3rd new one in a month

[CafeMae]

I kind of disagree...at least for the moment. I can remember when I opened our inn and people would offer lots and tons of advice- second guest, third guest, list of suggestions! IF it's their first month, they have a lot on their plate and words of wisdom would come in one ear and out the other. If your intention is to help them out, I would hold off for a few weeks. Spelling is pretty, well, commonplace, and could be a good chance they will catch it and fix it in the order of many competing priorities. If, not, then bring it up following excellent approaches mentioned here.
If your intention is to make sure the town doesn't look bad, well, then point it out.

 

[Madeleine]

I kind of disagree...at least for the moment. I can remember when I opened our inn and people would offer lots and tons of advice- second guest, third guest, list of suggestions! IF it's their first month, they have a lot on their plate and words of wisdom would come in one ear and out the other. If your intention is to help them out, I would hold off for a few weeks. Spelling is pretty, well, commonplace, and could be a good chance they will catch it and fix it in the order of many competing priorities. If, not, then bring it up following excellent approaches mentioned here.
If your intention is to make sure the town doesn't look bad, well, then point it out..

The intention was both - right now they look bad because tourists don't know they just opened. The assumption will be they either don't know better or they don't care. And a lot of people think this is a hick town to start with. The menus aren't helping dispel that.
All three places were opened by seasoned restaurateurs, not newbies. They should know better.

 

[Arks]

I can tell you that, after their stay, my second guests e-mailed a full page of compliments followed by a full page of suggestions, and I was especially happy to get the suggestions, because I want things to be right, and I know I don't have all the answers myself.
Sure some of the suggestions were not reasonable, but most were, and I've been working in the weeks since to make them happen. Sure you're busy with other things in those first weeks, and in all the following weeks, but that doesn't mean you can't keep up with a "punch list" of suggestions, and get to them as you can.
I've had more suggestions since those first ones, and every single one was like gold to me.
But, like all the innkeepers who come here to share and to learn, I care. I want my guests to have the best experience I can give them. Unfortunately, every new business owner doesn't care as much as Innspiring business owners!

 

[Madeleine]

I can tell you that, after their stay, my second guests e-mailed a full page of compliments followed by a full page of suggestions, and I was especially happy to get the suggestions, because I want things to be right, and I know I don't have all the answers myself.
Sure some of the suggestions were not reasonable, but most were, and I've been working in the weeks since to make them happen. Sure you're busy with other things in those first weeks, and in all the following weeks, but that doesn't mean you can't keep up with a "punch list" of suggestions, and get to them as you can.
I've had more suggestions since those first ones, and every single one was like gold to me.
But, like all the innkeepers who come here to share and to learn, I care. I want my guests to have the best experience I can give them. Unfortunately, every new business owner doesn't care as much as Innspiring business owners!.

During our first month here guests would ask (and they still do) how long were we doing this. For the first few days I looked at the clock and said, 'Oh, about 52 hours now.' Chuckle, chuckle.
The first month was when we got a lot of unsolicited advice. Like changing our name to something that started with an A. Or a number.
And the list went on from repricing our rooms to what amenities we should add to how we should serve breakfast, etc. That list is still in the back of my mind and every once in awhile I find a way to add one of those amenities.
The first couple of times it was hard because we were up against the memory of the PO's who everyone loved. Then I just tried to take it as people wanting us to succeed. (I wasn't always successful viewing it that way because of the way it was presented to me.)
I think if I had egregious spelling errors on my website I would want to know. Which is why I thought to tell the restaurants.

 

[Arks]

I can tell you that, after their stay, my second guests e-mailed a full page of compliments followed by a full page of suggestions, and I was especially happy to get the suggestions, because I want things to be right, and I know I don't have all the answers myself.
Sure some of the suggestions were not reasonable, but most were, and I've been working in the weeks since to make them happen. Sure you're busy with other things in those first weeks, and in all the following weeks, but that doesn't mean you can't keep up with a "punch list" of suggestions, and get to them as you can.
I've had more suggestions since those first ones, and every single one was like gold to me.
But, like all the innkeepers who come here to share and to learn, I care. I want my guests to have the best experience I can give them. Unfortunately, every new business owner doesn't care as much as Innspiring business owners!.

