Just WHY does T A need this?

[JBloggs]

Why not bring this up on PAII as well? It is certainly something Jay could approach them on. (I can't, not a member.).

I did it on the PAII Forum.
Update on PAII Forum. I was told this had been discussed before - have no idea wht was said then. BUT the kicker for me was a very large inn owner saw nothing wrong with it! He actually thought it was great that they did such a vetting to ensure a "fake" owner did not destroy his reputation with a fake management response. How could that be done since ID & password are needed to get into the inn's account - reviewers just set up and account and post.
I am afraid I lit into him. Once that info is given it is there for anyone with eyes or the ability to hack. I have no idea who (forgot to add where) are their employees. I am so sick of businesses following like sheep when a vendor decides they want something. Look how many got the Diamond listing when BandB upped the ante - what is to stop T A from deciding you pay to be listed, period. IF they have your cc# it is a slam, bam, thank you ma'am.
I cannot believe how people have gotten into the if it is asked for we give it because we have to mode. NO! You do NOT have to give up your info. I did not give up the info and they decided to verity. I do not care if I never wrote another management response, I was not caving.
.

That's why we are here, on this forum. Rebellious Innkeepers Anonymous
or more aptly, common sense innkeepers unite!
I remember in the day on another forum where they said service service service and allowing guests to walk all over you, no boundaries, was what we were to do. NOPE. Wrong.

 

[Copperhead]

FYI - I sent an email to TA stating I had verified my business listing serval years ago, used the same email address. They replied today stating that my email address had verified my association with my business and that my listing was now verified.
So do as K & I, and send them an email instead of your personal information.

 

[Cbz]

A little heads up on this one - Recently a homestay (B&B) owner, who had verified using his credit card got charged for business listing, which he never wanted. He realised it only after the transaction came up on his phone - he did cancel the subscription but not before being charged for 1 month.
Another owner i know "verified" her listing using a credit card, which belonged to her cousin. Credit card was prepaid visa card (These types do not have any name on them). She was "approved" by TA and promptly charged for "promotional offer" business listing after 3~ months of validating the CC.
So, .. watch out!

 

[Joey Camb]

K, I am sure you verified your account many years ago. So did I, I even had purchased the business listing (when they started it at a discount) but no longer.
Got the same. I sent an email as well, and stated that I have been a verified business owner for several years now. Indicated that they did not find any issue verifing who I was when I paid for a business listing last year.
I also stated they should be doing this before allowing people to write reviews and verify they have stayed at the property they are reviewing instead of making it impossible for a business owner to protect their business reputation by requiring personal data.
Will see what response I receive.
TA - Thorn in my _ _ _!.

At least Facebook are reasonable I had to simply scan in a bill and email it to them to verify my place page and that I am the real owner, I think that is enough.

 

[Generic]

K, I am sure you verified your account many years ago. So did I, I even had purchased the business listing (when they started it at a discount) but no longer.
Got the same. I sent an email as well, and stated that I have been a verified business owner for several years now. Indicated that they did not find any issue verifing who I was when I paid for a business listing last year.
I also stated they should be doing this before allowing people to write reviews and verify they have stayed at the property they are reviewing instead of making it impossible for a business owner to protect their business reputation by requiring personal data.
Will see what response I receive.
TA - Thorn in my _ _ _!.

At least Facebook are reasonable I had to simply scan in a bill and email it to them to verify my place page and that I am the real owner, I think that is enough.
.

I didn't even have to do that. My email address with my domain name was enough.

 

[JBloggs]

K, I am sure you verified your account many years ago. So did I, I even had purchased the business listing (when they started it at a discount) but no longer.
Got the same. I sent an email as well, and stated that I have been a verified business owner for several years now. Indicated that they did not find any issue verifing who I was when I paid for a business listing last year.
I also stated they should be doing this before allowing people to write reviews and verify they have stayed at the property they are reviewing instead of making it impossible for a business owner to protect their business reputation by requiring personal data.
Will see what response I receive.
TA - Thorn in my _ _ _!.

At least Facebook are reasonable I had to simply scan in a bill and email it to them to verify my place page and that I am the real owner, I think that is enough.
.

I didn't even have to do that. My email address with my domain name was enough.
.

