Are we trying too hard?

From the moment they step through the door your bookings become guests, and their experiences determine whether they ever come back.
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tansy
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Joined: Mon Sep 20, 2004 6:29 am
Location: La Manche, Normandy, France

Are we trying too hard?

Post by tansy »

I have just booked our first holiday for 5 years...the experience has really made me think.

When someone books with me I email them back with a thank you for choosing our house send out a booking form & some further information via email - then once the booking form is returned I raise an invoice send it snail mail with directions, about the area,lots of brochures and maps of the Park etc.- the date for the deposit and final balance clearly marked along with bank details to TT Euros...if anyone does querie Euros I can offer an option. I have also taken the time to compile what is in the house re salt/pepper/herbs/spices/loo rolls etc.

Now the treatment I recieved is... book online and pay with a credit card - it is marked you are charged 1.75%. So I opted to pay Euros as we are in France & the holiday is in France.

My reciept eventually arrived...I had no acknowledgement before that or a thank you for choosing us...attached to the reciept is further instructions for final payment with no option except credit card in Euro - to my horror I then discover that the Euro payment has been changed to sterling - so I have now
have been hit with 2% by my credit card, 1.75% by the holiday company plus commission for the currency exchange!

I spoke with the MD of the company today...I'm actually now going to be able to pay with a Euro cheque ...AND I'm going to have some information sent to me...like what is on the boat..we were curious if there is a fridge!! They tell me that they don't normally send anything out until the final payment is recieved.

I personally wouldn't have the gall to treat anyone this way...and this is a professional company. But I want the booking so I'm continuing with it. Bet I don't even get salt & pepper left never mind a loo roll!

It got me thinking are we as small individual businesses being slightly bullied by our 'guests' where we feel we have to bend over backwards to assist them, encourage them to book, making the place the best we can, giving them gifts or discounts etc. ...the demands that some folk make are getting grander and also looking for us to reduce the prices and yet we seem to accommodate them.

What do others think?
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vrooje
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Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 2:48 am
Location: Burgundy, France

Post by vrooje »

I think that the classy vacationers appreciate the extra service and don't try to take advantage of it.

I also wait until final payment is received to send out the full information packet with detailed directions and key retrieval instructions, information on bakeries and shops, etc... but I do send out a receipt immediately after receiving the initial payment that thanks the client, tells them exactly when the final payment is due and explains what we will be sending at that time.

I never charge anything extra for people to use credit cards. I would rather just bump my prices up a bit than make the client feel sour by charging an extra fee! And I tell them so -- I make sure they know that the price we advertise is ALL they pay to us. Again, most people appreciate this, and those that try to take advantage, I'd rather not have as clients.

Cheers!
Brooke
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paolo
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Location: Provence, France
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Post by paolo »

Hi Tansy,

I think what you mention is all part of the reason people choose a holiday rental home over a hotel. We are not big businesses so we are able to give a much better level of service, totally personalised, and bend over backwards to please guests. The more the professionals process their guests like chicken fillets, the better off we will be. (I apologise for that strange analogy.)

So no, you're not being bullied by your guests, you're tapping into a vast and (hopefully) growing market of holiday-maker. And you're successful, so you know you're doing it right.
Paolo
Lay My Hat
Christine Kenyon
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Joined: Sun Sep 19, 2004 10:58 am
Location: Glenridding, Ullswater Valley, Lake District, UK
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Post by Christine Kenyon »

Hi Tansy.

I don't think you're being bullied, I just think you're offering a superb friendly and personal service.

We do pretty much the same as you (but tend not to send out brochures about the Lake District unless the visitors are from overseas). I will also email to say we've received the deposit and that confirmation details are on their way. When we receive the final payment I then send a post card to say it's arrived, confirm arrival times and any other bits of info. And if folk leave the cottage tidy, I email or send a card to say "thanks" from me in my role as Mrs Mop.

But, like you, I've been surprised by how "laid back" some folk can be. We booked a holiday house on La Gomera in January - beautiful place, but we had to wait 3 weeks to receive any info in the post after we had made our booking by email (and that wasn't due to the postman); we had to chase to make sure that our money transfer had landed; the email I sent a week before we went on holiday was never answered; the owners were on the island at the same time as us and had said that they would pick us up from the port - no sign of them when we arrived. But, we had a superb holiday and the owners were extremely friendly when we did meet them. I thought about telling them about the "laymyhat" forum ....... 8)

Cheers

Christine
helene
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Location: Bretagne, France
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Post by helene »

Hi Tansy - like all the others in the thread I think that from what you have described you offer a personalised, helpful and friendly service - given your slight discomfort on being on the receiving end of a not so helpful/informative response should re-assure you that you are on the right track. I liked the idea of sending a contents list so that people could see what was already there and will copy that - so thanks
Helene
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Ju
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Joined: Mon Sep 27, 2004 6:56 pm
Location: Vendee, France
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Post by Ju »

Hi Tansy

You sound like you provide a very good service and I certainly wouldn't change that. As has already been said that's what makes us different from large companies.

I personally think charging extra for credit cards is bad form. If I bought a new pair of jeans in a shop I wouldn't be charged extra for paying by card, so why should I if I'm paying for a holiday. We do not pass on charges for our credit card bookings, or international transfers.

Keep up the good work.

Ju
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