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JBloggs

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I have looked at over 2 dozen+ B&B websites, from this forum. I am putting them on a Google map (and will explain later)
I have to hunt to find the LOCATION information.
I have a list, I click on the website link, I have to HUNT for the country of origin, is this in the USA? It looks lovely, but where is it? Is it overseas? Then one may say in the Rocky Mountains, but not WHERE in the Rocky Mountains.
Then, I just want a town or city to be sure it is the same one I am seeing on a Google map (as I type in the inn name and there may be three or four in the world with the same name that comes up!)
NONE of these 2 dozen+ HAS THE ADDRESS ANYWHERE on the home page.
NONE has them on the footer of every page. NOWHERE on the footer
MOST do not even have it on the CONTACT US page.
A few have it if you are willing to read all the paragraphs and decipher where the heck they are, which I won't, ever.
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CHECK YOUR WEBSITE, IS THE LOCATION, ie where you are located ON THE HOME PAGE? Is it on the header or footer of every page?
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Yes, yes and yes. With a map at the bottom of every page and a different one on the directions page. But now that I look at the Google map, I am going to have to try to adjust it slightly so the Interstate route number shows properly. Thanks for the shove.
 
Not a B&B but, ahemmm, if you don't show where you are, what's the point of the website?
 
My site has always listed my city, state and "USA" right under the Inn name at the top of my page. Well, the big photo slider is the very top, but right under it is the inn name then the location.
But I guess most assume the user found our site by first doing a search for lodging in the location they want to go to, so they pretty much know the general location of the inn.
 
I just checked - name/address/contact info at footer of every page. Shinnston, WV prominent on home page, and here, there, and everywhere on pages. I have a map on my directions page and give directions from every direction. I think I am going to add the geo-code location too. THAT was on my page on the Association web site. Thanks for the LOOK< DUMMY!! I have caught a few things thanks to you in the past.
The nice thing with your look kicks, is that I look for specific things that would not be noticed as I look normally.
 
My site has always listed my city, state and "USA" right under the Inn name at the top of my page. Well, the big photo slider is the very top, but right under it is the inn name then the location.
But I guess most assume the user found our site by first doing a search for lodging in the location they want to go to, so they pretty much know the general location of the inn..
Arkansawyer said:
My site has always listed my city, state and "USA" right under the Inn name at the top of my page. Well, the big photo slider is the very top, but right under it is the inn name then the location.
But I guess most assume the user found our site by first doing a search for lodging in the location they want to go to, so they pretty much know the general location of the inn.
Never assume that someone knows what they're looking at/for. We had the front desk at a resort in UT call us last year to tell us a guest of ours was checking in there. They completely did not understand where they wanted to be vs where they booked. The only similar thing was the name of our inn and part of the name of the town where they wanted to be.
Friends have a B&B in a town that is a pretty popular name in New England. They get people calling saying they can't find them. They describe where they are, which generally starts with, 'We just passed the college...' in a completely different state.
And, I get people calling asking if I am near (and list off places that are 5 hours from here) because they just don't know. Or, better still, they think it's a completely different place but because half of the town name is the same, it must be the same place.
Like thinking Saratoga Springs is the same place as Tarpon Springs. Because Springs.
Not saying you think like this but some guests are really geographically challenged.
 
My site has always listed my city, state and "USA" right under the Inn name at the top of my page. Well, the big photo slider is the very top, but right under it is the inn name then the location.
But I guess most assume the user found our site by first doing a search for lodging in the location they want to go to, so they pretty much know the general location of the inn..
Arkansawyer said:
My site has always listed my city, state and "USA" right under the Inn name at the top of my page. Well, the big photo slider is the very top, but right under it is the inn name then the location.
But I guess most assume the user found our site by first doing a search for lodging in the location they want to go to, so they pretty much know the general location of the inn.
Never assume that someone knows what they're looking at/for. We had the front desk at a resort in UT call us last year to tell us a guest of ours was checking in there. They completely did not understand where they wanted to be vs where they booked. The only similar thing was the name of our inn and part of the name of the town where they wanted to be.
Friends have a B&B in a town that is a pretty popular name in New England. They get people calling saying they can't find them. They describe where they are, which generally starts with, 'We just passed the college...' in a completely different state.
And, I get people calling asking if I am near (and list off places that are 5 hours from here) because they just don't know. Or, better still, they think it's a completely different place but because half of the town name is the same, it must be the same place.
Like thinking Saratoga Springs is the same place as Tarpon Springs. Because Springs.
Not saying you think like this but some guests are really geographically challenged.
.
Totally agree with you Maddie. Took a 3-nighter and then she asked, "How far are you from the airport?" Which one I ask as we are 2.5 hours from PITT and 11 miles from a puddle-jumper airport. She named the airport in the Capital - 2.5 hours away., I gave her the name & number of the B & B in the Capital.
Then there was the lady who booked a week and then asked how far to the hospital? Again which one? She named one about 1.5 hours away. I gave her the name and number of the B & B in that city - that I only knew about because of B & Bs For Vets (and got her to join the Assoc.).
People have no clue as to where things are because most towns and cities are too small to make the map. We look like a small State - and we are compared to many - but they are not kidding when they say, You can't get there from here and 60 miles most places will take an hour or less but here could easily be an hour and a half. I am 35 miles from Morgantown but even though I am only almost 7 miles from the Interstate that goes directly to Morgantown and 70 is the speed limit which means 75 to 80 mph (or more), it takes 45 min door to door to the University. I am less than 200 miles from MuirFord but even using Interstate (almost the whole way is Interstate) it takes almost 4 hours.
 
