Don Draper
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2008
- Messages
- 2,863
- Reaction score
- 1
I recently found this theme mentioned in an older thread from January. Thank you, JBJ, for reminding me that this should be my main focus.
All this up and down, back and forth about Trip Advisor, Bed and Breakfast.com reviews, etc....so many innkeepers on this forum worried how this or that action will be taken by a guest...is this "TA worthy", will they give me "bad marks"???
Reading TA, knowing certain competitors are manipulating the system...getting worked up about it, how can I keep up with that, should I be more aggressive in getting reviews...ENOUGH.
I know one thing: Our product is excellent. We put our best foot forward when we get out of bed each morning to ensure that it is excellent. We have a true desire for every guest to feel welcomed, to be comfortable, and to enjoy a wonderful stay with us. We are human beings. We are allowed to have emotions, to get tired, to be frustrated at times. We have a primary obligation to be professional with our customers at all times...but we also have the right to let someone know when they've crossed a line. I will not live my life and analyze each and every action I take based on fear that someone will write something about me online.
I'M DONE with worrying about comments that anyone might make. I am so thankful for the people who take the time to write about enjoying their stay, I wish the other majority of our guests who also have an excellent time would write a review, but realize that they won't. I DON'T WRITE REVIEWS...good or bad...I am busy and I just don't ever have time to sit down and do it.
I had a realization when planning a trip for next winter...when I look for a place to stay, I do a general search of the area to find properties...then I go to TA to see what's being said. I will read all the reviews. As long as the place I had chosen is not consistently rated rat-infested, filthy, and unheated...I will always book my first choice, even if the reviews are lukewarm. Why? There was something about that place...it's website, or a photo, or even a phrase of advertising...that called me to it. I've had very few, if any, disappointments in traveling using this "system".
If someone wants to choose a competitor over me based on the higher number of reviews that the competitor has, so be it...I will never be able to compete with them on that front anyway...they have more rooms, more guests, more staff, etc. I will stay here and continue to hone and refine my website, direct my message to attract the perfect customers for US...I realized today that I DON'T WANT the guests who are choosing their place of stay based on number of reviews, or glowing reviews, or whatever. I WANT the folks who found MY website and felt pulled to stay here.
Keep It Simple Stupid...I am going to make a concerted effort to do this. I will not spin my wheels worrying about what my competition is doing or not doing...I will continue to focus on putting out the very best product I can, on giving each person the best experience I can. I will try to enjoy every person I welcome into my home, and those who I don't enjoy as much I will still be thankful for as they plop down their credit card before they head out the door. I will not listen to "should" or "should not", from this forum or anyone who thinks they know my business better than I do. I will follow what has gotten me to this point...my instinct, my vision, my common sense, and my sincere desire to do a good job. That is enough. I am enough.
Phew, had to get that off my chest! I now return you to your regularly scheduled postings. Thanks inn-mates, for listening.
All this up and down, back and forth about Trip Advisor, Bed and Breakfast.com reviews, etc....so many innkeepers on this forum worried how this or that action will be taken by a guest...is this "TA worthy", will they give me "bad marks"???
Reading TA, knowing certain competitors are manipulating the system...getting worked up about it, how can I keep up with that, should I be more aggressive in getting reviews...ENOUGH.
I know one thing: Our product is excellent. We put our best foot forward when we get out of bed each morning to ensure that it is excellent. We have a true desire for every guest to feel welcomed, to be comfortable, and to enjoy a wonderful stay with us. We are human beings. We are allowed to have emotions, to get tired, to be frustrated at times. We have a primary obligation to be professional with our customers at all times...but we also have the right to let someone know when they've crossed a line. I will not live my life and analyze each and every action I take based on fear that someone will write something about me online.
I'M DONE with worrying about comments that anyone might make. I am so thankful for the people who take the time to write about enjoying their stay, I wish the other majority of our guests who also have an excellent time would write a review, but realize that they won't. I DON'T WRITE REVIEWS...good or bad...I am busy and I just don't ever have time to sit down and do it.
I had a realization when planning a trip for next winter...when I look for a place to stay, I do a general search of the area to find properties...then I go to TA to see what's being said. I will read all the reviews. As long as the place I had chosen is not consistently rated rat-infested, filthy, and unheated...I will always book my first choice, even if the reviews are lukewarm. Why? There was something about that place...it's website, or a photo, or even a phrase of advertising...that called me to it. I've had very few, if any, disappointments in traveling using this "system".
If someone wants to choose a competitor over me based on the higher number of reviews that the competitor has, so be it...I will never be able to compete with them on that front anyway...they have more rooms, more guests, more staff, etc. I will stay here and continue to hone and refine my website, direct my message to attract the perfect customers for US...I realized today that I DON'T WANT the guests who are choosing their place of stay based on number of reviews, or glowing reviews, or whatever. I WANT the folks who found MY website and felt pulled to stay here.
Keep It Simple Stupid...I am going to make a concerted effort to do this. I will not spin my wheels worrying about what my competition is doing or not doing...I will continue to focus on putting out the very best product I can, on giving each person the best experience I can. I will try to enjoy every person I welcome into my home, and those who I don't enjoy as much I will still be thankful for as they plop down their credit card before they head out the door. I will not listen to "should" or "should not", from this forum or anyone who thinks they know my business better than I do. I will follow what has gotten me to this point...my instinct, my vision, my common sense, and my sincere desire to do a good job. That is enough. I am enough.
Phew, had to get that off my chest! I now return you to your regularly scheduled postings. Thanks inn-mates, for listening.
