Is your bar/restaurant a one night stand?

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JBloggs

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Is your bar/restaurant a one night stand?[/h1]What has my marriage got to do with your bar or restaurant? Lots. Some businesses have a marriage like connection with their customers, yet others don’t even get a second date with their patrons. Is your business a one night stand? Check out my video to find out!
Gold line from this video: "Costs less to keep your customers than to advertise for new ones"
Click for Barry's video here. from The Bar Blogger.com
 
Hope to see that many of our members see this video. While this guy addresses bars in his topics this one hits home for ANY business. What are YOU doing to keep or make loyal, return guests?
I, as a mater of fact, have been thinking of this topic the last couple of days. I just came back from vacation in Hawaii and had just thought of this very thing about some of the places I visited. It seems that the ones that did the worst job catering to my needs were those in the HIGHLY tourist areas of Waikiki where tourists are a dime a dozen so they just do what must be done and move ya out for another sucker waiting to be served...Do they care if you come back, no I do not think so or they would have treated us better...
The hotel there was another story...we stayed in a medium priced slightly older hotel right on the beach... we paid for a partial beach view, received a free upgrade to a full beach view. Service was top notch. We had booked this for pre-cruise of 2 day stay and then one night on the return... The other couples traveling with us was at a very costly place down a couple of blocks. One decided to cancel their return booking and book at our hotel after hearing our experience. On our return stay, we arrived quite early (different than what I would do at a B&B) and asked if we could just store our luggage until check in so we could sight see...NOT only did they give us the upgrade, they allowed us to check in offered us a extended check out time (very economic) or complimentary 1 hr freshen up guest room for the next afternoon (our departure flight was early evening). Very impressive and if we were to go back, guess where we would stay.... The other couple was highly impressed as well and said the same, said they felt appreciated.
Now I am not saying we all need to bend to such lengths to retain our customers - we of course could not do what this hotel did, but we can (and I am sure most of us do) provide little extras or show our customers that we appreciate their business.
And yes, as your repeat guest list grows, your need to expand your marketing effort lessons and becomes more like managing what works.
 
Personally, I think there is a LOT to be said for the one night stand!
We are fortunate to be located in a major tourist area. We will always be able to attract the first time visitor, and they are ALWAYS impressed! It's the repeat guests you have to work really hard for, what do you have to offer that is new, exciting, etc. It's something to think about.
 
One thing to remember about those prized repeat guests who come year after year that many inns bank on - they get OLD. They stop traveling except to the doctor - or die. That means you have to continue to cultivate the one-night stands that may become your repeats in the future. I have a repeat coming Friday that stayed here the first time because of the rail-trail and meeting the then fiance's Dad. I never would have dreamed they would be my most repeated guests. I look at every reservation as a possible repeat.
 
Personally, I think there is a LOT to be said for the one night stand!
We are fortunate to be located in a major tourist area. We will always be able to attract the first time visitor, and they are ALWAYS impressed! It's the repeat guests you have to work really hard for, what do you have to offer that is new, exciting, etc. It's something to think about..
InnsiderInfo said:
Personally, I think there is a LOT to be said for the one night stand!
We are fortunate to be located in a major tourist area. We will always be able to attract the first time visitor, and they are ALWAYS impressed! It's the repeat guests you have to work really hard for, what do you have to offer that is new, exciting, etc. It's something to think about.
According to everything I have heard and read...it is the repeat's that are the ones saying they love your place, that is why they come back!
One NIGHT stands can kill an innkeeper...we are getting old before our time, worn out, exhausted...and they sure cost a lot more! (I am referring to one nighters).
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Personally, I think there is a LOT to be said for the one night stand!
We are fortunate to be located in a major tourist area. We will always be able to attract the first time visitor, and they are ALWAYS impressed! It's the repeat guests you have to work really hard for, what do you have to offer that is new, exciting, etc. It's something to think about..
InnsiderInfo said:
Personally, I think there is a LOT to be said for the one night stand!
We are fortunate to be located in a major tourist area. We will always be able to attract the first time visitor, and they are ALWAYS impressed! It's the repeat guests you have to work really hard for, what do you have to offer that is new, exciting, etc. It's something to think about.
According to everything I have heard and read...it is the repeat's that are the ones saying they love your place, that is why they come back!
One NIGHT stands can kill an innkeeper...we are getting old before our time, worn out, exhausted...and they sure cost a lot more! (I am referring to one nighters).
cry_smile.gif

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I agree with JB. Repeats are the ones that WANT the same thing for breakfast every time they're here, and to stay in the same familiar room each time. Our top repeats notice every little new thing and will say "I liked it the way it was before, too!" DOH!
 
