Thank you so much for your help. Honestly, this forum is a godsend when you feel like you're floundering the dark sometimes!
I've put a post on the Owners Direct page. Somewhat trickily, our Owners Direct listing has been put on by the agent, so I don't know if that will get me into trouble! We can take bookings direct, and I don't mind doing that, but we plumped for an agent from the management perspective as we live quite a drive away from the property.
Interesting that you're all so emphatic about dogs. Definitely think we need to go back to the drawing board on this one! There are quite a lot of dog-friendly places in the area so we thought we were offering something different. But perhaps we should have asked ourselves why there were so many dog-friendly properties!
Are we expecting too much?
I just had a nose at your property on OD and see it's called what I wanted to call my first property, only a neighbour had got in there first!
The OD advert is very basic; it could be hugely improved, but I don't think we need to say much more about your agent and their lack of skills! Many of the photos are out of focus and don't do your property justice at all. At least badger your agent to add that the property is new to the market hence the lack of bookings.
The OD advert is very basic; it could be hugely improved, but I don't think we need to say much more about your agent and their lack of skills! Many of the photos are out of focus and don't do your property justice at all. At least badger your agent to add that the property is new to the market hence the lack of bookings.
Thanks, Nemo. We are banging our heads against a wall every day with this! It also doesn't mention that we supply travel cot and high chair, even though they told us we really should provide these.
We've complained about the blurred photos. I was told this is "fashionable" for this market and something that they're trying out! How often have you booked a holiday somewhere where you couldn't see what it looked like?!
We've complained about the blurred photos. I was told this is "fashionable" for this market and something that they're trying out! How often have you booked a holiday somewhere where you couldn't see what it looked like?!
I suspect that when they're on form they're good at what they do, and all indications are that they're very good at management once the guests have booked. It's their marketing which is beyond poor. However, I have thrown my toys with them this morning in the nicest possible way and have just received an apology and a promise that they will try harder. I've suggested a 10% reduction in our rates at least until the middle of September to see if that improves things. And I'm told they're going to retake the photos today!
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petemcveigh
- Posts: 78
- Joined: Wed May 30, 2007 2:26 pm
- Location: Davenport, Central Florida
- Contact:
"Out Of focus is fashionable" absolutely loved that one, to a certain extent you do have to admire their cheek!
I wonder is it an approach for us all to take to reduce cost and customer expectations/ complaints - green algae in the pool is fashionable/ unmade beds and dirty dishes in the sink on arrival is fashionable, it works for anything!
Seriously ClareyD, my thoughts are with you. These early days are when you need all the support you can get from your MC and you are not getting it from this company on the sales and marketing side, I think you do need to go your own way on that side of things.
I would suggest that if you are going to offer discounts during this first period you do clearly badge them as 'first year only' offers - if things work out and the guests you bring in this year do become 'repeats' I think it can be difficult to up the price for the subsequent years as expectations are set.
I wonder is it an approach for us all to take to reduce cost and customer expectations/ complaints - green algae in the pool is fashionable/ unmade beds and dirty dishes in the sink on arrival is fashionable, it works for anything!
Seriously ClareyD, my thoughts are with you. These early days are when you need all the support you can get from your MC and you are not getting it from this company on the sales and marketing side, I think you do need to go your own way on that side of things.
I would suggest that if you are going to offer discounts during this first period you do clearly badge them as 'first year only' offers - if things work out and the guests you bring in this year do become 'repeats' I think it can be difficult to up the price for the subsequent years as expectations are set.
" Do I really look like a guy with a plan?"
For those of you who've been kind enough to offer advice and a shoulder to cry on, I thought you might like to know that a phonecall to the agent this morning has revealed two definite bookings, and two others awaiting form and deposit up to the end of August. It's a relief, I must say - we were starting to think we'd have zero bookings this year! Odd that despite all the issues the agent didn't bother telling us we'd got any bookings. Only discovered it as the Tripadvisor page had two weeks booked out, Owners Direct had a different week booked out, and HolidayLettings had one week booked out and one reserved. None of them showed the fourth week!! Ah well....
The latest installment on the soap opera that is our letting agent, and I think the last straw has been reached!
When we were first setting up the cleaning company they were using at the time didn't hire linen or towels so we went to considerable effort to choose our own, checking linen count, colour, size, etc. and the property was photographed with this in situ. Fast forward to the start of July and we're told the new cleaning company wants to use it's own linen. Agent firmly told no dice; we want to use our own now. After the first booking we were charged £40 for laundry - bit of a surprise as it wasn't quoted for with the previous cleaning company. Only got the paperwork for the last few bookings through on Thursday and the charge didn't appear. I questioned it and was told that the first charge was for the laundry and return to store of our own linen, i.e. they're using hired linen against our instructions. I emailed for clarification and have yet to receive a response. Today my parents visited between guests (they were in the area) and met the cleaning company who told them they won't use any but their own linen. They then discover our linen unwashed and screwed up in a plastic bag in our store, where it's been for five weeks. And that's what we paid £40 for!! Left a message with the agent this morning. Of course haven't had a reply....
