Outer Banks Vacations: It Just Makes Cents Travel Articles | May 24 Johnny Gaudreau Olympics Jersey , 2009 In these trying economic times, do you forgo the annual trip to the beach to save the money? Maybe it is time to consider the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Here is a comparison of several beach destinations? rental rates from New Jersey down to North Carolina that may save your summer beach vacation and a few bucks as well.
Our many trips vacationing on the Outer Banks have always been mainly because we loves the beaches, the sightseeing, the people we met, and the overall OBX experience. When people have asked us why we vacationed on the Outer Banks, living seven hours away, we always would mention one of the above factors.
This year Jack Eichel Olympics Jersey , with the economy in the worst shape in memory and people losing jobs or fearful of losing jobs, the question around the feasibility of taking a vacation has been felt by nearly everyone. People are looking for ways to hold onto the money they have, but are still looking for ways to take some relaxation time.
Now, more than ever, a vacation on the Outer Banks is more affordable. As an example, let's take a six bedroom and seven and a half bath house with an elevator in Salvo. The high season rate is $5,330. This includes everything but taxes. The house is 100 feet from beach access and has both ocean and sound views. Central air Sean Couturier Olympics Jersey , fully stocked kitchen, a private pool and hot tub, elevator, wireless Internet and beds made and towels provided are all included. There are no additional charges for house cleaning, credit car fees, booking fees, security deposits and so forth. For a six bedroom house on the Outer Banks Colton Parayko Olympics Jersey , this may be in the upper range for price for a house that is "ocean-side." Ocean front house will likely run slightly higher.
Now let's compare comparable homes in other beach resorts I pass on the way to the Outer Banks: Avalon, New Jersey; Bethany Beach, Delaware; Ocean City, Maryland; and Virginia Beach, Virginia. All are beautiful houses but all have slightly different amenities, but none offer any more than what is available in the Salvo, North Carolina house. All of the houses are ocean side but not ocean front. The rental prices were as follows:
Avalon Jacob Trouba Olympics Jersey , New Jersey?.................5 bed, 5 bath.................$13,500 Bethany Beach, Delaware........6 bed, 4 bath...................$7,500 Ocean City, Maryland...............5 bed Shayne Gostisbehere Olympics Jersey , 4 bath...................$5,595 Virginia Beach, Virginia.............6 bed, 4 bath...................$5,525 Salvo, North Carolina...............6 bed, 7.5 bath................$5 Morgan Rielly Olympics Jersey ,330
As with any sample, rental prices vary by house in a particular market, based on amenities, location to the beach and so forth; however, it is clear that you do get more house for you money in the Outer Banks both in size of the house and in the amenities the house provides.
Now, mix this in with?the other things you can do and see on the Outer Banks outside of a week of beach fun and suddenly you have all the makings of a truly unique family vacation experience. The Outer Banks has a wide range of historical sights, like the Wright Brothers Memorial and the four lighthouses. In addition Ryan Murray Olympics Jersey , with six championship golf courses and world renowned fishing, there is something for whatever your passion.
What happened to the old saying, the customer is always right? I'll bet every one of you reading this article has a ?customer service nightmare? story to tell. My most recent nightmare experience took place recently when my business partner and I went in to a wireless phone store to purchase two new pda wireless phones. We told the young man who greeted us that we had only one question: is this phone compatible with the database software we intend to purchase? ?I don't know,? he said, ?Most customers do the research on this before they come in.? We politely requested that if he didn't know, he find the answer. He told us we could call the company ourselves, that he didn't have time to be put on hold with them. As you can imagine Seth Jones Olympics Jersey , we left without spending what we felt was a significant sum of money. And of course we've told at least 10 other people about the disappointing service at that particular store.
So here's a question to ask yourself every day: how does our business need to look and act in the way the customer needs it to look and act? What would happen if you thought through and walked through every step of the process from your customer's point of view?
Here are a few thought-provoking questions for you and your employees to consider:
- What does our customer need, not just in terms of our product ? what kind of experience does our customer need?
- What is it like to be our prospective customer?
- What do our customers see, read or hear about us?
- What are other customers saying about us?
- What experience our customers have when they call our business? (By the way, women hate layers of voice mail, they want a real person. And there's nothing worse than reaching the voice mail system that asks you to enter 'the first four letter of the person's name.? What if you don't know the name of the person you need to speak with?)
- What if our customers? first experience with us is electronic, through our website or email? What impression do we make?
- What is our customers? first meeting with us like? Are they comfortable, are they made to feel welcome?
- Do we ask questions to try to understand their needs before trying to sell them something?
- Are we asking about their expectations or making assumptions about what they want?