I didn't even have to do that. My email address with my domain name was enough.

and another reason for inns to have domain names on their emails. I agree.
Like we mentioned the other day when a soap vendor sent out an email marketing blast with their own name on it, very unprofessional. I don't want to step on toes here, but I will, people people don't have yahoo or other emails as your business email. People don't take you seriousely. This is something you should have from day one, it should say "[email protected]" or similar.

 

[Generic]

K, I am sure you verified your account many years ago. So did I, I even had purchased the business listing (when they started it at a discount) but no longer.
Got the same. I sent an email as well, and stated that I have been a verified business owner for several years now. Indicated that they did not find any issue verifing who I was when I paid for a business listing last year.
I also stated they should be doing this before allowing people to write reviews and verify they have stayed at the property they are reviewing instead of making it impossible for a business owner to protect their business reputation by requiring personal data.
Will see what response I receive.
TA - Thorn in my _ _ _!.

At least Facebook are reasonable I had to simply scan in a bill and email it to them to verify my place page and that I am the real owner, I think that is enough.
.

I didn't even have to do that. My email address with my domain name was enough.
.

I didn't even have to do that. My email address with my domain name was enough.

and another reason for inns to have domain names on their emails. I agree.
Like we mentioned the other day when a soap vendor sent out an email marketing blast with their own name on it, very unprofessional. I don't want to step on toes here, but I will, people people don't have yahoo or other emails as your business email. People don't take you seriousely. This is something you should have from day one, it should say "[email protected]" or similar.
.

And google hosts you email for free if you don't have too many addresses

 

[gillumhouse]

K, I am sure you verified your account many years ago. So did I, I even had purchased the business listing (when they started it at a discount) but no longer.
Got the same. I sent an email as well, and stated that I have been a verified business owner for several years now. Indicated that they did not find any issue verifing who I was when I paid for a business listing last year.
I also stated they should be doing this before allowing people to write reviews and verify they have stayed at the property they are reviewing instead of making it impossible for a business owner to protect their business reputation by requiring personal data.
Will see what response I receive.
TA - Thorn in my _ _ _!.

At least Facebook are reasonable I had to simply scan in a bill and email it to them to verify my place page and that I am the real owner, I think that is enough.
.

I didn't even have to do that. My email address with my domain name was enough.
.

I didn't even have to do that. My email address with my domain name was enough.

and another reason for inns to have domain names on their emails. I agree.
Like we mentioned the other day when a soap vendor sent out an email marketing blast with their own name on it, very unprofessional. I don't want to step on toes here, but I will, people people don't have yahoo or other emails as your business email. People don't take you seriousely. This is something you should have from day one, it should say "[email protected]" or similar.
.

And google hosts you email for free if you don't have too many addresses
.

And google hosts you email for free if you don't have too many addresses

If your web hoting does not give you at least one e-mail address, your are getting ripped off. I have at least 8 e-mail addresses that come to my account plus the ones that are redirected from other web sites.

 

[Arks]

K, I am sure you verified your account many years ago. So did I, I even had purchased the business listing (when they started it at a discount) but no longer.
Got the same. I sent an email as well, and stated that I have been a verified business owner for several years now. Indicated that they did not find any issue verifing who I was when I paid for a business listing last year.
I also stated they should be doing this before allowing people to write reviews and verify they have stayed at the property they are reviewing instead of making it impossible for a business owner to protect their business reputation by requiring personal data.
Will see what response I receive.
TA - Thorn in my _ _ _!.

At least Facebook are reasonable I had to simply scan in a bill and email it to them to verify my place page and that I am the real owner, I think that is enough.
.

I didn't even have to do that. My email address with my domain name was enough.
.

I didn't even have to do that. My email address with my domain name was enough.

and another reason for inns to have domain names on their emails. I agree.
Like we mentioned the other day when a soap vendor sent out an email marketing blast with their own name on it, very unprofessional. I don't want to step on toes here, but I will, people people don't have yahoo or other emails as your business email. People don't take you seriousely. This is something you should have from day one, it should say "[email protected]" or similar.
.

Like we mentioned the other day when a soap vendor sent out an email marketing blast with their own name on it, very unprofessional...don't have yahoo or other emails as your business email.

