Developing your own social network…
This is a bit like a TRM fishing report – in that I am commenting on something I really admit to know so little about. After some 12 years of confident reports on trout fishing (during which I have never been able to interview the trout, yet try to explain all their habits and likes and dislikes, etc.) you may have noticed the subject matter for TRM Daily Reports is now widening to include more subjects I know even less about. But this is not to suggest they are not very interesting – indeed they are quite extraordinary.
i.e. I was reflecting on the next BIG THING from Apple – Augmented Reality – which again I know absolutely nothing about, which got me thinking how amazing the internet has become to small businesses like TRM. Beyond preparing these daily reports and facebook stuff, much of the remainder of the internet is just one dark hole, so I know I am just nervously tip-toeing around the edges. But even the edges provide an exciting experience for old duffers. It provides instant free free free access to massive audiences with enormous economies of scale – which would otherwise be excessively expensive for a small motel. The tyranny of long overseas distance is completely replaced, the east coast of West Island is now our most fertile ground for new inmates. The internet makes the whole exercise of communication with so many regular guests an enjoyable experience becoming almost a hobby of its own making.
When I compare the arduous clumsy efforts and costs of advertising and promotion say 12 years ago and consider the easy quick access now to many others, it is a remarkable transformation. When the tourist market now is compared to back then it is an entirely different business. Everything TRM does from communicating with guests to invoicing to bookings to sourcing info etc. has changed. The TRM Daily Reports started out as a means to access inmates to report on their successful fishing or biking whatever. Now they are so much more. Somehow recently we even got side-tracked by newspaper articles to report on Turangi’s future economic prospects. We even received feed back via phone calls asking more questions about local property values. Just amazing. But whilst we know very little on such economic matters, after 12 years we do know something about motel bookings, so take heed…
TRM are disappointed to see all these advantages of the internet ruined by cowboys with a business plan to abuse the internet system. Prospective guests are being duped by the take-over and abuse of all tourist accommodation bookings by OTA’s (Online Travel Agents). I really feel for the hours and anguish by SWMBO. (She Who Must Be Obeyed is in charge of bookings as I no longer have the patience to deal with OTA’s.) You see them advertising on prime time TV every night. Their commission rates are scandalous. Guess who pays for that. You do! These internet businesses have proven how poor their research is and how little they care when after more than a year they still show images of TRM as a DOC tramping hut in Tongariro National Park – see misleading images on right – and on our restaurant (i.e. they commented “The Tongariro River Motel has its own on-site restaurant, perfect for those wishing to dine in.” ?) and 2 star hotel grading.
Yet many people still believe them and rely on them. Their track record is dreadful. We have never had to waste so much time fixing their problem bookings. If we could we would cancel them all. Even when we are full we have guests arriving with bookings that they have paid for and we have no knowledge of. All the other motels we deal with locally report similar frustrations. I am sure the internet was not developed for such internet firms to move in and monopolise the tourist accommodation market based on the grounds of ‘convenience’.
The best way to use the internet is just as easy – to contact the chosen motel directly. That way you are making the wonderful advantages of the internet work for you – instead of them. OK?
To reward you for managing to read and persevere to interpret this, TRM offer 20% off the OTA advertised room rates for May & June, or even more depending on length of stay…. That is what I was getting around to before I got steamed up about the way these OTA’s have abused the system at the expense of guests. This is specially for TRM readers’ loyalty. Mention it when booking or SWMBO might forget…