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The Dutch


Chancer
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Maybe Quillan can shed some light on this.

Do the Dutch including the Flamands in Belgium have higher standards than everyone else or are do they have unhappy or mean tendancies?

I ask because of the reviews that have been left for my apartments after the summer months. At first I could start to see a tendancy forming and now that I have a significant amount of reviews the statistics speak for themselves.

 

Over 40 ratings average from the Dutch and flamands = 7.0/10

 

Average for the rest of the world = 9.3

 

The rest of the world being predominantly the French followed by the English and many other nationalities.

 

All of them have told me that they had a great time, everything was perfect, nothing that I could improve and then they leave a low score compared to the others, very often an anonymous review (never had those from other nationalities) often saying it was excellent which makes the low score even more baffling, those that do write négatives are about the size of the beds (1.9m std French size) and the small bathrooms, that I can understand as several of them have been giants.

 

They alone dropped my average from 9.3 to 8.5, its only just gone up to 8.8 again after several 10/10’s.

 

So what is it with them? How can I make the place less attractive to them

 

One guy took the whole top floor for his extended family and the length of the car park for the car and caravan, he was very pleased and did indeed leave me score of 9.2, they stayed again on their return, left equally happy and left a score of 7.9, I contacted him and politely asked where we had not met his expecaations and how we could improve, he said it was as good if not better than the first time and that he must have made a mistake, the score should have been the same.

 

To put it another way, the reviews from all other nationalities are usually 9.5 or 10 with the lowest being an 8.8, those from the Dutch and Flamands are between 6.3 and 7.5 with one at 9.2.
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The Dutch are dodgy ............. and I say this as someone whose Grandmother was Dutch !

Around here, they're regarded as only marginally less bad than Parisians and that's saying something.

You've all doubtless heard it before, but it bears repeating - "They bring their spuds down with them and take back the peelings".
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They have all seemed fine, no different to any of the others, thats why I am bemused at the ratings.

 

Actually one did take virtually everything that wasnt nailed down, the teas, coffees, infusions, milk and sugar from both apartments (they didnt consume any) the kitchen rolls and toilet rolls including spares, the roll of bin liners, some spoons and no doubt some other things that I have yet to notice but thats just one person so I wont hold it against the whole race.

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Our French neighbour with who we have been very good friends for many years sold his house to a Dutch couple two/three years back. The French round here, and myself, refer to them as "the special people" so enough said.

 

A talking point last year at our local Clevacance AGM is that these foreign versions of Four in a Bed are turning program lovers into 'aggressive' reviewers looking for the tiniest things wrong that they can. Many French round here also refer to them, in a joking way, much as the English do about the Scots (in a joking way), short arms and deep pockets. They do rather expect to only pay the price of a bottle of lemonade and get a bottle of Champagne.

We do find them ‘difficult’ at times but we don’t get that many down here.

 

Having your tea, coffee and toilet rolls taken is pretty trivial really. We had a whole low voltage lighting system removed from a bathroom years ago. We had the shower fitting ripped out of a shower and taken once not to mention a few personal accidents in beds from both orifices which they try to hide before they go. One group drank two bottles of Scotch that were not even out on display (might explain why there was vomit all over the bathroom next day).

 

Anyway it “goes with the turf” as they say so you just carry on. Over the coming years you will learn a lot about the business but more, probably, about people than you ever thought you knew before.

 

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On that basis I have been really lucky then, all the guests have been a delight although the layout of the place means that our paths dont cross unless they need me, the vast majority clean the apartments thoroughly before leaving, strip the beds, put out the rubbish etc none of which they are asked to do.

It has been a great summer for me, its usually my darkest time in France, all the sports classes and activities end, all but one restaurants close, most of the boulangeries close, I dont use these places but it gives an indication of the "I'm going to be even more fermé than ever because its les vacances" mentality, this summer I have met some really nice and interesting people from all walks of French life, most of all they have been ouverte and at the opposite end of the scale in that respect to the people who I have become accustomed to.