During our first month here guests would ask (and they still do) how long were we doing this. For the first few days I looked at the clock and said, 'Oh, about 52 hours now.' Chuckle, chuckle.
The first month was when we got a lot of unsolicited advice. Like changing our name to something that started with an A. Or a number.
And the list went on from repricing our rooms to what amenities we should add to how we should serve breakfast, etc. That list is still in the back of my mind and every once in awhile I find a way to add one of those amenities.
The first couple of times it was hard because we were up against the memory of the PO's who everyone loved. Then I just tried to take it as people wanting us to succeed. (I wasn't always successful viewing it that way because of the way it was presented to me.)
I think if I had egregious spelling errors on my website I would want to know. Which is why I thought to tell the restaurants.
.

I think if I had egregious spelling errors on my website I would want to know. Which is why I thought to tell the restaurants.

I'd love to see the puzzled expressions on the illiterate restaurateurs' faces if you use the word egregious on them

 

[Highlands John]

I can tell you that, after their stay, my second guests e-mailed a full page of compliments followed by a full page of suggestions, and I was especially happy to get the suggestions, because I want things to be right, and I know I don't have all the answers myself.
Sure some of the suggestions were not reasonable, but most were, and I've been working in the weeks since to make them happen. Sure you're busy with other things in those first weeks, and in all the following weeks, but that doesn't mean you can't keep up with a "punch list" of suggestions, and get to them as you can.
I've had more suggestions since those first ones, and every single one was like gold to me.
But, like all the innkeepers who come here to share and to learn, I care. I want my guests to have the best experience I can give them. Unfortunately, every new business owner doesn't care as much as Innspiring business owners!.

During our first month here guests would ask (and they still do) how long were we doing this. For the first few days I looked at the clock and said, 'Oh, about 52 hours now.' Chuckle, chuckle.
The first month was when we got a lot of unsolicited advice. Like changing our name to something that started with an A. Or a number.
And the list went on from repricing our rooms to what amenities we should add to how we should serve breakfast, etc. That list is still in the back of my mind and every once in awhile I find a way to add one of those amenities.
The first couple of times it was hard because we were up against the memory of the PO's who everyone loved. Then I just tried to take it as people wanting us to succeed. (I wasn't always successful viewing it that way because of the way it was presented to me.)
I think if I had egregious spelling errors on my website I would want to know. Which is why I thought to tell the restaurants.
.

Then I just tried to take it as people wanting us to succeed. (I wasn't always successful viewing it that way because of the way it was presented to me.)

I think much of the time this is how comments are intended, but it's not always easy to see them this way.
We have a guest questionnaire in the rooms and I go up the wall at some of the comments people write, DH often points out that the comments were meant to be helpful, not critical.

 

[Joey Camb]

I can tell you that, after their stay, my second guests e-mailed a full page of compliments followed by a full page of suggestions, and I was especially happy to get the suggestions, because I want things to be right, and I know I don't have all the answers myself.
Sure some of the suggestions were not reasonable, but most were, and I've been working in the weeks since to make them happen. Sure you're busy with other things in those first weeks, and in all the following weeks, but that doesn't mean you can't keep up with a "punch list" of suggestions, and get to them as you can.
I've had more suggestions since those first ones, and every single one was like gold to me.
But, like all the innkeepers who come here to share and to learn, I care. I want my guests to have the best experience I can give them. Unfortunately, every new business owner doesn't care as much as Innspiring business owners!.

During our first month here guests would ask (and they still do) how long were we doing this. For the first few days I looked at the clock and said, 'Oh, about 52 hours now.' Chuckle, chuckle.
The first month was when we got a lot of unsolicited advice. Like changing our name to something that started with an A. Or a number.
And the list went on from repricing our rooms to what amenities we should add to how we should serve breakfast, etc. That list is still in the back of my mind and every once in awhile I find a way to add one of those amenities.
The first couple of times it was hard because we were up against the memory of the PO's who everyone loved. Then I just tried to take it as people wanting us to succeed. (I wasn't always successful viewing it that way because of the way it was presented to me.)
I think if I had egregious spelling errors on my website I would want to know. Which is why I thought to tell the restaurants.
.

Then I just tried to take it as people wanting us to succeed. (I wasn't always successful viewing it that way because of the way it was presented to me.)

I think much of the time this is how comments are intended, but it's not always easy to see them this way.
We have a guest questionnaire in the rooms and I go up the wall at some of the comments people write, DH often points out that the comments were meant to be helpful, not critical.
.