I have defended them and defended them, I have given them the benefit of every conceivable b****y doubt, I have been more patient than I thought I knew how to be but now NOW I've had enough.
Rant over. And breathe....
Oh, and unrelated to the agent, but only two out of five lots of guests have written in the guestbook - is that normal? And the journal of the teddy bear mascot which lives in the cottage has gone missing, which I'm also really cross about!
When we were first setting up the cleaning company they were using at the time didn't hire linen or towels so we went to considerable effort to choose our own, checking linen count, colour, size, etc. and the property was photographed with this in situ. Fast forward to the start of July and we're told the new cleaning company wants to use it's own linen. Agent firmly told no dice; we want to use our own now. After the first booking we were charged £40 for laundry - bit of a surprise as it wasn't quoted for with the previous cleaning company. Only got the paperwork for the last few bookings through on Thursday and the charge didn't appear. I questioned it and was told that the first charge was for the laundry and return to store of our own linen, i.e. they're using hired linen against our instructions. I emailed for clarification and have yet to receive a response. Today my parents visited between guests (they were in the area) and met the cleaning company who told them they won't use any but their own linen. They then discover our linen unwashed and screwed up in a plastic bag in our store, where it's been for five weeks. And that's what we paid £40 for!! Left a message with the agent this morning. Of course haven't had a reply....
I have defended them and defended them, I have given them the benefit of every conceivable b****y doubt, I have been more patient than I thought I knew how to be but now NOW I've had enough.
Rant over. And breathe....
Oh, and unrelated to the agent, but only two out of five lots of guests have written in the guestbook - is that normal? And the journal of the teddy bear mascot which lives in the cottage has gone missing, which I'm also really cross about!
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anya752000
- Posts: 465
- Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 7:30 pm
- Location: Pembrokeshire
Unfortunately I can't offer any advice on the agent/cleaners debacle as we don't use an agent or a cleaning company. But condolences sent. Is their hire linen any good? I know that some LMH members have struggled with the quality of hired linens.
Regards the guest book, is it in an obvious place? Our is on the counter top and I would say that 9/10 guests write in it. I also put a sentence in the "when you go" sheet in the information folder that says:
• Feel free to write in the guestbook, recommendations of days out and restaurants you have enjoyed are always appreciated by future guests.
More people write in the book than will write a review. You may find that when you have a few more guest comments in then people will be more inclined to add theirs.
Best Wishes
Regards the guest book, is it in an obvious place? Our is on the counter top and I would say that 9/10 guests write in it. I also put a sentence in the "when you go" sheet in the information folder that says:
• Feel free to write in the guestbook, recommendations of days out and restaurants you have enjoyed are always appreciated by future guests.
More people write in the book than will write a review. You may find that when you have a few more guest comments in then people will be more inclined to add theirs.
Best Wishes
I am so intrigued about the journal of the teddy bear mascot who lives at the cottage!! Tell me more please??
I think you have been more than patient and generous to your agent so far and I think I would be putting my toe gently up their backside and booting them into a new world - one that doesn't contain me!!
I think you have been more than patient and generous to your agent so far and I think I would be putting my toe gently up their backside and booting them into a new world - one that doesn't contain me!!
To my mind, not only is your agency inept, unprofessional, and dishonest (charging you for laundry not done), they are actually on the point of sabotaging your FUTURE business.
How can you trust that the property is properly cleaned, that the guests are well looked after? You've only just started letting...where's the feedback from your first few guests?
The guest book entries (or lack of them) could mean nothing, or something.
Not easy, I know, as I think you live at some distance. Whatever are you going to do? Sympathies and good luck...
How can you trust that the property is properly cleaned, that the guests are well looked after? You've only just started letting...where's the feedback from your first few guests?
The guest book entries (or lack of them) could mean nothing, or something.
Not easy, I know, as I think you live at some distance. Whatever are you going to do? Sympathies and good luck...
I put a line at the end of the balance receipt letter,
"please do make an entry in our visitor book - your comments are very important to us"
However, I find I will get a run of comments and then some people don't write anything. Sometimes repeat guests don't write anything after their first visit, others will say how many times they have been. It probably a personal difference and maybe some people intend to write something then forget at the end of their stay.
The visitor book is a great source of feedback though. Some of our guests use it like a blog, making recommendations of where to eat etc. however, it can be difficult to get hold of a visitor book that allows enough space for longer entries. I bought a batch last time so I have some in stock.
I'm sure you will see more entries soon and that will help you.
"please do make an entry in our visitor book - your comments are very important to us"
However, I find I will get a run of comments and then some people don't write anything. Sometimes repeat guests don't write anything after their first visit, others will say how many times they have been. It probably a personal difference and maybe some people intend to write something then forget at the end of their stay.
The visitor book is a great source of feedback though. Some of our guests use it like a blog, making recommendations of where to eat etc. however, it can be difficult to get hold of a visitor book that allows enough space for longer entries. I bought a batch last time so I have some in stock.
I'm sure you will see more entries soon and that will help you.