Advice!!!

[cooperfan]

Hello I'm Dean and i run the Nightmare Haunted House in Lexington Ky. We are in our fifth season the last four of which are at the same location. We cross promote with other local haunts in the area. We had a new haunt move in down the street from us. We cross promote them as well but we had visitors come in last night that told us that the other haunt had a guy in the street flagging them in, and when they asked if this was the Nightmare Haunted house he told them yes. So they bought tickets and went through and noticed the haunts didn't match our advertising so they finally found us. The reason im bringing this up now is because its happened on more than one occasion and i don't always believe what i hear so i just passed it off till now. Any advice?


Dean

[mindtumor]

I would just blow it off. I have had several customers come into the haunt and say other haunts in the area talk trash about my haunt and I just blow it off. Who knows if it is even true and even if other owners are saying crap I really don't care. I blow that kind of garbage off. I will say though one time I was at one of the major haunts in the Detroit area and they had a lady that worked there standing outside the haunt telling us and the other customers in line not to go to a haunt a mile down the road because they weren't any good, I doubt the owner of the haunt would have allowed that kind of thing had they known it was going on. I was a little surprised.

[WelchWitch]

Advice

Maybe I am not reading this right as you mindtumor, but I understand this as someone that is standing outside and misrepresenting the haunts. Its not a matter of trashing haunts its a matter of who is where. If it was trashing, I would ignore it who cares. But for the other, I would do either 1 of 2 things.
1- contact the owner of the other haunt and talk about it. I think communication is the best way to remain cordial, professional and polite. Maybe the owner doesn't know his staff is doing it or maybe you are hearing wrong, I know my owners don't always know everything - even though they say they do ;-) . At least you approached the question.
2-would be to ignore it but beat him at his own game next season. Maybe out do him with directions and advertising. Maybe have something better outside flagging people in or give better directions to begin with. It would be funny as hell if you drive by and confirm that there is someone really doing it first off and next season advertise that when driving down the street look for the "second" person on the left/right. Maybe have someone in a clown outfit at your site and advertise....look for the second bozo!

[mindtumor]

I think you did misread me. My point is you can't believe everything your customers say, people can be vindictive or just flat out liars. I understand the guy isn't saying someone is trashing his haunt but rather misleading people into believing they are at the wrong haunt. I am just saying you can't believe everything you hear so do you want to be calling people up based on what a customer says?

[WelchWitch]

Ok, so we are saying the same thing somewhat just in different words. That is why I said to confirm first. Sorry my energy drink is wearing off and I am not thinking as quick this time of the month.

[hauntatorium]

Thats certianly a tough one, especially if you all are supposed to be cross promoting each other. I mean, isnt that what its all about, helping each other out? Of course there are different routes you could take, I think at least you can go talk to them or talk to the owner, tell them the situation, and hopefully they will tell their people to do the right thing. Thats being the bigger person. Of course if that doesnt solve the problem then I would definitely call them out on it. There is nothing wrong with competetion, good clean competetion, it only can strive to make your haunt better, but dirty competetion, trying to steal customers? Thats just wrong and immature. Id say if it doesnt change (even though there is basically a week or so left in the season), i would call them out on it, there comes a point in time where you just have to stand up for your haunt, a haunt that you have obviously worked hard on, and if someone comes in and plays dirty tactics like that, expose them for it. Business is business, and its for sure a dog eat dog world out there, but in the haunt community, it shouldnt be like that. Of course that is wishful thinking, because Im sure it happens in just about every town. Either way, i think these tactics and whatnot will end up biting those who do it in the rear. The word will get out...but, thats just my 2 cents worth...