How would you handle this one?

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Morticia

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It could fall under a number of categories, but here goes...over the summer a small group of innkeepers got together to form a marketing group. We organized a few joint events at our inns which seemed to go very well, at the time. Now it has come to my attention that one of the inns involved has not done something they said they would. During one of our open house events we were giving out a small gift to each person who came thru. Something local, to give them an idea of what the town had to offer. Now it turns out that one inn did not give the items away, they kept them.
Why does this bother me as it seems THEY would be the recipients of any bad feelings? Because we did it together and it reflects poorly on us as a group that one member withheld the 'prize'. Because it was so small, I'm sure no one mentioned it to the inn in question. I found out because they more or less said they didn't remember what they did with the gifties. (I'm reading between the lines here, knowing them as I do, which you all don't.)
This isn't the first time something 'not quite Kosher' has emerged in connection with things we've done jointly.
So, what do you think? There's no proof they didn't do what the rest of us did, just their offhand comments about not remembering where the gifts went.
 
Did each inn purchase the "gifts" they gave out or did the group purchase them and split them up? If each inn purchased the whatever - it is theirs (if they purchased anything in the first place) and nothing can be done other than semi-hard feelings. If the group made the purchase - each inn should be asked (at a meeting of all) to return any leftovers so they can be used at a future event down the road.
If an inn is not holding up their part of things, eventually others will see/hear it and it will usually work itself out. Meanwhile, I would not personally do anything with that inn. What I would not do is allow one inn to destroy a good thing. Marketing together is a good thing - as long as the majority (perhaps all is too much to hope for) contribute funds AND time.
 
Did each inn purchase the "gifts" they gave out or did the group purchase them and split them up? If each inn purchased the whatever - it is theirs (if they purchased anything in the first place) and nothing can be done other than semi-hard feelings. If the group made the purchase - each inn should be asked (at a meeting of all) to return any leftovers so they can be used at a future event down the road.
If an inn is not holding up their part of things, eventually others will see/hear it and it will usually work itself out. Meanwhile, I would not personally do anything with that inn. What I would not do is allow one inn to destroy a good thing. Marketing together is a good thing - as long as the majority (perhaps all is too much to hope for) contribute funds AND time..
We discussed what to offer and then each inn picked what they wanted to do, so we paid for our own contribution separately. Given they were mostly food items, it's not like they went to waist waste. Just leaves a bad taste in my mouth is all.
 
Which is why I said IF they purchased and semi-hard feelings - you are not quite there yet but it will not take much to move you from soft-boiled to hard-boiled. I am going to assume each inn kicked in $$ with which to market and look at it this way, they kicked in the dollars and if they hold back from what everyone else is doing it will be noticed by the people doing the tours, etc. What goes around comes around.
One other thought - after kicking in participation dollars, could they be stretched to the limit that they could not afford to buy the "gifties"? I am sure people here think we are "comfortable" when until I started collecting SS (the best thing about getting old!) we were bloody fingernails and now they are starting to grow back (the fingernails that is).
Edited to add that if the are habitual "shavers" the others will notice and I would think they will get edged out of the group.
 
Well how was it marketed? Was there indication in the marketing material that there would be gifts given by each inn? If so then they have given the group a bad eye by those that attended. Now, since the others came through for the most part is is only a bad reflection on their inn not the group. I am sure if you have heard this happened, so have many others in your group. I personally would not want to have future dealings with this inn as they have proven to not be reliable. But if the group wants to continue to include this one inn, I would try to come up with a way to make sure that they (or anyone) fulfilled their obligations to the group.
Unfortunately this happens in all groups no matter what the organization, there is always one that will spoil, or at least attempt to spoil, a good thing. Don't let that happen! I only wish I had others to group with on marketing matters - closest B&B's to me are 30-40 miles away. You are lucky that you have a good group to work with and that they do not feel threatened by your (B&B) presence. My only neighboring B&B (closed 3 yrs ago) only thought of us as their competitor and would not do anything together.
 
If each inn just paid for & did their own thing along a mutually agreed theme, and one inn didn't spend their money and give out the gift, the inn that didn't do the giveaway will just look cheap compared to the others. If it was marketed that there would be a giveaway, they look even cheaper. If everyone pooled their resources and bought the gifts out of a joint fund, that's a different story.
If you're disappointed in their participation, maybe you have to clarify the ground rules for everyone if you do another joint venture.
 
