I can't speak for other accommodations, but when you call up a place to stay we you usually give you the standard rate for a room. The prices you see on third-party sites are organized by the site agents because we approach them to advertise for us for a commission fee in exchange.
People don't seem to understand this however and they think they can call us directly and get that rate directly; most probably mistake it for the standard rate. I don't usually negotiate rates, but the best I can knock off a room rate is $10 and no more. The discounts online range from $15 - $30.
What's stranger is that people think the rates online are higher than our standard rates so they call us to try and get a lower deal.
Anyway, of course I get people who don't want to go through the trouble of going through the sites to get the lower rate and demand that I lower the price to the site's rate. I adamantly refuse every time and get told that we're false advertising, that we won't get their business yada yada.
Tempted one day to go 'Your loss, (bluntly hang up phone)'.
People don't seem to understand this however and they think they can call us directly and get that rate directly; most probably mistake it for the standard rate. I don't usually negotiate rates, but the best I can knock off a room rate is $10 and no more. The discounts online range from $15 - $30.
What's stranger is that people think the rates online are higher than our standard rates so they call us to try and get a lower deal.
Anyway, of course I get people who don't want to go through the trouble of going through the sites to get the lower rate and demand that I lower the price to the site's rate. I adamantly refuse every time and get told that we're false advertising, that we won't get their business yada yada.
Tempted one day to go 'Your loss, (bluntly hang up phone)'.
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