Trying to instill better behaviour from our guests!

From the moment they step through the door your bookings become guests, and their experiences determine whether they ever come back.
musicmonkey
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Trying to instill better behaviour from our guests!

Post by musicmonkey »

It seems to me we all have our own various booking conditions designed to encourage guests to behave in a respectful way whilst using our properties. If we were to add all these conditions together, it would make a very large book!

Our own list has grown as we find different things, that we had not envisaged, need to be addressed to prevent a reoccurance. However, there is a limit and too many rules and regs are offputting.

It would be great to sum it all up in one sentence. Perhaps something along the lines of "Whilst a guest in our property, please only behave in a such a manner that would not embarrass you if we were watching you on CCTV."

Mind you, ever seen Big Brother?
A-two
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Re: Trying to instill better behaviour from our guests!

Post by A-two »

musicmonkey wrote:It would be great to sum it all up in one sentence. Perhaps something along the lines of "Whilst a guest in our property, please only behave in a such a manner that would not embarrass you if we were watching you on CCTV."
If you want to kill your business stone dead overnight, I suggest that having "CCTV" anywhere in your vocabulary is one of the best ways of doing it. If you said that to me, my first thought would be to tear the place apart looking for one. Not to mention that there isn't a conscious person in the world who would not be extremely embarrassed to watch themselves on CCTV doing the most mundane everyday things, let alone anything you might consider inappropriate behavior :oops: Also, there's no way to enforce the policy...... no wait....we could all go and get those clocks that have hidden spyhole cameras for monitoring the nanny, then have a regular movie night on the forum to compare notes and decide whom to punish. [/joke]

Hmmm....now I'm curious to know what's really going on at your place to cause you to even think along these lines.

Just my opinion
Last edited by A-two on Sun Aug 21, 2005 10:32 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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Christine Kenyon
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Post by Christine Kenyon »

Mmmmm, interesting question. Can't ever envisage installing CCTV ... just in case it does encourage Big Brother behaviour :oops: .

I've always taken the view that folk are on holiday and can do what they want during their stay (within reason!) as long as they leave the cottage clean, tidy and undamaged. I always find it interesting when we get a two week booking and I go in to do the "mid stay" clean and change of bed linen. It's always fascinating to see how guests are using your cottage and how they've changed things around. Can be a good source of ideas for improving things.

Like Joanna, I'm now intrigued to know what behaviour you've encountered .....
musicmonkey
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Post by musicmonkey »

I obviously missed the mark with my first post....it was meant to be completely tongue in cheek. Just fed up with renter after renter causing problems of some sort or otherand reading of similar and worse on here!
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tansy
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Post by tansy »

I think musicmonkey you are MUCH better off not knowing anything that goes on in your property - it could curl your toes and grey your hair overnight!

I just get butterflies everytime I go to take over the house on a Saturday morning!
it's all a learning curve!
musicmonkey
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Post by musicmonkey »

You are probably right Tansy. I am not sure whether it makes a difference that we are not on site as we can not see things for ourselves but receive reports through our Property Manager and cleaner/gardener.

Having had a spate of problems this year, mainly caused by last minute bookers, I am beginning to wonder if it is worth all the work and stress.

We only make enough to cover some of the bills having had only 7 weeks booked this year so far.

(Was not surprised to see your post about bookings being down this year). We also had a hitch with caretaking/cleaning in January this year so couldn't take bookings then. Last year was only our first year so we only had one repeat booking despite favourable comments in our visitor's book.
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

I think I'd rather not know what was going on too as long as the place is left okay. I have people in for 2 weeks at the moment, my friend thinks the village is a bit quiet for a stay that length and he asked "what they gonna do, make porn movies.....?" I hope I never find out :lol:
Christine Kenyon
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Post by Christine Kenyon »

Could be an interesting addition to the video/DVD library, Sue :twisted: .
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vrooje
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Post by vrooje »

Something to advertise on the website! "Our lovely cottage was the backdrop for a motion picture now available on DVD." :lol:
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Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

I've spent many a childhood holiday near Belford Sue, and I love the place, but I don't think I could spend 2 weeks there. My sister probably could though, but it isn't her as she's gone property hunting in the Algarve.
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

Our lovely cottage was the backdrop for a motion picture now available on DVD."
Yeah, featuring Sven the Swedish gardener et al.. !!

So you reckon my friend Bob is right Helen? Must be the porn angle :lol: I never get the chance to have 2 weeks there, people keep booking it - happily!
Hells Bells
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Post by Hells Bells »

Maybe they're honeymooners or having an affair. Or pretending they've gone to the Carribean?
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