Any else do this when ask for discounts?

[sandynn]

I have been thinking about this and maybe for those who want a discount ( and we are getting asked more and more) if they would like to just have coffee, juice and maybe a muffin we can discount $20.
I don't think a bed and breakfast should not serve breakfast but there are people that really want that discount. Just wondering if anyone else has done this.

 

[Generic]

Absolutely NEVER. It's really nice that they want a discount. I want a million dollars. We both aren't getting it.
Once you do it, there is no going back and they will tell others or worse, write it in a review and then what are you stuck with?
We have one discount, it's for booking online on our website. I don't want to do reservations in email. I don't want to do reservations on the telephone, sitting there and taking down the information and spending half an hour on the phone when I have more productive uses of my time.
That isn't to say that we don't discount. We change our prices on certain dates and for many reasons. Orphan nights, slow bookings, booking too quickly or sometimes because we just like that customer. But if they ask...never. It is too slippery a slope. Then they will always ask for discounts, everyone wants to pay less.

 

[Penelope]

But, is your brekkie $20??? Really??? If you are going to do that, you could do an entire "no breakfast" package- but don't call it that. Maybe make it late check-in, no breakfast, payment (non-refundable, of course ) when reservation is made. Then you could make it $20 less than your regular price. It would be it's own package. That way, you could end it at any time (October) and start it back up whenever you felt like it.
Don't give money out of your pocket that isn't there. Brekkie is probably only $5/person, cost-wise. Maybe less. Why offer them $10 MORE off?

 

[JBloggs]

$5 per person for breakfast? Nope. It may be if the house is full and you can stretch the ingred's. (Sorry, didn't mean to sidetrack the thread).
Please don't discount your breakfast, if you give them a discount offer an incentive for the discount like book online.

 

[Penelope]

$5 per person for breakfast? Nope. It may be if the house is full and you can stretch the ingred's. (Sorry, didn't mean to sidetrack the thread).
Please don't discount your breakfast, if you give them a discount offer an incentive for the discount like book online..

$5 per person for breakfast? Nope.

More p/p or less?

 

[egoodell]

I can see them sitting there at the breakfast table with just coffee and a roll while the others are being served a bountiful breakfast - would be uncomfortable for me. Maybe not so bad if you have individual tables.
What will you do when they change their mind as you're serving and request the full breakfast that you have not prepared for them?
And bear in mind that those who are hammering for a discount are not, usually, pleasant guests. They misbehave, clean out the cookie bowl, etc.
RIki

 

[Don Draper]

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website.

 

[Copperhead]

Check your city/county regs. If you discount for no breakfast, that means you are charging others for breakfast. We've discussed this many times. Breakfast is complimentary, not negotiable - we are a bed AND breakfast.
So what would they do at a hotel that serves complimentary breakie? Say they aren't going to eat? What do you think the hotel would say?
Discount for online booking, for AA RP, for staying 2 nights.... but do not discount for no breakfast. As someone else pointed out - what if they write a review and mention it, you will be stuck doing this from then on.

 

[JBloggs]

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website..

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website.

I have seen Sandynn's inn and there is no way you can go there and miss a fab breakfast! It is part of the whole atmosphere, the whole B&B experience. Would be diff if it were a hotel, but at a hotel there is no "discount cuz we won't eat breakfast" option.
Just say No.
And the best way, thank you for suggesting that, but we cannot discount for breakfast, it is part of the room and experience.

 

[Alibi Ike]

If it is in your budget to offer a discount. If you want to offer a discount. All the if's out of the way, a good chunk of callers are happy with $10 off. No way would I say, '$20 off and no breakfast for you!' Breakfast is no where near $20/room so you're losing big time. And there's always the option of them deciding they want brekkie and now you have to get the $20 back.
A second option is to offer an upgrade or added amenity that costs you less than $10.

 

[Generic]

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website..

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website.

Gee, we 100% agree with each other as well. I give $10/night for booking online as well. It also changes the demographic as well. My clienetele seem to be younger than other B&Bs that do it over the telephone. Less prone to error and of course with instant confirmation I get the reservation before the other B&B has had a chance to confirm availability in an email.
It also puts a certain booking pressure on the guest, because anyone on the Internet can book the room ahead of them at any time. I have had guests call me to check because the room was available 5 minutes before... and now, it isn't!