We get so many people here for one night who are on a longer trip with multiple stops. In general they are always impressed with everything, and they definitely refer friends/family to us. Not that I don't want them to come back, but the odds are slim that they will because they live so far way. It all comes down to your demographic and who you cater to. Winter time we tend to get our repeats, the people who come back because they live closer and love to have the same breakfast, etc. They are fine, but I have just found that TOO many stays and they start to develop this level of comfort and familiarity that I don't like...these are the people you will find wandering into your quarters because they needed something and "didn't want to bother you".
 
We get so many people here for one night who are on a longer trip with multiple stops. In general they are always impressed with everything, and they definitely refer friends/family to us. Not that I don't want them to come back, but the odds are slim that they will because they live so far way. It all comes down to your demographic and who you cater to. Winter time we tend to get our repeats, the people who come back because they live closer and love to have the same breakfast, etc. They are fine, but I have just found that TOO many stays and they start to develop this level of comfort and familiarity that I don't like...these are the people you will find wandering into your quarters because they needed something and "didn't want to bother you"..
Oh I totally know what you mean Innsider, we like to just put on the show and not get too friendly sometimes. I am not wanting to go out to dinner with guests. We had an offer of this just last week and DH kindly told him that we had kids and are unable to go. The next morning he was silent at breakfast. Was he ticked off? Who knows.
As much as we air our lives to our guests, we have boundaries on what we air, there is a very personal/private side to our lives that is not for the business. Sometimes repeats can dig a little too much. I hear ya. Of course, if we really like them alot it is not as intrusive.
 
One thing to remember about those prized repeat guests who come year after year that many inns bank on - they get OLD. They stop traveling except to the doctor - or die. That means you have to continue to cultivate the one-night stands that may become your repeats in the future. I have a repeat coming Friday that stayed here the first time because of the rail-trail and meeting the then fiance's Dad. I never would have dreamed they would be my most repeated guests. I look at every reservation as a possible repeat..
I agree. We have to court and groom all of our guest for possible repeats. I even make the kids feel like they are my little friends (well, they are) because believe it or not, for nostalgia sake, they will come back when they are all grown up. The next owners will enjoy their loyal visits.
I have to say, my guests are not as close physically as your guests are in your beautiful homes but they are close enough that we make sure they fit in and don't upset the apple cart. which means that 75% look at our place as their home away from home and their word of mouth, of course, brings people to us that are like they are - perfect for us.
During our first two years here, we took anyone that drove in here until we said this is too stressful and no, unless we enjoy these people, they will not stay on our property. 2 meager seasons followed and then the reservations hit like gangbusters. The reservations kept coming and we lived happily ever after. The End.
angel_smile.gif

 
We get so many people here for one night who are on a longer trip with multiple stops. In general they are always impressed with everything, and they definitely refer friends/family to us. Not that I don't want them to come back, but the odds are slim that they will because they live so far way. It all comes down to your demographic and who you cater to. Winter time we tend to get our repeats, the people who come back because they live closer and love to have the same breakfast, etc. They are fine, but I have just found that TOO many stays and they start to develop this level of comfort and familiarity that I don't like...these are the people you will find wandering into your quarters because they needed something and "didn't want to bother you"..
There is that danger of familiarity going too far. We have that too here. Thankfully not too often, I usually catch them before they have a chance to be stupid.
 
We get so many people here for one night who are on a longer trip with multiple stops. In general they are always impressed with everything, and they definitely refer friends/family to us. Not that I don't want them to come back, but the odds are slim that they will because they live so far way. It all comes down to your demographic and who you cater to. Winter time we tend to get our repeats, the people who come back because they live closer and love to have the same breakfast, etc. They are fine, but I have just found that TOO many stays and they start to develop this level of comfort and familiarity that I don't like...these are the people you will find wandering into your quarters because they needed something and "didn't want to bother you"..
There is that danger of familiarity going too far. We have that too here. Thankfully not too often, I usually catch them before they have a chance to be stupid.
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IrisoftheWayfarer said:
I usually catch them before they have a chance to be stupid.
That phrase made me laugh out loud! Too funny!
 