My site has always listed my city, state and "USA" right under the Inn name at the top of my page. Well, the big photo slider is the very top, but right under it is the inn name then the location.
But I guess most assume the user found our site by first doing a search for lodging in the location they want to go to, so they pretty much know the general location of the inn..
Arkansawyer said:
My site has always listed my city, state and "USA" right under the Inn name at the top of my page. Well, the big photo slider is the very top, but right under it is the inn name then the location.
But I guess most assume the user found our site by first doing a search for lodging in the location they want to go to, so they pretty much know the general location of the inn.
Never assume that someone knows what they're looking at/for. We had the front desk at a resort in UT call us last year to tell us a guest of ours was checking in there. They completely did not understand where they wanted to be vs where they booked. The only similar thing was the name of our inn and part of the name of the town where they wanted to be.
Friends have a B&B in a town that is a pretty popular name in New England. They get people calling saying they can't find them. They describe where they are, which generally starts with, 'We just passed the college...' in a completely different state.
And, I get people calling asking if I am near (and list off places that are 5 hours from here) because they just don't know. Or, better still, they think it's a completely different place but because half of the town name is the same, it must be the same place.
Like thinking Saratoga Springs is the same place as Tarpon Springs. Because Springs.
Not saying you think like this but some guests are really geographically challenged.
.
Madeleine said:
Never assume that someone knows what they're looking at/for...some guests are really geographically challenged.
Which means, for these people, it probably won't do a bit of good to put location info on every page of the website. Some people are just beyond our best efforts to help them.
 
On my website I have all the info in the right places, 4 maps, including a printable map, driving directions from North, South and East (no west, you'd have to swim), confirmation letter that says DO NOT DRIVE TO THE TOWN OF (MY TOWN), we are closer to another coastal town and I STILL get who think we're somewhere else!
 
On my website I have all the info in the right places, 4 maps, including a printable map, driving directions from North, South and East (no west, you'd have to swim), confirmation letter that says DO NOT DRIVE TO THE TOWN OF (MY TOWN), we are closer to another coastal town and I STILL get who think we're somewhere else!.
Breakfast Diva said:
On my website I have all the info in the right places, 4 maps, including a printable map, driving directions from North, South and East (no west, you'd have to swim), confirmation letter that says DO NOT DRIVE TO THE TOWN OF (MY TOWN), we are closer to another coastal town and I STILL get who think we're somewhere else!
BD, sounds like we get the same guests! Doesn't help matters when at the exit of the interstate there is a sign "Town of ____ (and an arrow)" of course the arrow is pointing to the town and away from us. They forget they have detailed directions and turn toward the town then pick up the directions and start reading. Once they realize they have traveled further than stated and have not seen our street I get a call...
 
On my website I have all the info in the right places, 4 maps, including a printable map, driving directions from North, South and East (no west, you'd have to swim), confirmation letter that says DO NOT DRIVE TO THE TOWN OF (MY TOWN), we are closer to another coastal town and I STILL get who think we're somewhere else!.
Breakfast Diva said:
On my website I have all the info in the right places, 4 maps, including a printable map, driving directions from North, South and East (no west, you'd have to swim), confirmation letter that says DO NOT DRIVE TO THE TOWN OF (MY TOWN), we are closer to another coastal town and I STILL get who think we're somewhere else!
BD, sounds like we get the same guests! Doesn't help matters when at the exit of the interstate there is a sign "Town of ____ (and an arrow)" of course the arrow is pointing to the town and away from us. They forget they have detailed directions and turn toward the town then pick up the directions and start reading. Once they realize they have traveled further than stated and have not seen our street I get a call...
.
copperhead said:
Breakfast Diva said:
On my website I have all the info in the right places, 4 maps, including a printable map, driving directions from North, South and East (no west, you'd have to swim), confirmation letter that says DO NOT DRIVE TO THE TOWN OF (MY TOWN), we are closer to another coastal town and I STILL get who think we're somewhere else!
BD, sounds like we get the same guests! Doesn't help matters when at the exit of the interstate there is a sign "Town of ____ (and an arrow)" of course the arrow is pointing to the town and away from us. They forget they have detailed directions and turn toward the town then pick up the directions and start reading. Once they realize they have traveled further than stated and have not seen our street I get a call...
Yep, sounds like it! Don't you just love it also when they have gone way out of the way, call you and then are all upset because they've gone an extra 1/2 hour out of the way.....like it's OUR fault!
 