The soap one was from a company domain e-mail address, something like [email protected] (not the real address) but she had her display name set to something like Mary Wilson, rather than something like "Mary at Gilchrist-Soames".
So remember, it's not just about the e-mail address ending in your inn's domain name rather than gmail or yahoo, you also need to set the account to display something like "Mary at Mary's Inn" when people receive it, rather than Mary Smith.

 

[JBloggs]

K, I am sure you verified your account many years ago. So did I, I even had purchased the business listing (when they started it at a discount) but no longer.
Got the same. I sent an email as well, and stated that I have been a verified business owner for several years now. Indicated that they did not find any issue verifing who I was when I paid for a business listing last year.
I also stated they should be doing this before allowing people to write reviews and verify they have stayed at the property they are reviewing instead of making it impossible for a business owner to protect their business reputation by requiring personal data.
Will see what response I receive.
TA - Thorn in my _ _ _!.

At least Facebook are reasonable I had to simply scan in a bill and email it to them to verify my place page and that I am the real owner, I think that is enough.
.

I didn't even have to do that. My email address with my domain name was enough.
.

I didn't even have to do that. My email address with my domain name was enough.

and another reason for inns to have domain names on their emails. I agree.
Like we mentioned the other day when a soap vendor sent out an email marketing blast with their own name on it, very unprofessional. I don't want to step on toes here, but I will, people people don't have yahoo or other emails as your business email. People don't take you seriousely. This is something you should have from day one, it should say "[email protected]" or similar.
.

Like we mentioned the other day when a soap vendor sent out an email marketing blast with their own name on it, very unprofessional...don't have yahoo or other emails as your business email.

The soap one was from a company domain e-mail address, something like [email protected] (not the real address) but she had her display name set to something like Mary Wilson, rather than something like "Mary at Gilchrist-Soames".
So remember, it's not just about the e-mail address ending in your inn's domain name rather than gmail or yahoo, you also need to set the account to display something like "Mary at Mary's Inn" when people receive it, rather than Mary Smith.
.

Like we mentioned the other day when a soap vendor sent out an email marketing blast with their own name on it, very unprofessional...don't have yahoo or other emails as your business email.

The soap one was from a company domain e-mail address, something like [email protected] (not the real address) but she had her display name set to something like Mary Wilson, rather than something like "Mary at Gilchrist-Soames".
So remember, it's not just about the e-mail address ending in your inn's domain name rather than gmail or yahoo, you also need to set the account to display something like "Mary at Mary's Inn" when people receive it, rather than Mary Smith.

Yeah that's right, in our inbox we just saw a name, nothing more, my inbox has the DISPLAY NAME showing, not the extension. A good reason to email yourself and see what shows... I mean, honestly we get these type things from guests all the time too, I often wonder if they even know.
But when you are looking at a B&B website and it says for the email contact "[email protected]" you wonder...

 

[gillumhouse]

K, I am sure you verified your account many years ago. So did I, I even had purchased the business listing (when they started it at a discount) but no longer.
Got the same. I sent an email as well, and stated that I have been a verified business owner for several years now. Indicated that they did not find any issue verifing who I was when I paid for a business listing last year.
I also stated they should be doing this before allowing people to write reviews and verify they have stayed at the property they are reviewing instead of making it impossible for a business owner to protect their business reputation by requiring personal data.
Will see what response I receive.
TA - Thorn in my _ _ _!.

At least Facebook are reasonable I had to simply scan in a bill and email it to them to verify my place page and that I am the real owner, I think that is enough.
.

I didn't even have to do that. My email address with my domain name was enough.
.

I didn't even have to do that. My email address with my domain name was enough.

and another reason for inns to have domain names on their emails. I agree.
Like we mentioned the other day when a soap vendor sent out an email marketing blast with their own name on it, very unprofessional. I don't want to step on toes here, but I will, people people don't have yahoo or other emails as your business email. People don't take you seriousely. This is something you should have from day one, it should say "[email protected]" or similar.
.

Like we mentioned the other day when a soap vendor sent out an email marketing blast with their own name on it, very unprofessional...don't have yahoo or other emails as your business email.

The soap one was from a company domain e-mail address, something like [email protected] (not the real address) but she had her display name set to something like Mary Wilson, rather than something like "Mary at Gilchrist-Soames".
So remember, it's not just about the e-mail address ending in your inn's domain name rather than gmail or yahoo, you also need to set the account to display something like "Mary at Mary's Inn" when people receive it, rather than Mary Smith.
.