If each inn just paid for & did their own thing along a mutually agreed theme, and one inn didn't spend their money and give out the gift, the inn that didn't do the giveaway will just look cheap compared to the others. If it was marketed that there would be a giveaway, they look even cheaper. If everyone pooled their resources and bought the gifts out of a joint fund, that's a different story.
If you're disappointed in their participation, maybe you have to clarify the ground rules for everyone if you do another joint venture..
Samster said:
If you're disappointed in their participation, maybe you have to clarify the ground rules for everyone if you do another joint venture.
I guess the rest of us just assumed that everyone was really agreeing to do the things we talked about. I'd hate to have to go into the next joint venture and have to take a roll call vote, 'OK, do YOU agree to do the things we have talked about today? (Tick.) And do YOU agree to do the things we talked about today? (Pause.) Well, do you or not?' But it may come to that.
 
If each inn just paid for & did their own thing along a mutually agreed theme, and one inn didn't spend their money and give out the gift, the inn that didn't do the giveaway will just look cheap compared to the others. If it was marketed that there would be a giveaway, they look even cheaper. If everyone pooled their resources and bought the gifts out of a joint fund, that's a different story.
If you're disappointed in their participation, maybe you have to clarify the ground rules for everyone if you do another joint venture..
Samster said:
If you're disappointed in their participation, maybe you have to clarify the ground rules for everyone if you do another joint venture.
I guess the rest of us just assumed that everyone was really agreeing to do the things we talked about. I'd hate to have to go into the next joint venture and have to take a roll call vote, 'OK, do YOU agree to do the things we have talked about today? (Tick.) And do YOU agree to do the things we talked about today? (Pause.) Well, do you or not?' But it may come to that.
.
Bree, what you may want to do is after the plan has been 'approved' by the group, pass around the detailed list of the agreed commitments, and have all that were going to participate sign the form. There may be some that opt out of certain functions due to one reason or another, but once someone signs to participate, they should be committed to the event.
If the group finds that one partner continually has failed to fulfill their part, there should be something in place to remove this partner from other group events. In the case you spoke of it may only pose a bad refection on the one inn, but to the group this action not only shows lack of committment to the group it also has an affect on the future functionality of the group. Each of the partners spent marketing dollars to put on this event, but this one inn felt they were 'above the rest' and did not do their equal share.
I have experienced this with another organization I am in, unrelated to the B&B, it is too common - sadly said.
 
If each inn just paid for & did their own thing along a mutually agreed theme, and one inn didn't spend their money and give out the gift, the inn that didn't do the giveaway will just look cheap compared to the others. If it was marketed that there would be a giveaway, they look even cheaper. If everyone pooled their resources and bought the gifts out of a joint fund, that's a different story.
If you're disappointed in their participation, maybe you have to clarify the ground rules for everyone if you do another joint venture..
Samster said:
If you're disappointed in their participation, maybe you have to clarify the ground rules for everyone if you do another joint venture.
I guess the rest of us just assumed that everyone was really agreeing to do the things we talked about. I'd hate to have to go into the next joint venture and have to take a roll call vote, 'OK, do YOU agree to do the things we have talked about today? (Tick.) And do YOU agree to do the things we talked about today? (Pause.) Well, do you or not?' But it may come to that.
.
Bree, what you may want to do is after the plan has been 'approved' by the group, pass around the detailed list of the agreed commitments, and have all that were going to participate sign the form. There may be some that opt out of certain functions due to one reason or another, but once someone signs to participate, they should be committed to the event.
If the group finds that one partner continually has failed to fulfill their part, there should be something in place to remove this partner from other group events. In the case you spoke of it may only pose a bad refection on the one inn, but to the group this action not only shows lack of committment to the group it also has an affect on the future functionality of the group. Each of the partners spent marketing dollars to put on this event, but this one inn felt they were 'above the rest' and did not do their equal share.
I have experienced this with another organization I am in, unrelated to the B&B, it is too common - sadly said.
.
It seems there is a bit of coat-tailing going on. Agree to whatever is proposed to get the name out there with all the publicity, and then do what they want.
 
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