Many, many years ago (before I got my head on straight) I was a lousy waitress at a truck stop. It did not dawn on me until way too late that I should have been better with the regulars.
I agree that we need first timers and need to court new business. Of course we do.
And I also agree that we need to court every one of them as a repeat. With pretty much every guest at the end of their visit I say something to the effect of, "We're so glad you stayed here. We hope to see you again."
This goes back to something I learned a long time ago about job interviews... at some point during the interview, in words that are natural, express a desire that they hire you. Because a manager, faced with two prospects similar in skills and education is going to pick the one that seemed like they really wanted to work there.
I figure the same applies to us... people want to be wanted, so I try to make sure they know they're wanted without being creepy or overbearing about it.
We're still pretty new, but my goal is lots and lots of repeat business in the future, as well as lots of word of mouth referrals.
So far so good! I love our repeat guests!
=)
Kk.
 
Many, many years ago (before I got my head on straight) I was a lousy waitress at a truck stop. It did not dawn on me until way too late that I should have been better with the regulars.
I agree that we need first timers and need to court new business. Of course we do.
And I also agree that we need to court every one of them as a repeat. With pretty much every guest at the end of their visit I say something to the effect of, "We're so glad you stayed here. We hope to see you again."
This goes back to something I learned a long time ago about job interviews... at some point during the interview, in words that are natural, express a desire that they hire you. Because a manager, faced with two prospects similar in skills and education is going to pick the one that seemed like they really wanted to work there.
I figure the same applies to us... people want to be wanted, so I try to make sure they know they're wanted without being creepy or overbearing about it.
We're still pretty new, but my goal is lots and lots of repeat business in the future, as well as lots of word of mouth referrals.
So far so good! I love our repeat guests!
=)
Kk..
YellowSocks said:
Many, many years ago (before I got my head on straight) I was a lousy waitress at a truck stop. It did not dawn on me until way too late that I should have been better with the regulars.
I agree that we need first timers and need to court new business. Of course we do.
And I also agree that we need to court every one of them as a repeat. With pretty much every guest at the end of their visit I say something to the effect of, "We're so glad you stayed here. We hope to see you again."
This goes back to something I learned a long time ago about job interviews... at some point during the interview, in words that are natural, express a desire that they hire you. Because a manager, faced with two prospects similar in skills and education is going to pick the one that seemed like they really wanted to work there.
I figure the same applies to us... people want to be wanted, so I try to make sure they know they're wanted without being creepy or overbearing about it.
We're still pretty new, but my goal is lots and lots of repeat business in the future, as well as lots of word of mouth referrals.
So far so good! I love our repeat guests!
=)
Kk.
what I am about to say is sorta-non-side-tracking...
a book I read where the main character's son died and husband deserted her years prior, she was all alone. She met this young lady and her 4 year old daughter. she was very standoffish, cold even. kids, like kids do, make a difference. the little 4 yr old jumped up to this older woman and embraced her in a deep hug. the older lonely cold woman was taken aback and thought 'it has been 5 years since i had been hugged. a hug means you are needed and appreciated.' i thought that was a really neat thought. so next time your guests give you a departing hug - think about that. i do.
 
We get so many people here for one night who are on a longer trip with multiple stops. In general they are always impressed with everything, and they definitely refer friends/family to us. Not that I don't want them to come back, but the odds are slim that they will because they live so far way. It all comes down to your demographic and who you cater to. Winter time we tend to get our repeats, the people who come back because they live closer and love to have the same breakfast, etc. They are fine, but I have just found that TOO many stays and they start to develop this level of comfort and familiarity that I don't like...these are the people you will find wandering into your quarters because they needed something and "didn't want to bother you"..
InnsiderInfo said:
They are fine, but I have just found that TOO many stays and they start to develop this level of comfort and familiarity that I don't like...these are the people you will find wandering into your quarters because they needed something and "didn't want to bother you".
We have a variety of repeat types. The kind that get too familiar, the kind that maintain the innkeeper-guest relationship at all times, the kind that invite us out to dinner but would never set foot in our space, etc.
But it is the repeats that keep us afloat.
Edited to add that the gang I went away with this weekend does not want to stay at the same place twice. We have to go somewhere else every year. 'BTDT' is the motto.
 
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