I like a challenge.. then I bought and renovated a B&B in Blackpool. Now I'm challenged! Champion puddle splasher, soup slurper, travel junkie, people watching addict that's a touch eccentric.Keeping it real.
I contacted them again on Monday and to their credit received a reply very quickly, yesterday I noticed that four of the five replies had been approved.
I think they're having a lot of issues overall with their system coding while making the changes they're implementing. It would have been nice had they sent an auto email to each partner letting us know of impending works/notification of likely issues so that we, in turn, could notify our guests. I think the side issue overall is we, the partners who are affected, aren't notified and that projects an air of arrogance imho.
Same issue with me. I have five great reviews awaiting my replies to be made public. It's been over three weeks for some of them and I've contacted BDC to no avail beyond the obligatory "We're sorry". None of my replies breach policies.
By not posting owner/manager replies to review BDC are giving an overall negative response to guests who have taken the time to show they appreciate their stay and in return they are met with.. silence.
This really isn't good enough from a company who are paid to provide a service and some aspects of that service are sub-standard and a detriment to businesses listing their properties through them.
I tend not to give gifts as such as my bookings tend to be a much faster turnover (one or two day stays), although do give them for stays of five days and longer. Every one gets a complimentary drink on arrival to make them feel welcome, so I guess that's my gift to each guest.
For returning guests I do leave a little something extra in their room and make it specific to them - my marathon runners, for example, get energy boosting treats. Any children I have in automatically get sweeties, chocolate animal biscuits and juice drinks.
I've received some lovely gifts from my favourite coffee (two of my marathon runners recently competed in a 60 mile bike ride and when they completed it then rode to a specific shop in another town just to get me some coffee, which was incredibly special and such a lovely thing for them to do), to chocolate from Switzerland. And during the recent Rebellion Festival, another guest brought for me a t'shirt with his radio show logo on. Incredibly kind, thoughtful people. The nicest gift I have received was in the form of a note that I received just last week from a family thanking me for making them feel so welcome, their children thoroughly enjoyed their stay and can't wait to come back.
As far as cancellations are concerned, it's understandable why smaller business owners opt for non-refundable. When there are events coming up/peak season then I'll do non refundable, otherwise it's a fourteen day cancellation policy.
Thanks for your reply, Isle of Wight Vacations, that seems a bizarre inclusion if they do indeed feature that as part of the rating system. The overall system is fine for chains/corporate businesses who will thrive regardless due to their dominance in the hospitality industry, but this system currently works to the detriment of small business owners such as myself.
Thanks for replying, Aaltje B. It just seemed a logical way of automatically keeping track of repeat guests so that we avoid embarrassment for ourselves, also them, should we not recall their previous stay. I'm surprised it isn't a feature already in use.
Good idea on sending my suggestion to the help desk people. I shall do that, thanks Aaltje B.
Nice to make your acquaintance here on the forums :-)
Hi Rgandhmm, I have no clue where in the world you so can't provide any links for retailers. All I can suggest is for you research hotel suppliers for luggage racks and if you find them expensive, there may be outlets online that can offer them more cheaply. OR, I have seen some mats hotels/B&Bs can purchase which can be placed at the end of a bed in readiness for the arrival of guests - to give you an idea, here's a link: https://www.outofeden.co.uk/products/7740-364/luggage-mat-brown
The rooms in my B&B aren't spacious enough to accommodate a luggage rack as such, so the mats are a great alternative to protect bedding. Alternatively, any hardware shop/store will sell cost-effective rubber mats which are a good alternative.
Oh Georgeboujaoude, I laughed so much reading your latter comment about him telling the cleaning girls they would not make a good wife because they can't cook traditional Chinese food LOL!
He sounds a nightmare on the proprietary side, but culturally, I can see why he would have done that.. he was improvising without any thought to the damage he was causing, or the potential fire risk. I love different cultures, all incredible. I come from a background of English, Irish and Russian Jew, but also was raised in different cultures such as middle-eastern and Jamaican/West Indian and Indian so have a very good basic understanding of those cultures. When there's a discourse, it can get pretty heated, very high impassioned ("I will invoke the heavens to blow out your roof!" but, there's no grudge and it's finished ("I see you the same date next month!". When two Westerners argue over something, grudges are held and it's all out war that not even a cup of tea can resolve ;-) I am, of course, joking with that last comment.
Heh Thank you! I absolutely love what I do. Little by little I'm learning as I've never done this previously. I bought a run-down B&B just off the town centre and adore living here. The town is undergoing major regeneration currently, so lots of building works/extension of tram lines, but when works are complete it'll be stunning. I've found being a hotelier incredibly challenging.. I had done a lot of research prior to going into this but nothing prepared me for the realities, particularly as I had to undertake a full renovation of the property prior to opening to the public, which was also terrifying, but as a frequent traveller, I knew what I wanted to achieve and believe I give exceptional value for money, as well as a level of service that is personalised to each guest that stays at my guest house. My friends would definitely consider me challenged, I counter by saying, "I'm eccentric, there's a difference" ;-)
I contacted them again on Monday and to their credit received a reply very quickly, yesterday I noticed that four of the five replies had been approved.