I was telling a guest yesterday about that one "too much pine in the room" they were laughing so hard it was hilarious!

 

[Highlands John]

I can tell you that, after their stay, my second guests e-mailed a full page of compliments followed by a full page of suggestions, and I was especially happy to get the suggestions, because I want things to be right, and I know I don't have all the answers myself.
Sure some of the suggestions were not reasonable, but most were, and I've been working in the weeks since to make them happen. Sure you're busy with other things in those first weeks, and in all the following weeks, but that doesn't mean you can't keep up with a "punch list" of suggestions, and get to them as you can.
I've had more suggestions since those first ones, and every single one was like gold to me.
But, like all the innkeepers who come here to share and to learn, I care. I want my guests to have the best experience I can give them. Unfortunately, every new business owner doesn't care as much as Innspiring business owners!.

During our first month here guests would ask (and they still do) how long were we doing this. For the first few days I looked at the clock and said, 'Oh, about 52 hours now.' Chuckle, chuckle.
The first month was when we got a lot of unsolicited advice. Like changing our name to something that started with an A. Or a number.
And the list went on from repricing our rooms to what amenities we should add to how we should serve breakfast, etc. That list is still in the back of my mind and every once in awhile I find a way to add one of those amenities.
The first couple of times it was hard because we were up against the memory of the PO's who everyone loved. Then I just tried to take it as people wanting us to succeed. (I wasn't always successful viewing it that way because of the way it was presented to me.)
I think if I had egregious spelling errors on my website I would want to know. Which is why I thought to tell the restaurants.
.

Then I just tried to take it as people wanting us to succeed. (I wasn't always successful viewing it that way because of the way it was presented to me.)

I think much of the time this is how comments are intended, but it's not always easy to see them this way.
We have a guest questionnaire in the rooms and I go up the wall at some of the comments people write, DH often points out that the comments were meant to be helpful, not critical.
.

I was telling a guest yesterday about that one "too much pine in the room" they were laughing so hard it was hilarious!
.

I was telling a guest yesterday about that one "too much pine in the room" they were laughing so hard it was hilarious!

 

[Kay Nein]

I think spelling errors are THE worst, avoidable, ridiculous error a business owner can make. One spelling error or transposed letters is all it takes to completely change your image. Drive me NUTS!
It's possible when you mentioned spelling errors, they thought maybe one or two and decided they weren't going to go to the expense of reprinting all the menus for such a little mistake. If it's as bad as you say - and some of you might consider this overboard - but I'd get a copy of that menu somehow (ask for a take out menu or find one online?) and highlight every spelling error. Then mail it in with a polite letter saying that you just want to help and as a new business you know they have alot on their plates, but this is an important image killer, you want them to succeed, blah blah.

 

[Madeleine]

I think spelling errors are THE worst, avoidable, ridiculous error a business owner can make. One spelling error or transposed letters is all it takes to completely change your image. Drive me NUTS!
It's possible when you mentioned spelling errors, they thought maybe one or two and decided they weren't going to go to the expense of reprinting all the menus for such a little mistake. If it's as bad as you say - and some of you might consider this overboard - but I'd get a copy of that menu somehow (ask for a take out menu or find one online?) and highlight every spelling error. Then mail it in with a polite letter saying that you just want to help and as a new business you know they have alot on their plates, but this is an important image killer, you want them to succeed, blah blah..

Went back to one of the restaurants and they're still saying 'you guys' so I don't suppose they really care.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

I think spelling errors are THE worst, avoidable, ridiculous error a business owner can make. One spelling error or transposed letters is all it takes to completely change your image. Drive me NUTS!
It's possible when you mentioned spelling errors, they thought maybe one or two and decided they weren't going to go to the expense of reprinting all the menus for such a little mistake. If it's as bad as you say - and some of you might consider this overboard - but I'd get a copy of that menu somehow (ask for a take out menu or find one online?) and highlight every spelling error. Then mail it in with a polite letter saying that you just want to help and as a new business you know they have alot on their plates, but this is an important image killer, you want them to succeed, blah blah..

Went back to one of the restaurants and they're still saying 'you guys' so I don't suppose they really care.
.

Just had guests stay with us who complained that the b&b they stayed at prior to us called all the guests "you kids"...this was from hired innkeepers who are in their 30s!