Tweet
No, really, I'm at the 
it point... we have been sold out every weekend since before I started here... we're just a small resort so it doesn't really take that much to happen, but even the big resorts have been selling out, Reno is becoming a somewhat popular destination again apparently. Now, being popular has draw backs.
How can a place so large sell out
I get asked this most often by people with Utah IDs... no seriously, I have kept track of the IDs of the people who sign up for players club cards that later go on to ask that question. I get it, Utah is a tourist state so they think they understand hospitality, I used to work in hospitality in Utah, and if we were to put our hotel in Utah we'd take the spot as the 3rd largest hotel in the state, but Utah also has a metric shit ton more small hotels (under 100 rooms) than Nevada has, different markets, they cater to the people who the hotel is a place to sleep, we cater to people who the hotel is their destination. And a lot of them can't wrap their heads around the idea that we are a small place by Nevada standards and we do sell out quickly... this in itself isn't sucky, just kind of annoying to get asked again and again. It does become sucky when the people who ask this (no matter from what state) who will then go on to insult us, our mothers, and our dogs (I don't even have a dog) about how we know nothing about how to run a hotel if we can sell out such a "large" venue (umm... I'd think that means we know a LOT about how to run a hotel thank you very much).
But I'm a VIP, why didn't you hold a room for me
Two things, one, no you aren't, I've looked up your trip summary and I have a better revenue potential for the casino than you... okay, so that is a slight exaggeration, but if your net revenue potential is at $50 a day, you are a good customer but you are NOT a high roller or a VIP... come back when your are at $250, $500, or I've even seen $1000 before.
Second, our actual VIPs know to book in advance... not just to make sure that they get a room, but because we will entertain special requests (like holding a seat at their favorite blackjack table or arrange for their favorite table in the restaurant to be held etc).
How dare you have such long lines
I get it, waiting in line sucks, especially here because our queue isn't so much of a queue and more of an orderly mob... which doesn't stay orderly... but what do you want us to do, we have every window open, we are working through guests as quickly as we can... believe you me, you don't want to be checked in in less than 60 seconds, because that means that most likely a mistake was made. And while we can improve the orderliness of our queue (like by actually building one, which we keep asking management for), whining about the wait isn't go to magically make the front desk any bigger.
But gambling revenue is down in Washoe County
Yes, and I fail to see how this relates to how many rooms we have. Locals especially have cut back and the people who do visit don't spend as much money on each visit, but that doesn't meen that people have stopped coming here as much... in fact in many cases they are coming here more (why pay to fly from the bay area to Vegas when Reno is a short drive... and in Reno you don't have to feel guilt over exploiting native tribes... and before we devolve into a Fratching debate on Indian gaming and its effects on the tribes, that is one of the most common reasons I get from people coming here, so we can leave it at that).
I know you're sold out but...
Oh these people drive me bonkers.
I know you're sold out, but can you move me to a different room that overlooks the parking lot.
No, we have no other rooms.
I know you're sold out, but can you move me to a different room closer to the casino.
No, we have no other rooms.
I know you're sold out, but can you move me to a different room further from the ice machine.
No, we have no other rooms.
Seriously people, sold out means NO OTHER ROOMS. This shouldn't be a hard concept to grasp.
Well, has anyone not shown up yet
Yes, we have had people who haven't shown up yet. No, you can't have their room. We have already charged them for the first night room and tax, and as they have paid for that already we have to hold it for them. And yes, I have seen people check in as late as 4am... they have a good night in the casino and just don't get around to checking into their hotel room until they are ready to go to sleep, not as uncommon as you'd think. No, I almost never see people cancel this late... because either they are in the casino and have no intention of cancelling, or they know they've paid for it already and if they are paying for it either way, then screw it, calling to cancel looks an awful lot like work.
What if I paid you $100 to cancel one of them
GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY LOBBY!
That rate is outrageous
When we do get a cancellation, you'd be amazed at how much people bitch about how much we are charging for it. Yes, it's a lot, and yes, I know someone will pay it. By the way, the comparable hotels to us tonight are charging more than that by the way, so please, feel free to take your business there, because the room will be gone by the time you get back and realize how reasonable we are compared to the even bigger resorts.
But why is it so much more expensive on weekends
Why yes, we can give you a rate of $30 Sunday through Thursday... because our average occupancy (and all the big resorts are in the same boat) is around 30% and we'll do anything to get people into the hotel and on the casino floor... tonight the casino is overflowing and we don't have to practically give away rooms to get people in here gambling.
well can you recommend someone else
No, no I can't. Everything on this side of the county is sold out. If you want I can recommend some stuff over in Sparks, the South Meadows, or if you are really desperate I know of a hotel in Carson that has availability. I'm sorry that none of those options are close enough for you, but guess what, that is the reality of the weekend in Reno, especially weekends that are also holidays... better get used to it because it isn't likely to change in the near future.
