Thanks for Participating... Thank you for taking a moment out of your busy schedule to answer a few questions. We hope you are enjoying the current series of articles about the Innkeeper's use of the Internet and are finding the information valuable and informative. As we mentioned in this past month's article we would like to get some more information about paying commissions and your experiences with using 3rd party intermediaries to book a Guest. Thank you again for agreeing to participate - your opinions are important......Now let's begin.

First, we would like to learn about your B&B/Inn. Where is your B&B/Inn located?

How large is your B&B/Inn (how many rooms do you have)?	Less than 5 rooms 5 - 9 rooms 10 - 14 rooms 15 - 19 rooms 20 - 24 rooms 25 rooms or more

What is the average room rate at your B&B/Inn?	Less than $ 100 $ 100 - $ 124 $ 125 - $ 149 $ 150 - $ 174 $ 175 - $ 199 $ 200 - $ 249 $ 250 - $ 449 More than $ 450


Overall, what is your annual occupancy rate?	Annual Occupancy Percentage (%)


What percent of your Guests are booked by... ? Please make certain that the percentages add up to 100%	% booked by You personally by another member of your Staff % booked by a 3rd party such as a reservation service

Every Innkeeper has missed a Guest's telephone call at some time and has had to call a Guest back as a result of a message that got left on a phone answering machine. Many Innkeepers have reported that increasingly when they return these calls that Guests have called another B&B before the Innkeeper had a chance to return the call.

Which best describes your experience?	Less than 10% of the Guests I get back to have called another B&B before I can get back to them 10 - 25% of the Guests I get back to have called another B&B in the meanwhile 26 - 50% of the Guests I get back to have called another B&B in the meanwhile More than 50% of the Guests I call back have called another B&B before I can get back to them

In the next section we will be asking you some questions about your use of e-mail and related tools as well as questions about on-line Availability Information and on-line Reservations. But before we do let us define some terms that we will be using: E-Mail only - means you only display an E-mail address that uses the e-mail form that comes with the browser being used by the Guest and NO automated response is send to the Guest. E-Mail Auto-Response - means that when a Guest e-mails you they get some type of automated acknowledgement or Thank you. An E-Mail Inquiry Form - means a formatted input form that is sent to the Innkeeper to request specific information about room availability by date. On-Line Room Availability - means just displaying information about your availability on-line without the ability to actually book the room on-line On-Line Room Reservations - means displaying information about your availability on-line along with the ability to actually book the room on-line

Do you currently have your "E-Mail address" anywhere on your Home Page?	Yes you display your E-Mail address Don't currently display your E-mail address but plan to add it to your site within the next 12 months Don't have your E-mail address on site and don't plan to - you want to encourage guests to contact you by phone or fax

Regarding how quickly Innkeepers respond to their e-mail, Innkeepers think they are responding to e-mail promptly and fast. Guests however report a different story. Which group best describes you? Now be honest, keep in mind that only 10% of the Guests said that they received a response within an hour!

Which best describes how you respond to your Email?	Most of the time you respond within an hour You check your e-mail and answer any you've received every 2 hours You check your e-mail and answer any you've received every 3 hours You check your e-mail and answer any you've received by the end of every day The Next Day It's inconsistent - when you get to it

Do you currently have an "E-Mail Inquiry Form" anywhere on your Home Page?	Yes you have an "E-Mail Inquiry Form" that guests can fill in Don't currently have one but plan to add a form to your site within the next 12 months Don't have a form but encourage guests to contact you via e-mail Don't have a form and prefer and encourage guests to contact you by phone or fax

Do you currently use any or have any automated E-Mail "Auto-Response" mechanism with e-mail you receive from your Home Page?	Yes you have an "auto-response" for email sent from your site Don't currently have an "auto-response" but plan to add it to your site within the next 12 months Don't have an "auto-response" and don't plan to - you want to personally respond to e-mail

Are you using any on-line Room Availability System on your Web Site to either display or answer Guest inquiries about your room availability?	Yes - using Availability On Line Yes - using B&B Getaways - It's FRI! Yes - using Inntopia Yes - using InnRes Yes - using Webrevations Yes - using WorldRes Yes - using an "Other" system Not currently enabling Room Availability on Website and no current plans to do so in the future Not presently showing Room Availability on Internet but will within the next 12 months

