HA Bashing?

[greenbarn]

Here's a very interesting piece that does a nice job of pulling together a number of issues, and serves further to highlight the problem that HA/OD et al don't understand the business they are seeking to control.
It's not written by a personal axe-grinding LMH bandwagon jockey. It is written by someone with a reasonable claim to know what he's talking about. I don't know if that makes it any more or less valid or even different?
Have a look, see what you think; the article is here.

[HoneypotCottages]

A good read & valid points.

[kevsboredagain]

Yawn. Heard it all before. What the hell has happened to LMH? It's going downhill faster than the listing sites.

[FelicityA]

You may not have noticed but new people join here all the time and so it is not 'yawn' to them. i have never understood that ONLY 'old timers' on here can participate and gain information or just lurk. It may be new news to new owners. Discussion, whether going over old ground or not, is carried out (I hope) in the spirit of helpfulness and mutual support.

We all know what to do when we don't like a site any more.

[greenbarn]

Yawn. Heard it all before. What the hell has happened to LMH? It's going downhill faster than the listing sites.

My profound apologies kev - I thought that if I titled it "HA Bashing" you wouldn't read it.

[COYS]

Good find Greenbarn.
By listing the inherent problems with best match Mr Egan has managed to show what ill conceived cack it really is
Even with enquiries down we all get our share of time wasters so the 'unsuitable enquiry' button is a reasonable shout.
As for the rest of it, like the author says - one size does not fit all

[Bunny]

I saw that article too and thought it made some very valid points/suggestions. I understand Alan Egan is a rental owner and previously a property manager of many properties. Possibly in the US but not sure on that.

[Bunny]

Yawn. Heard it all before. What the hell has happened to LMH? It's going downhill faster than the listing sites.

My profound apologies kev - I thought that if I titled it "HA Bashing" you wouldn't read it.

[kevsboredagain]

You may not have noticed but new people join here all the time and so it is not 'yawn' to them. i have never understood that ONLY 'old timers' on here can participate and gain information or just lurk. It may be new news to new owners. Discussion, whether going over old ground or not, is carried out (I hope) in the spirit of helpfulness and mutual support.

We all know what to do when we don't like a site any more.

I'm not complaining about newcomers. It's the same old subset of old timers doing all the HA/HL bashing for nearly a year now. It's only been a week since this very subject was discussed, so why does it help to chew over it once again? Let's do some more bashing and pat each other on the back eh? This is what this forum is degenerating into. New, useful information for newcomers is becoming an hard to find.

Just a coincidence the thread is hosted by someone who also loves to slate web designers and invoke a lot of listing site hatred as a way of increasing revenue for his own business. I watched half his promotion video once and was rather disgusted at the lies he had to tell to make people buy his training.

[Nemo]

Yawn. Heard it all before. What the hell has happened to LMH? It's going downhill faster than the listing sites.

In your opinion. Others find it very incredible useful including us sad old timers who still like to share the latest happenings in the rental world and how it's affecting us. Thankfully some newbies are joining who aren't been put off by some of the threads. If it's not what you need or want then surely the power is in your hands? That's a genuine question on my part. I truly don't understand why you post in threads where you can't bear to read the contents or so vehemently disagree. Scrolling by the content we dislike is the greatest gift we all have when on the internet rather than shouting down those we disagree with or stating how bored we are with the content. It sounds like you've moved on and no longer need the content the other members post.

[kevsboredagain]

We all know what to do when we don't like a site any more.

Follow your example and moan non stop about it?

[Nemo]

Just a coincidence the thread is hosted by someone who also loves to slate web designers and invoke a lot of listing site hatred as a way of increasing revenue for his own business. I watched half his promotion video once and was rather disgusted at the lies he had to tell to make people buy his training.

The thread is not hosted by Alan Egan, it's hosted by greenbarn who I'm sure has no links to Alan, who in turn has written the content in the link that gb has posted. Just to ensure people don't think you're having a go at gb.

I personally have found much of what Alan posts very interesting and useful even if don't have the time I'd like to read much of it. Your dislike of him because he apparently slates web designers is not flattering to you. I suspect a lot of people who designed their own site are very grateful for his guidance even if you say it's based on lies. I designed my own (nothing to do with Alan) but with huge input from a web designer, so I did use the professional services and still do of someone where I can clearly see added value to my business.

PS listing site hatred? You are joking? The sites do that all on their own by their behaviour towards us and the changes owners are forced to make to try and survive. You can't blame Alan for that!

[kevsboredagain]

I truly don't understand why you post in threads where you can't bear to read the contents or so vehemently disagree.

I post because the arguement is nearly always one sided. It's always an attack on a listing site, even in cases where the owner is actually at fault (I refer tro a deposit incident a couple of weeks ago). Many owners do not care about the experience or security of the guest but just want things done the way they've always been done in the past.

Enquiries through these sites are going down, scammers are ruining our business but no one wants to change. No one wants to budge from the good old methods they are used to. Bank transfers, payments months in advance, handling all communications directly. You're clinging on to the past and your voices will fade away along with your businesses. I don't like many of the changes either but would rather invest energy in looking for alternatives rather than constant bashing of these sites.

Finding new ways of running our business is the greatest power of this forum. Constant listing site bashing solves and gains nothing.

[COYS]

We all know what to do when we don't like a site any more.

Follow your example and moan non stop about it?

With members old & new all having a connection through the same industry, the same subjects are bound to crop up over & over again. The way the listing sites are affecting/bullying so many is making them top of the agenda at the moment & I find all or any knowledge is useful. If I didn't then it's no big deal to just not read/comment/criticise.
Cheer up Kev, I was thinking about starting a thread listing all the positives that the revamped HA are bringing to my rental ownership but I couldn't find a piece of paper small enough for the list

[FelicityA]

We all know what to do when we don't like a site any more.

Follow your example and moan non stop about it?

No, If I don't like a site doing what they do (and I can't find a way round it), then I leave. HL and OD are both cases in point for me. No point in moaning. (I have not moaned 'non-stop') If you don't like what you read, then don't read it.