chez nous brochure rip off

[euro]

[:@]Having advertised with Chez Nous for some years at some considerable cost ! , i decided to ask  clients about the brochure V web choice they have and the resounding answer was basically "what Brochure".Due to ease of access via the internet and a lack of time because of work and family pressure my clients only come to me via the web.In addition people also said that although they used the brochure in the past ,nowadays it is rarely seen in the newsagents.

So as you may anticipate - I decided to go web only with our marketing - and guess what ,the level of service from CN has dropped to an even more pitiful standard (which i am amazed was possible)

Somebody out there with a knowledge of this market - and a bit of cash - and good web skills should be able to create a decent company to look after the clients who badly operated organisations cheese off and there must be hundreds or maybe thousands.

Save some money next time & ditch the brochure!!!!!!!!!

 

 

[Gail Smith]

Last year we were only on their web site and we only got 2 bookings and about 2 other enquiries.  This year we are in the brochure and on the web site and we are near enough fully booked already for the summer.  We have also had over 30 enquiries all from the brochure, mostly for dates that were already booked and so we couldnt accomodate them.  I dont think we have had one enquiry this year direct from the web site.

I think CN are very expensive but we are booked and that is the main thing.

 

Gail

[Eslier]

My experience is similar to Gail.

I admit that I find their customer service quite poor and I believe they still haven't upgraded their website to the new site that they promised was about to be launched last November. BUT, their brochure and website does generate a large number of enquiries and bookings for me.

I too was displeased when, over a year ago, I discovered they had decided no longer to make their brochures available through WH Smith in the UK but again, I have to admit that it doesn't seem to have affected enquiries. The good thing is that they direct mail the brochure to everyone who has booked travel for a holiday through them in the last two years. This is a huge database and targets people that they know are likely to want to take a holiday of the type they offer.

This year, they made a big thing of saying that their advertising rates hadn't increased which, if you take the basic cost, was true. On the other hand, by the time you pay for all the new "extras" (like web search options that use to be included) then the cost has increased.

Despite their shortcomings, I have to admit that Cheznous do a really good job for me, and  although expensive, represent good value for money. Like Gail, we are more or less  full now for July and August and it won't be long before May and June are fully booked up too.

If you have any problems then I have found the best thing is to contact their Marketing Manager, Peter Hunt, direct who usually manages to come up with a sensible answer when all around him are making things up as they go along ! . His e-mail address is:

[email protected]

[euro]

my experience in previous years was much the same as you & Gail - lots of enquiries & good business.

It just really hacks me off paying more to CN for poor service than i do to FC who have been superb for me,no doubt others have mixed experiences of both.

But thanks for taking time to reply.

 

 

Steve

[JJ]

Chez Nous, love them or hate them are the brand leaders, and they do deliver on the enquires and bookings front.

I also thought about ditching the entry in the brochure, that was until I had 3 bookings for 2006 from the 2005 brochure. I even know someone who got a booking last year from the 2002 brochure.

However, I am constantly appalled by the level of their customer service to us, the paying advertisers.

I even suggest that you all check your chez nous website entry every so often as I recently fornd that my gallery images had just dissappeared, when I phoned to complain they told me I had not paid, and of course I had.

So lets hope Peter Hunt reads these postings.

[TheWalkingDude]

Hi,

Interesting to find your views on CN. We advertise with 4 companies. We have two cottages and only open May to October. This year we have had nil bookings via CN and about 33 weeks via just one other site.... . They are absolutely great and a third of the cost of CN.

The rest of our bookings this year are repeat and word of Mouth.

I was so disappointed with CN that I asked to have my add removed from them. I will never deal with them again.

Basically I think they have too many people on the books…

Joe

[JJ]

So Joe, are you going to tell us who this company is then?

[TheWalkingDude]

Is it allowed....? well I presume it is... Holiday Lettings.... They are top.

J

[Maddie]

I've advertised for 2 years with CN. The first year the ad in CN plus an ad in LF mag got us over 20 weeks of bookings.  Then, CN changed their regions, our ad was on the last page of the new section and I have not had ONE SINGLE booking or any calls from the 2006 brochure!  I wrote to them and complained and they suggested to me that I had had over 400 veiwings of my advert via their website which, frankly, I find very hard to believe.

All my bookings this year are either repeat or come via messages (not adverts) posted on fora like this one.  Only 8 weeks booked in the whole year!  Good job I don't have to reply on the income!!!