 

[JBloggs]

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website..

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website.

Gee, we 100% agree with each other as well. I give $10/night for booking online as well. It also changes the demographic as well. My clienetele seem to be younger than other B&Bs that do it over the telephone. Less prone to error and of course with instant confirmation I get the reservation before the other B&B has had a chance to confirm availability in an email.
It also puts a certain booking pressure on the guest, because anyone on the Internet can book the room ahead of them at any time. I have had guests call me to check because the room was available 5 minutes before... and now, it isn't!
.

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website.

Gee, we 100% agree with each other as well. I give $10/night for booking online as well. It also changes the demographic as well. My clienetele seem to be younger than other B&Bs that do it over the telephone. Less prone to error and of course with instant confirmation I get the reservation before the other B&B has had a chance to confirm availability in an email.
It also puts a certain booking pressure on the guest, because anyone on the Internet can book the room ahead of them at any time. I have had guests call me to check because the room was available 5 minutes before... and now, it isn't!

I changed mine last year to book online and save $10 (not per night, just once) and had no issue with it and received the same amount of bookings online. So saved quite a bit that way. PLUS I get them to fill in all the info themselve and tick the box agreeing to my policies.
Anyone planning a trip wants to do it NOW, not wait, not call. not stuff around! It is a guest amenity 100%!

 

[Don Draper]

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website..

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website.

Gee, we 100% agree with each other as well. I give $10/night for booking online as well. It also changes the demographic as well. My clienetele seem to be younger than other B&Bs that do it over the telephone. Less prone to error and of course with instant confirmation I get the reservation before the other B&B has had a chance to confirm availability in an email.
It also puts a certain booking pressure on the guest, because anyone on the Internet can book the room ahead of them at any time. I have had guests call me to check because the room was available 5 minutes before... and now, it isn't!
.

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website.

Gee, we 100% agree with each other as well. I give $10/night for booking online as well. It also changes the demographic as well. My clienetele seem to be younger than other B&Bs that do it over the telephone. Less prone to error and of course with instant confirmation I get the reservation before the other B&B has had a chance to confirm availability in an email.
It also puts a certain booking pressure on the guest, because anyone on the Internet can book the room ahead of them at any time. I have had guests call me to check because the room was available 5 minutes before... and now, it isn't!

I changed mine last year to book online and save $10 (not per night, just once) and had no issue with it and received the same amount of bookings online. So saved quite a bit that way. PLUS I get them to fill in all the info themselve and tick the box agreeing to my policies.
Anyone planning a trip wants to do it NOW, not wait, not call. not stuff around! It is a guest amenity 100%!
.

It was JB who inspired me to offer the discount, and we were planning to raise our rates that year anyway so just added in the extra $10/night so we could discount it.
I can't say enough, with all the chargebacks and general grumpiness of late, about having them book online. Their checking of the box agreeing with your policies is tantamount to a signature in the eyes of the cc processors. Plus less chance of error (oh, you said Tuesday but I meant the 9th, etc.).
I've said it before and I'll say it again anyone who is calling us now and insisting on a call back instead of booking online themselves is looking for a discount or to be an exception to one of our policies (age limit, # of people in room, etc.). In other words, not worth the call back. Viva la world wide web!

 

[EmptyNest]

Edited after some thought-- NO DISCOUNTS for not eating breakfast.

 

[EmptyNest]

Delete duplicate

 

[Copperhead]

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website..

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website.

Gee, we 100% agree with each other as well. I give $10/night for booking online as well. It also changes the demographic as well. My clienetele seem to be younger than other B&Bs that do it over the telephone. Less prone to error and of course with instant confirmation I get the reservation before the other B&B has had a chance to confirm availability in an email.
It also puts a certain booking pressure on the guest, because anyone on the Internet can book the room ahead of them at any time. I have had guests call me to check because the room was available 5 minutes before... and now, it isn't!
.

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website.

