I think managers and owners tend to look at this differently. As a former lodging owner, I tending to look at how things affected the bottom line when a manager tends to look at the additional work needed to be done. Having 2/3 revenue instead of nothing always appealed to me if the nothing was a sure thing and the discount was a one time thing. We would never discount if there was still a good chance of getting full price. We noted that our competition who used a manager would not do this even though instructed so by the owner. They even turned people away when they had space available. I would be interested in hearing how often people asked for a lower rate. In our business it happened about 20% of the time and I have had campground managers tell me it was about the same. They even had guidelines set up for the phone people as to what they should do. If the campground is 1/3 full at 5 PM during the week off season, they will be thrilled to get the business.
QUOTE(Beastdriver @ Aug 16 2007, 08:12 PM) [snapback]8004[/snapback] I don't mean to be insulting, but I think your actions are niggardly and cheap. Every merchant in the world has set a price based on what he or thinks is a reasonable profit, and people like you are very frustrating. I would tell you to get packing if you didn't want to pay the rate, and quit wasting my time. I don't think you meant to be insulting to the guy asking for a discount but you sure picked an insulting way to phrase your opinion. Can't believe this sight let you use the "phrasing" you used. So they probably won't edit me calling you ignorant.
Some time you have to consider the source. He seems to be a well educated guy. If you look at his back posts you will see it is the nature of the beast. I do agree with you.
And I think, Big Ben, if people will review your previous posts they will find that you are an acerbic, acromonious, bitter old guy who can curd milk with anyone who disagrees with your position which is often ridiculous. I guess this is why many of my friends on this site with whom I correspond privately often refer to you as Pig Pen instead of Big Ben.
Hey you guys, as a former combat MARINE, and a member of Iron Workers local 745 for 30 years, you ought to be able to gode each other better that that !! I've heard worse from my 12 year old son. Git it on !!!
Ok, I don't want to cast stones but I felt the need to add a few things. One problem in general that I've noticed with a lot of fellow RV'ers. I know we all come from different backgrounds, different socio-economic backgrounds, etc. But I believe that there are a certain group of people (not sayin' you, Lindsay) who do this for sport. I've stood behind people in line to register at a $25/night campground who took 20 minutes arguing about a 10% discount. I think we can all do the math on this one. It only heightens the experience when you see the rig that these people drive up in. You have every right to ask for a discount, but they have every right to tell you "Sorry". And when you arrive in a 1/4 million dollar rig, don't act like a bum-on-a-bologna-sandwich over $2.50. Oh, and one other thing I think needs mentioning. While "niggardly" may sound offensive, I think you need to look it up. It means "cheap" or "stingy" and has nothing whatsoever to do with the "other N-word". I might have danced around it a little differently, but don't get all bunged up over it.
Asking for a discounted rate is an excellent idea. Thanks for it. Certainly the RV Park owner will decide whatever is in his best interest, so it is win-win for all concerned. And by the way, there are many, many RV Parks that are not hesitant to raise their prices if special events are going on in their town and they know RV spots will be in high demand. And while I'm on the subject, I have been full-timing long enough to be able to tell which RV Park owners have been in the business too long and view RVers as pests. I NEVER stay at those places, you shouldn't either.
How about "gouging the consumer", instead of "running a business" ? I like the 2nd one though. B) Its called running a business !! And asking for a reduction is called being a wise consumer.
When we ran our lodging business, we realized that a room night has a different value on different days depending on demand. It is normal for owners to realize this and adjust their prices to reflect this. The law of supply and demand works and to not recognize this hurts the owner and the customer. IF a campground owner’s average rate is say $30 and the big Magnolia Festival is on this weekend, he might raise his rate to $50 and still turn away 50 campers. The following Monday night, might dead and he might be happy to rent the same site with the same services for $20. In both instances the customer was happy as one got to be right near the action for the big Magnolia Festival and the Monday night guy got a nice place at a reduced rate. Giving away a site at way less than value would be dumb of the owner and turning away the $20 people and getting nothing would also be stupid. This is just smart business on both ends of the price spectrum. I have been on the receiving of the long haggling and won’t do it myself. We (my wife) asks once and we make our decision. When things are slow, the owner gets a thrill when the phone rings and they want to get something rather than nothing. If they don’t want the lower amount all they have to do is say no.
