Charging for "Extras"

Agencies and other headaches, keys and cleaners, running costs and contracts...in short, all the things we spend so much of our time doing behind the scenes.<br>
Linda Freese
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Charging for "Extras"

Post by Linda Freese »

I was just browsing through one of the forum member´s websites and noticed that he was charging for "Meet and Greet" services at the property as well as for the welcome packs. We do not charge extra for these things (although I must admit that our welcome pack is just basic - tea, coffee, milk, butter, bread, sugar) so I was just wondering what other owners do?

Linda :?
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vrooje
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Post by vrooje »

Just to link threads together, there's further discussion of welcome packs at:

viewtopic.php?t=76
viewtopic.php?t=240

We don't charge extra for the things you mentioned -- it feels like "nickle and diming" to me. I'd rather just charge &#0128;15 extra and consider it included in the cost of the rental.

But, I can see the perspective of charging -- if someone doesn't opt for it, then they don't expect it and you don't have to waste your time putting a welcome pack together that they may not even touch if you simply volunteered it.
Brooke
reddevil
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Post by reddevil »

I suppose it is a bit like buying the plastic bags in a supermarket - you have to pay for them somehow but WHEN you pay for them is the question??

I also see some sites charging for cleaning as an extra yet others must include for it in their weekly rental price. Do you add add these 'extras' together and look expensive compared to others who have not included them in their headline price or go low and let the client find out that they have to pay more anyway?

Its your choice.
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PeeJay
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Post by PeeJay »

The feed back we had recently from a couple of guests was that they changed to booking a "private" apartment because they were fed up of booking into hotels or with package tours and finding they had to pay for all the extras??

We supply all cleaning, bed linen and towels, welcome pack, meet and greet, fans, kettle, safe deposit box, and all utilities.

We market the apartment as your home from home in the sun and most feel that these little points add to that experience.
reddevil
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Post by reddevil »

I think if the extras are hidden then this would cause some resentment - certainly I would not book again if this was the case. However if the guest is prepared to go without the extras, and he has the choice to do so, then surely he would be very happy if he could save that amount to spend on a beer instead?

As I said, it is a personal choice and different holidaymakers will appreciate and react to different approaches.
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jimadept
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Post by jimadept »

I agree with PeeJay on this one. An extra final cleaning charge seems standard down on the Costa Blanca, but to me it just looks like massaging the figures (massage, 'extras', geddit?). Extra charges always leave a bad taste in the mouth (stop it, Ed), it's far better IMO to charge a WYSIWYG price which includes eveything.
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Alan Knighting
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Post by Alan Knighting »

We supply all cleaning, bed linen and towels, welcome pack, meet and greet, fans, kettle, safe deposit box, and all utilities.

We market the apartment as your home from home in the sun and most feel that these little points add to that experience.
There's always going to be those who take an opposing view but I don't regard any of these things as extras. They are simply items which are included. Listing extras and charging separately for them is, in my opinion, a device for advertising cheap and selling expensive. I don't like that approach, nor do my guests.

Alan
Linda Freese
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Post by Linda Freese »

I understand about possibly charging extra for a welcome pack, however I think charging extra for a meet & greet seems a bit excessive. If you don´t meet them at the property, are the keys just sent to them? Isn´t that a bit risky? Isn´t it better for the owner (or their manager) to meet the clients face to face, so if anything goes wrong you can at least ID them in a police line up?? :wink:
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

Linda, I post keys out and rarely get to meet guests and so far.... (fingers crossed) no problems. We live about an hours drive away and it was taking up our whole day hanging around for people who said they'd arrive "around 2'ish" then turn up at 5pm because they'd found something on the way.

I'm a 100% in favour of "all inclusive" as that is what I'd like as a guest, but whatever works....

If I was charged extra for a "meet and greet" I'd want juggling and fire eating at least too :lol:
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paolo
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Post by paolo »

so if anything goes wrong you can at least ID them in a police line up??
:lol:
That's the spirit!
I can see the directions email now: "I will meet you at the property myself to show you around and also so that I can better help the police with their enquiries."
Paolo
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jimadept
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Post by jimadept »

soodyer wrote:If I was charged extra for a "meet and greet" I'd want juggling and fire eating at least too :lol:
LOL!

Maybe it's a misspelling and they mean "meat & greet" with great slabs of steak sizzling on a BBQ....
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vrooje
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Post by vrooje »

We'd love to do a meet & greet with every client, but as we are thousands of miles away, alas. It cannot be so. We've thought of asking our housekeeper to do it, but we wouldn't want her to have to wait around for hours for a family that doesn't show up until 10 at night!

We have the keys in a very strong lockbox at the house, and the welcome packet includes the lockbox code and instructions for opening it. We only send the welcome packet after we receive the client's final payment, and so far there haven't been any problems. Since we're in the States, this seemed like the only solution. The postal systems in the US, France, and the UK work just fine on their own, but when they have to work together strange things can happen. We'd rather them not happen with our house keys! :shock:
Brooke
Linda Freese
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Post by Linda Freese »

"I will meet you at the property myself to show you around and also so that I can better help the police with their enquiries."
Maybe its living on the "Costa del Crime" that has made me so cynical :wink:
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Sue Dyer
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Post by Sue Dyer »

someone at work yesterday asked me if I ever had problems with stuff going missing... I replied, quite the opposite, I can't recall anything having gone walkies, but quite a few books left, the odd bunch of flowers for us, wine, nice candle, set of coasters.... (and half bags of oven chips...)

I'm typing this on my uni-cycle brushing up for this season's "meet and greet" entertainment!!

"meat and greet" is a great idea, make mine med/rare. Was it Christine who went to the "tub and grub" party? My kinda do!!
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tansy
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Post by tansy »

I used to sharge for end of stay clean - 100 Euros..but this year put the price up 100 Euros and included end of stay clean....what a difference in how the house is left...no resentment attitude - I've paid for this so I'm going to get my moneys' worth!...so no we don't charge extras now - jsut a fair price and include all tehcleaning stuff...so far fingers crossed it seems to be working :)
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