Like we mentioned the other day when a soap vendor sent out an email marketing blast with their own name on it, very unprofessional...don't have yahoo or other emails as your business email.

The soap one was from a company domain e-mail address, something like [email protected] (not the real address) but she had her display name set to something like Mary Wilson, rather than something like "Mary at Gilchrist-Soames".
So remember, it's not just about the e-mail address ending in your inn's domain name rather than gmail or yahoo, you also need to set the account to display something like "Mary at Mary's Inn" when people receive it, rather than Mary Smith.

Yeah that's right, in our inbox we just saw a name, nothing more, my inbox has the DISPLAY NAME showing, not the extension. A good reason to email yourself and see what shows... I mean, honestly we get these type things from guests all the time too, I often wonder if they even know.
But when you are looking at a B&B website and it says for the email contact "[email protected]" you wonder...
.

So remember, it's not just about the e-mail address ending in your inn's domain name rather than gmail or yahoo, you also need to set the account to display something like "Mary at Mary's Inn" when people receive it, rather than Mary Smith.
One thing I stressed in my Aspiring Seminars was the importance of being professional with e-mail addresses. It makes you as professional as you want/need to be perceived if your e-mail has @yourinn.com instead of a free address. Branding!

 

[Sunshine]

They called me yesterday wanted this info over the ph!! I hung up.

 

[Generic]

K, I am sure you verified your account many years ago. So did I, I even had purchased the business listing (when they started it at a discount) but no longer.
Got the same. I sent an email as well, and stated that I have been a verified business owner for several years now. Indicated that they did not find any issue verifing who I was when I paid for a business listing last year.
I also stated they should be doing this before allowing people to write reviews and verify they have stayed at the property they are reviewing instead of making it impossible for a business owner to protect their business reputation by requiring personal data.
Will see what response I receive.
TA - Thorn in my _ _ _!.

At least Facebook are reasonable I had to simply scan in a bill and email it to them to verify my place page and that I am the real owner, I think that is enough.
.

I didn't even have to do that. My email address with my domain name was enough.
.

I didn't even have to do that. My email address with my domain name was enough.

and another reason for inns to have domain names on their emails. I agree.
Like we mentioned the other day when a soap vendor sent out an email marketing blast with their own name on it, very unprofessional. I don't want to step on toes here, but I will, people people don't have yahoo or other emails as your business email. People don't take you seriousely. This is something you should have from day one, it should say "[email protected]" or similar.
.

And google hosts you email for free if you don't have too many addresses
.

And google hosts you email for free if you don't have too many addresses

If your web hoting does not give you at least one e-mail address, your are getting ripped off. I have at least 8 e-mail addresses that come to my account plus the ones that are redirected from other web sites.
.

Yeah, but you can also set it up with Google. Which does a better job than my webhost with spam. (I have unlimited with my webhost)

 

[Kay Nein]

I needed to verify my account and was glad to have read this thread beforehand. I called and said that I did not want to use a card, but heard that others were able to verify using their email address. He said that was ok and it would only take a few minutes to an hour to get it verified.
Get this though - all they wanted to do was verify that my personal registration included the same email address as the business listing. Since, I had registered with TA long before I was manager here, my email address was different. He just asked me to go into my personal acct & change it to the business email and he would verify it once it updated in his system. No confirmation email sent to confirm the business listing's email. No confirmation email sent to me to verify that I had access to that email address after updating my personal listing. Nothing....
So, what keeps just anyone from changing their own personal email address to yours and then verifying themselves. There's absolutely no check & balance built into that process. Crazy!!!

 

[gillumhouse]

I wonder just how much personal, PRIVATE info T A has gathered this way. Oh the files of info that are being gathered on this privacy oriented society. And from so many directions.

 

[Madeleine]

I wonder just how much personal, PRIVATE info T A has gathered this way. Oh the files of info that are being gathered on this privacy oriented society. And from so many directions..

Not only TA, everything you do online is tracked and collated and sold to the highest bidder. And, because every agency you do business with offline puts all your info in their online db, you're tracked even when you don't know it. Pay by cc? Tracked. Pay by check? Tracked. Email anyone? That's stored somewhere.
All I can hope for is I never become an 'interesting party' to anyone anywhere. There's too much of me online!