Interesting discussion. I think that how the question is asked has everything to do with a lot of the contention here. Were I to be at the point of paying and then ask "Can you lower that price anymore?" or "Can you knock another 10% off that price?" etc., that would be at odds with my concept of this type of interaction. If I was on the clerk side of the desk I'd tend to think a bit less of the person and probably refuse. Were I to approach the desk to discuss a site/price and then ask "Do you have any additional or special discounts other than the advertised ones at this time?" That would seem a perfectly reasonable question that would put the ball back in the court of the employee or manager who could decide if they wanted to offer anything lower.
We own a campground and one night we had one 30-amp full service site left. A gentlemen came in with a large motorhome and asked for unserviced as he was completely self-sufficient. I explained all I had was one 30-amp full service site, he said he would take it but only wanted to pay the unserviced rate, a difference of $11. I politely declined his offer, he left - I know if he stopped at the next campground down the road he would pay pretty much the same amount so he probably continued on his way and parked overnight somewhere. Turns out I rented that spot to a tenter who was more then happy to pay full price for that spot. I have a number of people ask me for senior rates, off season rates etc. We don't over charge for our sites ($24, $29, $35) so I don't discount. I am a Good Sam Park so if you want a discount I will sell you a Good Sam Membership - that gives you 10% off plus a free night's camping - you make money on that. I have had people leave because I won't discount but I am always polite and friendly as they leave. Some get quite upset when I tell I don't discount.
Whether you are asking for a discount at a campground, a special at a restaurant or negotiating a price for a sale or service as long as you are a good sport and polite and remember your "please" and "thank you" then you have allowed the decision maker the ability to respond in kind. If you keep your emotions in check there will be no tires squealing in the parking lot, overturned dinner plates or name calling. Remember we are all out there camping to enjoy this big beautiful world provided to us FREE of CHARGE by Mother Nature herself. An excellent discount if I do say so myself.
When you pull into an RV park, generally you don’t know the rates, unless you called ahead. I often find that “advertised” rates don’t include extra fees, for children, pets and once I paid an extra fee because my RV was longer than 20 feet. I see it as a straight business transaction. “Do you have a lower rate or discount?” At that point the manager can say “yes” or “no”. Either way both parties have to arrive at what they consider a “fair” price. I do have heart burn with the argument “You can afford it?” If you think about that for more than a minute, you have to ask yourselves, where does it stop?
I don't see this as being any different that the rest of the lodging industry. Most hotels and motels have a handful of rates. I spent many nights over a long period of years in a Ramada Inn at the "IBM" rate which was 1/2 the regular rate which was 1/2 the rack rate. They had left the rate list lying around and "IBM" was one of the cheapest rates. The rack rate only applied to special ball game weekends when everyone sold out. I always avoided the sold out weekends the best I could and after several years they would still give me the "IBM" rate if I was forced to be there on one of those weekends. OH, they knew I was not with IBM but staying there to take care of my father who was in a nearby nursing home. We always had the same first floor room so our blind dog could find her way out to the grass and back if she had to during the middle of the night. When they upgraded their suites with 25" tv's they had several left over they planned to use in the bar but found they would not fit. Guess whose room got one?? These days I usually travel as part of a 2 to 4 RV caravan and by early afternoon we usually know where we will be stopping for the night. I will call ahead and if the rate is $30@, I will not hesitate to ask if they will take, say, $80 CASH for four pull through sites for one night. I think being on the phone gives you an advantage over being there. BUT, I am usually successful and several owners have asked us to stop in next time we pass by. AND, I never discuss rates if any other customer is in the office. In October I stopped in at a place my wife and I use for an overnight stop 4 to 6 times a year. A new arrival walked in behind me. I let him check in first, pay his $26 and leave, then I paid my usual $12 cash. We carry a note book and accumulate the names of owners, wives, children and anything else about each place we stay at. I think it adds a nice touch to be able to walk in, call the owner by name and ask about Judy and little Bob and what little Bob thinks of his first year in high school. This particular owner was putting Direct TV dishes at various sites and had 2 or 3 boxes he would loan out for the night. Or, if you had your own box, you could hook up without messing with you own dish. When I see a dish somebody has put at the street, I grab it and give it to him on my next trip.
Several nights ago while coming back in our car from a Christmas trip, I stopped at a discount hotel along the expressway. The gentleman in front of me had a reservation and I heard is rate while he was paying. After he left, I asked the clerk (the owner I think), for his best senior rate. He quote me a rate $23 than the guy with the reservation. I gave him my card. It was a Sunday night and I noted the next morning he was about 1/3 full. I think he was glad to have the revenue and help keep his employee’s working. I did not get into a long bargaining deal, just let him know I wanted his lowest rate and we both ended up happy. I would not have paid the extra $23