What percentage of visitors to your Home Page would like to be able to find out on-line whether you have rooms available for the upcoming weekend?	You think that MOST potential guests would like to be able to access this information You think that SOME potential guests would like to be able to access this information on-line You think that MOST potential guests would NOT access this information preferring to call you for this information in person Don't Know - never thought about it

Do you currently have or plan to have "On-Line Room Reservations" (allow guests to actually book a room) on your Home Page?	Yes Not currently enabling On-Line Reservations on Website and no current plans to do so in the future Not presently enabling On-Line Reservations on Website but will within the next 12 months


If you answered "No" in the previous question, why not?	Type in why not

How interested would you be in participating in a Priceline type system during your non-peak seasons whereby you would accept or reject discount offers for your rooms that have not been booked.	Strongly Interested Somewhat Interested Neither Interested nor Not Interested Somewhat Not Interested Not Interested At All

Several different pricing or payment models have proliferated on the Internet. Some companies offer: Annual Fee - a flat annual fee (ranging from $ 50 - 500) Commission - no up-front cost but a commision on delivered Guests (typically 3% - 10%) Barter - accept room nights in exchange for services (typically 2-4 off-peak room nights) Can you tell us which of these you'd prefer for the following services: For each service tell us which pricing model you'd prefer - Fee - Commission - Barter

		Annual Fee
		Annual Fee	Commission	Barter

a.	Hosting your Web Page on a Server

b.	Listing on a B&B Directory

c.	PMS Software

d.	On-Line Availability Software

e.	Marketing and Promotion

f.	Reservations - Getting Guests to Book your rooms

g.	Web Site Design and Development



Which best describes your policy about the use of 3rd parties such as Travel Agents and or local reservation services to book rooms for you without your having any direct contact with the Guest before they've actually booked a room?	Have used them in the past Don't use them and won't Have not used in past but would under the right circumstances

If you answered that you either have used or would use 3rd parties such as Travel Agents, local Reservation Services how much, on average, have you paid in commissions?	1 - 3 % 4 - 6 % 7 - 10 % 10 % more than 10 % no commission just a flat fee Don't usually pay a commission

How willing are you to pay a commission for a Reservation made for a mid-week Guest to a 3rd party reservation system.	Definitely willing to pay a commission Somewhat willing to pay a commission Might or Might Not be willing to pay a commission Somewhat Not willing to pay a commission Definitely would Not pay a commission

How willing are you to pay a commission for a Reservation made for a week-end Guest to a 3rd party reservation system.	Definitely willing to pay a commission Somewhat willing to pay a commission Might or Might Not be willing to pay a commission Somewhat Not willing to pay a commission Definitely would Not pay a commission

How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement: "Paying a commission on a Reservation booked using an Internet Reservation system like WorldRes or Sabre is inevitable."	Strongly Agree Agree Somewhat Neither Agree not Disagree Disagree Somewhat Strongly Disagree

Regardless of how you answered the previous questions, let's assume that having to pay a commission to an on-line Reservation agent like WorldRes becomes more commonplace, which of the following best describes what you are Most likely to do.	Raise your rates across the board to compensate for the commissions Adopt a 2 tier pricing structure similar to Hotels and have a "rack rate" that is higher for Guests who book through the reservation service. Not increase room rates at all - and consider the commission a "cost of doing business"

Some Innkeepers have reported that they have seen an increase over the years in what we collectively would term "abuses" in their B&B's. "Abuses" are things such as more things missing or broken; a disrespect for the property or the Innkeeper's 'rules' or disputes over the bill.

How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement: "There has been an increase in the level of 'abuses' by Guests over the years."	Strongly Agree Agree Somewhat Neither Agree not Disagree Disagree Somewhat Strongly Disagree

How much do you agree or disagree with the following statement: "Guests that are booked through 3rd parties that I don't get a chance to personally talk to before they come to the B&B are more likely to 'abuse' the B&B or the rules than Guests I book personally."	Strongly Agree Agree Somewhat Neither Agree not Disagree Disagree Somewhat Strongly Disagree

That's it - thank you for participating - Your opinion does count.


Please complete the following information in case we have to clarify anything with you. This information will not be used for any other purposes.	Your Name: Name of your B&B: Phone: Your E-Mail address:

Copyright, 2001, Digital Direct Marketing, A Communications Agency.
All words and images on these pages are protected by copyright.
(212) 666-0333 or E-mail us @ DDMonWWW@aol.com