it point... we have been sold out every weekend since before I started here... we're just a small resort so it doesn't really take that much to happen, but even the big resorts have been selling out, Reno is becoming a somewhat popular destination again apparently. Now, being popular has draw backs.How can a place so large sell out
I get asked this most often by people with Utah IDs... no seriously, I have kept track of the IDs of the people who sign up for players club cards that later go on to ask that question. I get it, Utah is a tourist state so they think they understand hospitality, I used to work in hospitality in Utah, and if we were to put our hotel in Utah we'd take the spot as the 3rd largest hotel in the state, but Utah also has a metric shit ton more small hotels (under 100 rooms) than Nevada has, different markets, they cater to the people who the hotel is a place to sleep, we cater to people who the hotel is their destination. And a lot of them can't wrap their heads around the idea that we are a small place by Nevada standards and we do sell out quickly... this in itself isn't sucky, just kind of annoying to get asked again and again. It does become sucky when the people who ask this (no matter from what state) who will then go on to insult us, our mothers, and our dogs (I don't even have a dog) about how we know nothing about how to run a hotel if we can sell out such a "large" venue (umm... I'd think that means we know a LOT about how to run a hotel thank you very much).
But I'm a VIP, why didn't you hold a room for me
Two things, one, no you aren't, I've looked up your trip summary and I have a better revenue potential for the casino than you... okay, so that is a slight exaggeration, but if your net revenue potential is at $50 a day, you are a good customer but you are NOT a high roller or a VIP... come back when your are at $250, $500, or I've even seen $1000 before.
Second, our actual VIPs know to book in advance... not just to make sure that they get a room, but because we will entertain special requests (like holding a seat at their favorite blackjack table or arrange for their favorite table in the restaurant to be held etc).
How dare you have such long lines
I get it, waiting in line sucks, especially here because our queue isn't so much of a queue and more of an orderly mob... which doesn't stay orderly... but what do you want us to do, we have every window open, we are working through guests as quickly as we can... believe you me, you don't want to be checked in in less than 60 seconds, because that means that most likely a mistake was made. And while we can improve the orderliness of our queue (like by actually building one, which we keep asking management for), whining about the wait isn't go to magically make the front desk any bigger.
But gambling revenue is down in Washoe County
Yes, and I fail to see how this relates to how many rooms we have. Locals especially have cut back and the people who do visit don't spend as much money on each visit, but that doesn't meen that people have stopped coming here as much... in fact in many cases they are coming here more (why pay to fly from the bay area to Vegas when Reno is a short drive... and in Reno you don't have to feel guilt over exploiting native tribes... and before we devolve into a Fratching debate on Indian gaming and its effects on the tribes, that is one of the most common reasons I get from people coming here, so we can leave it at that).
I know you're sold out but...
Oh these people drive me bonkers.
I know you're sold out, but can you move me to a different room that overlooks the parking lot.
No, we have no other rooms.
I know you're sold out, but can you move me to a different room closer to the casino.
No, we have no other rooms.
I know you're sold out, but can you move me to a different room further from the ice machine.
No, we have no other rooms.
Seriously people, sold out means NO OTHER ROOMS. This shouldn't be a hard concept to grasp.
Well, has anyone not shown up yet
Yes, we have had people who haven't shown up yet. No, you can't have their room. We have already charged them for the first night room and tax, and as they have paid for that already we have to hold it for them. And yes, I have seen people check in as late as 4am... they have a good night in the casino and just don't get around to checking into their hotel room until they are ready to go to sleep, not as uncommon as you'd think. No, I almost never see people cancel this late... because either they are in the casino and have no intention of cancelling, or they know they've paid for it already and if they are paying for it either way, then screw it, calling to cancel looks an awful lot like work.
What if I paid you $100 to cancel one of them
GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY LOBBY!
That rate is outrageous
When we do get a cancellation, you'd be amazed at how much people bitch about how much we are charging for it. Yes, it's a lot, and yes, I know someone will pay it. By the way, the comparable hotels to us tonight are charging more than that by the way, so please, feel free to take your business there, because the room will be gone by the time you get back and realize how reasonable we are compared to the even bigger resorts.
But why is it so much more expensive on weekends
Why yes, we can give you a rate of $30 Sunday through Thursday... because our average occupancy (and all the big resorts are in the same boat) is around 30% and we'll do anything to get people into the hotel and on the casino floor... tonight the casino is overflowing and we don't have to practically give away rooms to get people in here gambling.
well can you recommend someone else
No, no I can't. Everything on this side of the county is sold out. If you want I can recommend some stuff over in Sparks, the South Meadows, or if you are really desperate I know of a hotel in Carson that has availability. I'm sorry that none of those options are close enough for you, but guess what, that is the reality of the weekend in Reno, especially weekends that are also holidays... better get used to it because it isn't likely to change in the near future.
We used to get people balking at our tech support and (especially) CPA prices at AccountingFirm...At some point, we looked up area surveys and found that we were UNDERcharging by a good $20 an hour as compared to the local "average price". So, the boss upped the prices to match the average, we lost a few no-hopers, and increased profits overall.
Comment