“To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong.” Joseph C. Pearce
Friday: Big Money Small Change
This post is both an idea and an cautionary tale.
I stayed at a San Diego, CA, hotel last March. It was a beautiful hotel with a view to match. I was attending a conference… now I didn’t feel great. I was actually battling a head cold. That really doesn’t have anything to do with the post… I’m just looking for sympathy. (haha)
But…
I walked into the bathroom and they had this sticker sign on the mirror.
The sticker says that, basically, if you “opt in” to their program you’ll get rewarded… $5 food and beverage credit or 500 points per night stayed. In exchange they skip your room for house keeping.
I don’t know about you but I love staying in hotels. I love staying in them because they’re clean. AND that’s because someone wonderful magically cleans my tub, makes my bed, and in general takes care of me!
However… If you stay 6 nights at this hotel and you join their program, you could earn $30 food/beverage credits or 3,000 points. Quick math shows the 500 points are the better deal with a 3 star hotel earning a free night at 3,000 points…. but I’ll get back to my point.
If you choose to “Opt In” to their program… you don’t get your room clean every night, you do get a food credit… and you know what, you also get to feel good about saving water.
What does the hotel get?
They don’t have to clean your room and they comp you $5.00… they don’t have to pay someone the 30 minutes it takes to come into your room AND they also don’t have the expense of your water.
Hummmmm
That’s pretty substantial in both labor costs and water costs.
So my head started spinning as to the BIG money savings from this small change. (or the head cold) Then I thought to myself, that’s pretty clever. And I started to run the water for a shower.
Guess what… All credibility in the program for “saving water” fell on his head when I pulled up the faucet/shower lever.
Can you see it? Water is running through the spout… FAST. The shower head is running wide open AND at the same time water is running from the faucet straight down the drain without any purpose.
While the hotel cost saving and earth saving program sounds good on the mirror, when you turn around, and I’m not kidding… had I felt better, I could have taken the photo with the water reflection in the mirror… But turning around actually dispelled their entire “cost/earth savings” angle.
My recommendation is in line with today’s inspiration. Lose your fear of being wrong, and having someone like me point it out. Keep going with these creative programs because it’s a fabulous idea and has great hidden savings… just make sure to look at your obvious cost/water savings, too!
OR it’s money down the drain (hahahaha I just couldn’t resist that!!!)
Tomorrow… come back for this week’s episode on “Try This”!
PS: Like my vibe? I want you to join my tribe! start here!
Infinity Marketing Machine Daily Topics:
Monday – Character (Subject Matter Expert)
Tuesday – Content & Consistency
Wednesday – Midweek Motivation
Thursday – Infinity Customers
Friday – Big Money
Saturday – Try This