Gee, we 100% agree with each other as well. I give $10/night for booking online as well. It also changes the demographic as well. My clienetele seem to be younger than other B&Bs that do it over the telephone. Less prone to error and of course with instant confirmation I get the reservation before the other B&B has had a chance to confirm availability in an email.
It also puts a certain booking pressure on the guest, because anyone on the Internet can book the room ahead of them at any time. I have had guests call me to check because the room was available 5 minutes before... and now, it isn't!

I changed mine last year to book online and save $10 (not per night, just once) and had no issue with it and received the same amount of bookings online. So saved quite a bit that way. PLUS I get them to fill in all the info themselve and tick the box agreeing to my policies.
Anyone planning a trip wants to do it NOW, not wait, not call. not stuff around! It is a guest amenity 100%!
.

It was JB who inspired me to offer the discount, and we were planning to raise our rates that year anyway so just added in the extra $10/night so we could discount it.
I can't say enough, with all the chargebacks and general grumpiness of late, about having them book online. Their checking of the box agreeing with your policies is tantamount to a signature in the eyes of the cc processors. Plus less chance of error (oh, you said Tuesday but I meant the 9th, etc.).
I've said it before and I'll say it again anyone who is calling us now and insisting on a call back instead of booking online themselves is looking for a discount or to be an exception to one of our policies (age limit, # of people in room, etc.). In other words, not worth the call back. Viva la world wide web!
.

It was JB who inspired me to offer the discount, and we were planning to raise our rates that year anyway so just added in the extra $10/night so we could discount it.
I can't say enough, with all the chargebacks and general grumpiness of late, about having them book online. Their checking of the box agreeing with your policies is tantamount to a signature in the eyes of the cc processors. Plus less chance of error (oh, you said Tuesday but I meant the 9th, etc.).
I've said it before and I'll say it again anyone who is calling us now and insisting on a call back instead of booking online themselves is looking for a discount or to be an exception to one of our policies (age limit, # of people in room, etc.). In other words, not worth the call back. Viva la world wide web!

JB was my inspiration as well! I can not thank her enough! We just raised our rates to cover the discount, those who call pay the new price and I'll take that!!! Online bookings increased drasticly - would say we have 80+% booking online now. Online booking is a blessing for us in many, many ways!
Those that call us now are usually the ones that do not read our site to find the answers. They are the ones that then expect the same discount as when they book online. They are the ones that will balk at cancellation policies because they failed to read them in the confirmation email. I protect myself with these as well because I have them confirm via email that they have recieved and agree to the terms.

 

[sandynn]

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website..

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website.

I have seen Sandynn's inn and there is no way you can go there and miss a fab breakfast! It is part of the whole atmosphere, the whole B&B experience. Would be diff if it were a hotel, but at a hotel there is no "discount cuz we won't eat breakfast" option.
Just say No.
And the best way, thank you for suggesting that, but we cannot discount for breakfast, it is part of the room and experience.
.

 

[Stu]

Agree with all the comments above. Telephone bookings are a pain in the a***. If anyone rings up asking for a discount we say 'that is the cheapest price available at this time for those dates, and prices may go up depending on availability, but if you book through our website we will give you a free bottle of wine on arrival. There is usually a booking within a half hour through our website!

 

[Kay Nein]

Juice & coffee, fine. But, if they want any kind of breakfast (muffin), it's regular charge. We will give a $10 off if it's just one person or if the couple says they don't want breakfast (checking out early). But, that means they don't get anything (except drinks). $20 off and they still get a muffin? That's too generous.

 

[Kay Nein]

No, because we all say our breakfast is complimentary so it would make no sense.
We did a reduced rate, no breakfast special this winter for the first time and it just didn't work...b&b people WANT the breakfast.
I am 100% with GBManor on this one, it's nice they want a discount but what would make them think your lovely product is something that should be cheap? Give a discount for multiple weeknight stays, or for 3 nights or longer. By far the most successful discount we've run is the $10/night off for booking online. It's saved us so much time on the phone and we just get people who are at least swift enough to navigate our website..

I agree, people want the breakfasts. The only time we get people that don't eat is when they need to be on the road before serving time.