I think they're having a lot of issues overall with their system coding while making the changes they're implementing. It would have been nice had they sent an auto email to each partner letting us know of impending works/notification of likely issues so that we, in turn, could notify our guests. I think the side issue overall is we, the partners who are affected, aren't notified and that projects an air of arrogance imho.
Same issue with me. I have five great reviews awaiting my replies to be made public. It's been over three weeks for some of them and I've contacted BDC to no avail beyond the obligatory "We're sorry". None of my replies breach policies.
By not posting owner/manager replies to review BDC are giving an overall negative response to guests who have taken the time to show they appreciate their stay and in return they are met with.. silence.
This really isn't good enough from a company who are paid to provide a service and some aspects of that service are sub-standard and a detriment to businesses listing their properties through them.
Please, BDC, get it sorted.
Hi everyone,
I tend not to give gifts as such as my bookings tend to be a much faster turnover (one or two day stays), although do give them for stays of five days and longer. Every one gets a complimentary drink on arrival to make them feel welcome, so I guess that's my gift to each guest.
For returning guests I do leave a little something extra in their room and make it specific to them - my marathon runners, for example, get energy boosting treats. Any children I have in automatically get sweeties, chocolate animal biscuits and juice drinks.
I've received some lovely gifts from my favourite coffee (two of my marathon runners recently competed in a 60 mile bike ride and when they completed it then rode to a specific shop in another town just to get me some coffee, which was incredibly special and such a lovely thing for them to do), to chocolate from Switzerland. And during the recent Rebellion Festival, another guest brought for me a t'shirt with his radio show logo on. Incredibly kind, thoughtful people. The nicest gift I have received was in the form of a note that I received just last week from a family thanking me for making them feel so welcome, their children thoroughly enjoyed their stay and can't wait to come back.
As far as cancellations are concerned, it's understandable why smaller business owners opt for non-refundable. When there are events coming up/peak season then I'll do non refundable, otherwise it's a fourteen day cancellation policy.
Thanks for your reply, Isle of Wight Vacations, that seems a bizarre inclusion if they do indeed feature that as part of the rating system. The overall system is fine for chains/corporate businesses who will thrive regardless due to their dominance in the hospitality industry, but this system currently works to the detriment of small business owners such as myself.
Thanks for replying, Aaltje B. It just seemed a logical way of automatically keeping track of repeat guests so that we avoid embarrassment for ourselves, also them, should we not recall their previous stay. I'm surprised it isn't a feature already in use.
Good idea on sending my suggestion to the help desk people. I shall do that, thanks Aaltje B.
Nice to make your acquaintance here on the forums :-)
Jay
Hi Rgandhmm, I have no clue where in the world you so can't provide any links for retailers. All I can suggest is for you research hotel suppliers for luggage racks and if you find them expensive, there may be outlets online that can offer them more cheaply. OR, I have seen some mats hotels/B&Bs can purchase which can be placed at the end of a bed in readiness for the arrival of guests - to give you an idea, here's a link: https://www.outofeden.co.uk/products/7740-364/luggage-mat-brown
The rooms in my B&B aren't spacious enough to accommodate a luggage rack as such, so the mats are a great alternative to protect bedding. Alternatively, any hardware shop/store will sell cost-effective rubber mats which are a good alternative.
Oh Georgeboujaoude, I laughed so much reading your latter comment about him telling the cleaning girls they would not make a good wife because they can't cook traditional Chinese food LOL!
He sounds a nightmare on the proprietary side, but culturally, I can see why he would have done that.. he was improvising without any thought to the damage he was causing, or the potential fire risk. I love different cultures, all incredible. I come from a background of English, Irish and Russian Jew, but also was raised in different cultures such as middle-eastern and Jamaican/West Indian and Indian so have a very good basic understanding of those cultures. When there's a discourse, it can get pretty heated, very high impassioned ("I will invoke the heavens to blow out your roof!" but, there's no grudge and it's finished ("I see you the same date next month!". When two Westerners argue over something, grudges are held and it's all out war that not even a cup of tea can resolve ;-) I am, of course, joking with that last comment.
Heh Thank you! I absolutely love what I do. Little by little I'm learning as I've never done this previously. I bought a run-down B&B just off the town centre and adore living here. The town is undergoing major regeneration currently, so lots of building works/extension of tram lines, but when works are complete it'll be stunning. I've found being a hotelier incredibly challenging.. I had done a lot of research prior to going into this but nothing prepared me for the realities, particularly as I had to undertake a full renovation of the property prior to opening to the public, which was also terrifying, but as a frequent traveller, I knew what I wanted to achieve and believe I give exceptional value for money, as well as a level of service that is personalised to each guest that stays at my guest house. My friends would definitely consider me challenged, I counter by saying, "I'm eccentric, there's a difference" ;-)