(and you know that all of you who are here all the time have everything in order, but there are hundreds who come and lurk and may read this and think, hm I better check!)
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For those of you in the US, don't forget to spell out the name of your state. The two-letter abbreviations are confusing to those of us who didn't have to memorize them in grade school. ME, MA, MD, MS...
 
For those of you in the US, don't forget to spell out the name of your state. The two-letter abbreviations are confusing to those of us who didn't have to memorize them in grade school. ME, MA, MD, MS....
happyjacks said:
For those of you in the US, don't forget to spell out the name of your state. The two-letter abbreviations are confusing to those of us who didn't have to memorize them in grade school. ME, MA, MD, MS...
Funny story told by one of my favorite authors, Bailey White, from when she was a grade school teacher and she did an exchange with a school in Maine. She addressed the gift box of Southern fruits and nuts to 'MA'. Her class wondered why they never heard back from their pen pals. The box arrived months later to the school in ME (Maine) all rotted and reeking.
At least there are not as many to memorize up north! AB throws me for a minute when I see it as an option in my 'state' list on my rez software. I racked my brain when it first showed up trying to think what the heck state that was!
 
For those of you in the US, don't forget to spell out the name of your state. The two-letter abbreviations are confusing to those of us who didn't have to memorize them in grade school. ME, MA, MD, MS....
happyjacks said:
For those of you in the US, don't forget to spell out the name of your state. The two-letter abbreviations are confusing to those of us who didn't have to memorize them in grade school. ME, MA, MD, MS...
They confuse us too. The post office came up with those abbreviations and I've never liked them. When I was a child Arkansas was abbreviated "Ark" and everybody knew that was us. Now we are AR and every time I place a phone order for something they look up my address and say, "are you still in Arizona?"
 
For those of you in the US, don't forget to spell out the name of your state. The two-letter abbreviations are confusing to those of us who didn't have to memorize them in grade school. ME, MA, MD, MS....
happyjacks said:
For those of you in the US, don't forget to spell out the name of your state. The two-letter abbreviations are confusing to those of us who didn't have to memorize them in grade school. ME, MA, MD, MS...
They confuse us too. The post office came up with those abbreviations and I've never liked them. When I was a child Arkansas was abbreviated "Ark" and everybody knew that was us. Now we are AR and every time I place a phone order for something they look up my address and say, "are you still in Arizona?"
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Yours has to be the one that trips me up the most. Well, the combo of AR and AK. I have to go by the zip code if I'm in a rush.
 
(and you know that all of you who are here all the time have everything in order, but there are hundreds who come and lurk and may read this and think, hm I better check!)
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Joey Bloggs said:
(and you know that all of you who are here all the time have everything in order, but there are hundreds who come and lurk and may read this and think, hm I better check!)
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I am here all the time and you have made me look at things a few times only to find I was GUILTY AS CHARGED. Doing a specific look is good. Thank You.
 
Yeah, I looked, too. There's probably some tweaking I could do still. We have our mailing address in the footer of all pages, but not our street address.
The trouble here is that the Postal Service doesn't deliver the mail, we have to get it from our PO Box. They sometimes reject mail addressed to our street address sending it back to the sender instead of putting it in our box, even though they know darn well who we are.... So I took the street address off all the pages, leaving just the mailing address. But we have directions and maps galore on the website, and we can be found on Google Maps and Mapquest, etc... (even though Google and a lot of GPS systems haven't mapped out the street numbers on our road yet...)
 
For those of you in the US, don't forget to spell out the name of your state. The two-letter abbreviations are confusing to those of us who didn't have to memorize them in grade school. ME, MA, MD, MS....
also remember your foreign guests - we certainly won't have memorised the states and counties!
 
I have the advantage that my business name helps, I have dealt with the PO Box issue by putting both down.
I do occasionally get e mails in Italian.
 
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