Holidaylets.net free trial?

[Ross Hugo]

ps

http://www.goatworld.com/


Ross

[Giddy Goat]

Ross, thanks for the link. I checked out this site, and thought ooh goody, it's got a forum and a chat room. I can meet up with fellow suff - kindred spirits.

Then I spotted the goat recipes.....

Disappointed again.

[enid]

I have come late to this discussion as my office is in a state of flux at the moment but I disagree with you Alan for two reasons.

1. If you have made a policy decision that affects your clients, to change that decision arbitrarily breaks faith with them

2. If you as the boss decide unilaterally to change a policy decision that you have spent some time as a team developing, then you break faith with them.

Neither strikes me as particularly sensible.

[Giddy Goat]

Enid, you couldn't have put it better, and arriving late into the discussion has enabled you to get a clearer overall picture, methinks.

Latterly, it was that word 'must' that put the wind up my pal Alexia and others. Easy to get tangled up in semantics, and it's often difficult to spot, as you write, that there may be more than one way of interpreting the meaning behind the words you have chosen.

[Alan Knighting]

Enid,

Are we really in disagreement? I think we both have an in-built belief in "client care".

One shouldn’t say “can not� when one means “will not�. One shouldn’t change the rules while playing the game. Ross has done both but only because “he can�.

I can decide not to subscribe to a Website. I can decide not to renew a subscription. Why? Because “I can�.

Ross doesn’t have to justify his decisions and nor do I.

Alan

[alexia s.]

Yes Ross, "must" includes ""To be determined to; have as a fixed resolve".
But it means more than this: it means that there is no perceived alternative.
In English, when we have something as a fixed resolve we say "we are going to do something".
"I am going to buy the tickets"
is not the same as
"I must buy the tickets".
You wanted to say that you are going to stick by your decision.
BUT words do have a meaning and Alan is absolutely right:
One shouldn’t say “can not� when one means “will not�.

[Giddy Goat]

Language - ain't it fascinating.

Anyone here speak Strine?

[Fraise]

Strine???????????????????

[Giddy Goat]

G'day Fraise. Strine=Australian. I'm Strine. Strine Jine. You're Frise.

We use 'must' over there too - although it probably becomes 'godder'.

[Fraise]

OK,got that,thanks Jine

[la vache!]

As an existing PAYING customer of Holidaylets.net (for a few years), I have to say that I am quite happy that they are not offering a free trial during Jan - March, the busiest rental booking period. It may be a little far fetched, but there is the possibility that those benefitting from the free trial may take some business from those who have paid the full year's subscription (like myself). Some of these will inevitably be the 'free loaders' who have no intention of ever paying any advertising costs and whom I have no wish to subsidise.

[Alan Knighting]

Susan,

I think you have expressed a very well considered attitude towards free trial periods.

For me, what differentiates free trial periods from test drives of cars, etc. is that you get to keep the results of free trial periods and the results can be substantial.

In my area and with my type of property the most productive time of the year for enquiries and bookings is February, March and April. Through the judicious use of two or three free trial periods an unprincipled owner could fill up on bookings for the summer, at no cost whatever. That is simply not fair or reasonable for those who are the paying members of those sites. Nor does it do anything for the financing of the Rental Sites themselves except that it might persuade some more responsible owners to sign up and pay their way.

My opinion is that free trial periods are offered by sites that need to jack up their numbers. The underlying hope is that some success is achieved and the property owner will then “join the club�. I suspect the free loaders will not, whatever happens. For the next season they will look for more free trial periods until they run out of opportunities. They could go on doing that for years while the rest of us, the paying public, subsidise their parasitic practices.

On the subject of free loaders and parasites Joan and I have made a New Year’s resolution. Our free taxi service to and from the airport or the railway station for family and friends is now closed. Our car is no longer freely available for family and friends who want to tour the South West of France while staying with us. Only our son and his fiancée will now enjoy the service. We might change our minds if anyone can introduce us to a car which can drive itself to and from the airport or the railway station, which runs on fresh air, which is exempt from motorway tolls and which clones itself while being used by someone else so that we have a means of transport. A tall order?

We are also considering making it a rule that family and friends bring with them wallets and purses which do not remain firmly locked while they are with us. We might even insist that they go on courses on the use of kettles and toasters and dish washers, etc.

Fluffy is fed up with free loaders. He’s getting hard and scratchy.

Alan

[Giddy Goat]

Fluffy, we can all empathise with your views on freeloaders, and what an excellent New Year's Resolution. If anyone does manage to clone the family car, BTW, do let us all know.

On the point of free trials, I agree, most starting-up companies will offer them, but even established listing sites with a decent portfolio of properties do too - it doesn't necessarily mean they are struggling, simply looking to expand further, as any ambitious company will aim to do, which is fair enough. And any ethical carrot which potentially draws customers away from the competition is common business practice in the commercial world, isn't it? Take Perfect Places for example.

This has probably already been said - I apologise if so. The thread has excited so much discussion I've lost track - the goatherd's still on hols.

[Alan Knighting]

Dear Goat, of the Antipodean variety.

I am convinced you are correct about business strategies. I assume Ross is running a successful business. What qualifies me to tell him he is not doing it properly?

It’s just that I get a little upset when people think they are entitled to “ride on my back� and in the process tell me I am doing it wrong.

To those who want a free ride on Ross’s Website, but can’t get it, I have one answer “look elsewhere�.

Alan, of the Fluffy variety.

[Giddy Goat]

Dear Alan, of the fluffy variety - thanks for that.

While I was away from the screen I was asking myself 'if HL or any other listing site were to offer a 75% discount on a year's subscription, (or even a 90% or 95% discount), and I were to take up the offer, would that make me a fully fledged freeloader, a partial freeloader, or a non-freeloader, since I would actually be paying something? Is a special offer such as a discount on the subscription, or 4 extra photos for free, acceptable, and if so, at just what point does an offer of a reduction become unacceptable to freeloaderphobics?

Only a thought. Do you like the new fluffy word I've coined?