I recently stayed at a hotel chain that I normally praise but this time a few items seemed to be icons for irritating the customer.
Picture this: You walk into the room and you are tired from your trip. Behold, there are two inviting bottles of water on the bureau and you are about to uncap one when you catch the notice on the paper label encircling the top. The bottle costs four bucks. Open it and it will be added to your hotel bill. Hmm, you think, four dollars is a bit steep for a bottle of water so you sit it back down and head for the tap. Every time you walk past the bottles, however, you are reminded that this chain, rather than welcoming you with some bottled water, is placing it there to entice you into an added expenditure. You think, gee, Doubletree welcomes you with chocolate chip cookies in the room. This outfit says, "Give us four bucks and you can have some water."
You decide to rig up your computer. The hotel promised a high-speed Internet connection; in fact, you specifically checked to make sure that was available. And indeed it is, for eleven dollars.
Scene over. My response was simple: Aargh.
Now I know the hotel could simply roll such items into the bill and provide them "free." Those who deem my reaction to be foolish may argue that at least the hotel is being upfront (although it was a little cagey about the Internet connection) and that by breaking down such charges into components it is making sure that only the users of those products/services pay.
I understand all of that and yet this was not some flophouse/quasi-Bates motel. Its rates are already fairly high and that fact may have influenced my negative response.
There is a larger lesson here that is related to consumer psychology. I would rather have paid the higher rate than feel that a major hotel is "nickel and diming" me. That may not be logical, but I suspect I'm not alone
4 comments:
Let me try to restore your faith -
Two years ago my wife and I traveled to Prague. When I made our trip reservations, I excitedly told ABC Tours, the tour group we were using, that this was our 25th wedding anniversary year and that it was the first time we ever traveled out of the country. When we got to the Hotel Paris in Prague, we found in our room a wrapped basket of chocolates, a split of champagne, and a card wishing us a happy anniversary. No charge.
Who do you think now has our ever lasting loyalty - aside from the fact that we told everyone we know about ABC Tours, the stunning city of Prague and the Hotel Paris?
I find it very interesting that in a low budget motel I will generally have free hi-speed internet, free coffee, some cases free breakfast and at least in one instance when I said I was going to be arriving late due to flight delays, a free tray of fruit and cheese waiting for me when I checked in along with a handwritten note from the night clerk hoping that I got some rest after such a long traveling day.
But in high priced hotels, each one of those things comes with a high price tag attached, if at all.
I'm sure there's a marketing reason behind it somehow, but for the life of me, I can't seem to grasp it.
In today's world, I find the idea of paying for an Internet connection in a business hotel a sign that management is out of touch with the market. But the two four-buck-each bottles of water? That tells me that the only difference between the highway robbers of old and the management of that hotel is that one bothers to say "Stick 'em up!"
Great comments!
Jeff, I will definitely check out the Hotel Paris in Prague. They deserve more publicity.
Chelle,
I've have found the same odd experience with low budget motels. You often get much more for your money.
Wally,
That's exactly how I felt when I saw the four dollar price tag. Aargh!
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