our animals are not tame like cats and dogs but are farm animals so can startle and act unpredictably etc etc.
My insurance has read it (the gate signs) and suggested a couple of minor changed and they are happy.

 

[charlie may]

Hello Charlie!!!!
I let them walk in and pat the animals but there are super disclaimers everywhere, in their confirmation, on every gate, even on the fridge lol. I recommend travel insurance in my confirmation email too.
They are allowed to feed the animals BUT even with this we say it's over the fence and say how to do it. We warm them that our animals are not tame like cats and dogs but are farm animals so can startle and act unpredictably etc etc.
My insurance has read it (the gate signs) and suggested a couple of minor changed and they are happy..

Thank you for that! You cover your butt well!

 

[AussieFarmStay]

Hello Charlie!!!!
I let them walk in and pat the animals but there are super disclaimers everywhere, in their confirmation, on every gate, even on the fridge lol. I recommend travel insurance in my confirmation email too.
They are allowed to feed the animals BUT even with this we say it's over the fence and say how to do it. We warm them that our animals are not tame like cats and dogs but are farm animals so can startle and act unpredictably etc etc.
My insurance has read it (the gate signs) and suggested a couple of minor changed and they are happy..

Thank you for that! You cover your butt well!
.

You're welcome

The other thing is that we are super careful with the animals.
If a horse alpaca, young ram, rooster starts to act up it isn't suitable at a farmstay. So you have to be very careful of the 'nature of the beast' you bring in if you introduce new animals.
So for example a rooster would be best chosen from a purebred of a known breed that is kindly and quiet. I like Ancona or Barnvelders and also Welsummers.
No Stallions.
No entire young ram in a paddock where another ram (even his dad) is...
If you wanted to purchase an alpaca stud male, you would pat him and get in his face a bit - you actually need to see if he is going to take you on, nip or spit.
Calm animals not anxious is best. Sort of the old saying 'bombproof'.
On another side you need to protect the animals from guests. We have a pen of Giant Rabbits we have built not just an enclosure with hutch inside but also have used sprung gates so guests cannot forget to lock the gate (trampoline springs can do this)..Then we have cement drainage tunnels very heavy so that the bunnies can 'get away' from children when they have had enough!
So remember to have clear disclaimer signage, kindly animals assuming your guests have no idea at all.... and sprung gates too.
BUT you must do it in relation to the business with a love of the animals as a lifestyle choice.
Having poultry and animals sure makes my business popular, but the costs, the emotional toil, the work they involve is HUGE.