Getting customer from hotels to lunch wagon business

[icetruck]

I'm thinking of making coupons for the hotel concierge so that the hotel guest could be pushed my way ( I'm about 150 feet from the hotels .. I have no experience with this at all .

I need to know how I would compensate the concierge, what kind of incentive I can give them and how much would be reasonable . ( I'm selling shave ice and smoothie for 4-5 $ )... If anyone got some ideas on the subject please post it up as I am on step 1 LOL ..

[Harold Mansfield]

I'm thinking of making coupons for the hotel concierge so that the hotel guest could be pushed my way ( I'm about 150 feet from the hotels .. I have no experience with this at all .

I need to know how I would compensate the concierge, what kind of incentive I can give them and how much would be reasonable . ( I'm selling shave ice and smoothie for 4-5 $ )... If anyone got some ideas on the subject please post it up as I am on step 1 LOL ..
Does the hotel sell food, refreshments or have a bar?

[icetruck]

Does the hotel sell food, refreshments or have a bar?

Yes . BUT they do not have shaved ice.

[icetruck]

Btw . Can this forum be use with tapatalk ?

[Harold Mansfield]

Yes . BUT they do not have shaved ice.
It doesn't matter. It's doubtful that they will agree to send customers away from their property to buy refreshments from someone else, when they themselves sell refreshments. It doesn't matter that they don't have shaved ice. They'll just sell them virgin daiquiri's or ice cream.


In this day of competitive and fluctuating room rates, Hotels raise the bottom line when people spend money inside the hotel.

If they wanted to sell shaved ice, how hard would it be for a hotel to have it set up by the end of the week? Don't show your hand and give them any ideas that may make your position now worthless.

Your move should be the employees. Run a permanent special for the employees (before work, after work, on their break...whatever), and treat them like gold, and they will tell hotel guests about you when the situation arises and someone is asking.

What's better? An entire staff who knows you and interacts with guests everyday? Or one concierge desk that doesn't even speak to most of the guests and where hardly anyone is going to ask specifically for shaved ice?

Besides that, employees are return customers whether the hotel is busy or not.


Btw . Can this forum be use with tapatalk ?
Not sure. Maybe Vangogh will chime in.

[icetruck]

U sir made a very good point. Thank you

[KristineS]

I don't think, though, that it would be out of line to ask to be added to a list of local places that could be recommended should a guest ask. I worked front desk at a hotel when I was in college, and we had a list like that. When someone asked for recommendations for good restaurants or shops or whatever, we'd use our list. I'd ask to speak to the front desk manager and see if they have anything like that. The worst they could say is no.

[icetruck]

and what do you think normal compensation be for the concierge if they were to offer this service?
what incentive does a business give to these guys so they will push your business more? cash, product?

[Harold Mansfield]

and what do you think normal compensation be for the concierge if they were to offer this service?
what incentive does a business give to these guys so they will push your business more? cash, product?

Fist of all, it would really help to know where you are. What area? Are you near a beach? Is the traffic all tourist? And what size hotel company we are talking about?
Are we talking about a Hilton? Or a Bed and Breakfast? Because the approach is different depending on who you are dealing with.

I've worked with and for Concierge companies here in Vegas. I know this is a different market, but it's really not that simple.

Concierge desks at large hotel companies only offer outside services that they cannot fulfill for their guest themselves or are not cost effective to do so. When at all possible, they want to keep their guests in house.

If you are intent on making this hotel and their guest your main source of business, I wouldn't go in just asking for referrals. I doubt that would do you any good or result in much business. I'd ask to be that guy by the pool for a cut of the action. If you're going to go in there, go in there big. Solve the problem before they can come up with their own solution and cut you out.

I've seen it happen MANY times..where a small business approached a Concierge company or hotel to offer services and the hotel just decided to do it themselves. Now instead of getting SOME business from that hotel, they got none.

It's still iffy, especially if they have a pool bar. But it's the same slim chance either way. No sense in going for the least. If they decide that no, they have refreshments for their guests and that they aren't interested, it doesn't matter which you ask for. May as well go big. If they do want to do business with you, they may be more receptive to having you provide a service on property, rather than sending people away to you. Even if they say no to that, you may even come away with what you wanted in the first place.

Every time a concierge sends people out of their hotel to another service, it's a risk for them. They only recommend companies and services (after all of the schmoozing and kickbacks) that pose the least risk of liability, are well prepared, and of course have a great product and give great customer service.

If you are dealing with a large chain, there may be other factors that prevent them from doing business with you no matter what. You need to know your target before you just walk in there.

I don't know where you are, but it could be that the hotel attracts a lot of people from the east coast and they think having a shaved ice stand around the pool in the summer is is a great idea. But again, this is something that is really easy for them to do themselves. Unless you have some new process or recipe patents, you aren't really holding a unique position here.

For them to do business with you, you'd better make sure all of your ducks are in a row before you even ask. Licenses. Insurance. Heath Department Certifications. Everything.

This is one of those situations where you risk losing all business from the hotel if they say no or if you aren't prepared for them to say "Yes". Cause now they'll steer people away from you or cut you out and offer the service themselves.

This is why I suggested the employees. It's better coverage for recommendations, less risk for you, and they are repeat customers. If you make them happy, they will recommend you when given the opportunity FOR FREE. Employees are also a great source of intelligence about the company that you want to do business with, as well as, a possible source of references when you do.

[icetruck]

thank you harold. guess i asked the right person..lol.

[Harold Mansfield]

thank you harold. guess i asked the right person..lol.

Take it with a grain of salt. Remember, I don't know much about your particular situation or market. I'm just spit balling based in what I've seen in mine...which by all measure is a really different animal than most other markets.

For all I know you're dealing with a Bed and Breakfast in a small beach town owned by two retirees and you can get their business with just a nice lunch meeting.