 

[Arks]

I wonder just how much personal, PRIVATE info T A has gathered this way. Oh the files of info that are being gathered on this privacy oriented society. And from so many directions..

Not only TA, everything you do online is tracked and collated and sold to the highest bidder. And, because every agency you do business with offline puts all your info in their online db, you're tracked even when you don't know it. Pay by cc? Tracked. Pay by check? Tracked. Email anyone? That's stored somewhere.
All I can hope for is I never become an 'interesting party' to anyone anywhere. There's too much of me online!
.

Lots of stores ask for my phone number, even if I'm paying with cash. It's all about tracking who you are and what you like to buy.
I always make up a phone number to give them. If I happen to make up someone's real number, I hope it doesn't cause them any more grief than a little extra junk mail.

 

[JBloggs]

I wonder just how much personal, PRIVATE info T A has gathered this way. Oh the files of info that are being gathered on this privacy oriented society. And from so many directions..

Not only TA, everything you do online is tracked and collated and sold to the highest bidder. And, because every agency you do business with offline puts all your info in their online db, you're tracked even when you don't know it. Pay by cc? Tracked. Pay by check? Tracked. Email anyone? That's stored somewhere.
All I can hope for is I never become an 'interesting party' to anyone anywhere. There's too much of me online!
.

Lots of stores ask for my phone number, even if I'm paying with cash. It's all about tracking who you are and what you like to buy.
I always make up a phone number to give them. If I happen to make up someone's real number, I hope it doesn't cause them any more grief than a little extra junk mail.
.

Lots of stores ask for my phone number, even if I'm paying with cash. It's all about tracking who you are and what you like to buy.
I always make up a phone number to give them. If I happen to make up someone's real number, I hope it doesn't cause them any more grief than a little extra junk mail.

Some of that is for sales info, they want to know how many are coming from where to shop there. They do those surveys every once in a while, and in fact they try to FORCE me to give the info for this area. They want the zip codes and how much they spent with us. I am not giving it to anyone.
Just like FB targets what you share and what your interests are. I had a daughter trun 18 in Jan and I get credit cards in the mail for her weekly now. I will say, at least they ar respecting the age laws. Today I got a scam in the mail for some modeling company in Jersey. (With her name on it). A sucker is born every minute...

 

[Generic]

I wonder just how much personal, PRIVATE info T A has gathered this way. Oh the files of info that are being gathered on this privacy oriented society. And from so many directions..

Not only TA, everything you do online is tracked and collated and sold to the highest bidder. And, because every agency you do business with offline puts all your info in their online db, you're tracked even when you don't know it. Pay by cc? Tracked. Pay by check? Tracked. Email anyone? That's stored somewhere.
All I can hope for is I never become an 'interesting party' to anyone anywhere. There's too much of me online!
.

Not only TA, everything you do online is tracked and collated and sold to the highest bidder. And, because every agency you do business with offline puts all your info in their online db, you're tracked even when you don't know it. Pay by cc? Tracked. Pay by check? Tracked. Email anyone? That's stored somewhere.
All I can hope for is I never become an 'interesting party' to anyone anywhere. There's too much of me online!

There is a lovely Chrome extension called "Do Not Track Plus" and another called "Facebook Disconnect" which are both wonderful tools that make you much less visible on the net.

 

[Generic]

I wonder just how much personal, PRIVATE info T A has gathered this way. Oh the files of info that are being gathered on this privacy oriented society. And from so many directions..

Not only TA, everything you do online is tracked and collated and sold to the highest bidder. And, because every agency you do business with offline puts all your info in their online db, you're tracked even when you don't know it. Pay by cc? Tracked. Pay by check? Tracked. Email anyone? That's stored somewhere.
All I can hope for is I never become an 'interesting party' to anyone anywhere. There's too much of me online!
.

Not only TA, everything you do online is tracked and collated and sold to the highest bidder. And, because every agency you do business with offline puts all your info in their online db, you're tracked even when you don't know it. Pay by cc? Tracked. Pay by check? Tracked. Email anyone? That's stored somewhere.
All I can hope for is I never become an 'interesting party' to anyone anywhere. There's too much of me online!

There is a lovely Chrome extension called "Do Not Track Plus" and another called "Facebook Disconnect" which are both wonderful tools that make you much less visible on the net.