A lovely lady has just left with her two children to return to the Alsace, they stayed 2 nights, she informed me that the velux blind had stuck (the rain has swollen the frame) she didnt force it and break it, she didnt try to hide it, she told me.

She also confided that she was born in this area (they were visiting her father) but dont enjoy returning and wont stay with her family, it showed me once again how positively people change when they can flourish in the wider world.

 

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From Quillan's post, it really does seem you got off lightly, Chancer. Glad to hear that you've had such a pleasant summer with your guests coming and going.

Did you find that the Dutch left their accommodation particularly clean and tidy? I ask as we worked on a campsite in the Alps one summer, when my husband retired for the first time, for a company with tents ready erected plus a few mobile homes. We found that the Dutch families, with one exception, were extremely clean and tidy, whereas the British, who were the main clients, tended to leave things OK, a bit messy or dirty.

The Dutch exception meant that we started on their tent out on the path with a shovel and worked towards the tent, clearing up food on the grass. Every single item in the tent apart from the bed frames and the fridge had to be removed and replaced with new stock; there was no spare fridge, or we would have replaced that too, had to really work hard to get it clean enough for the next family. It all took hours, then spent quite a few more hours trying to clean the cooker etc and ended up throwing some items away. No dishwashers on the campsite! It took almost a whole day to get the tent ready for the new arrivals.

That apart, we had a wonderful summer, met so many lovely and appreciative people, still have great memories of it.
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We get people from all over the world as opposed to just Europe. We currently have, in couples, French, German Russian and Israeli and they are all very nice getting on well with each other despite the languages involved. You get to learn a lot from them rather than reading newspapers etc. Some have very interesting jobs or have lead interesting lives.

 

Anyway we are at two ends of the business so we get totally different types of guests. Our business is more labour intensive with far more guest contact but then the earning potential is much, much, higher (around 3k a week in the summer). The money and smiling faces is the reward for all the hard work.

 

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  • 1 month later...
The Dutch (and I can speak with reasonable authority, as my F-i-L was one, so my husband is half Dutch) are basically just very direct. If they don't like something, they will say so, with no intention of upsetting anyone. It's simply a national trait. It doesn't sit too well with the British way of being polite even and saying everything is fine (and then complaining to everyone who will listen after the event). My family in law are all very straight talkers and it can be a bit surprising!

I've often had problems when organising group things where a proportion of the group were from the Netherlands, especially in hotels, where very often they find the beds too short. And they'll say so..as if anyone can rush out and procure longer beds.
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Yes, "direct" is how I would describe the Dutch character. I get on very well with the Dutch couple in the village. He says he finds his culture much closer to British than to French and was surprised when I pointed out to him that he came across as being much more direct than the average Brit. I do find it a bit odd that he chooses to spend a large part of the year in France but loads his van to the gunwales with Dutch produce - yes, including spuds - before setting off, and when needs must will only shop at Aldi or Lidl, keeping well clear of all French establishments. But he is great company and a marvellous host.
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Looking at the situation from the other end, perhaps Dutch directness could be seen as honesty. And British - or English, as many on this site would say - tact or politeness may in turn by them be seen as duplicity. I've worked with many a non-Brit who's complained, only half jokingly, that we never say what we mean.

The good thing about direct people is that you can generally be direct right back without their taking offence. Generally..

As to the lower markings for the B&B, I do think the Dutch and Flemish tend to be fanatically clean, and a tad judgmental towards others on the subject, a tedious failing on their part.
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That's absolutely it, J andM. My Dutch family never mean to cause offence, but they say exactly what they mean, and after you get over the initial shock, it's quite refreshing. Troubles is, as Brits we are so accustomed to people being circumspect that we feel offended when no offence was intended.

Even simple British "politeness" confuses non-Brits. For example, I often have to explain to my foreign students that the only "correct" response to "how are you?" Is "Fine, thanks" because we actually don't care.
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  • 3 months later...
We find the  Dutch a delight. Our worst reviews are from Germans who invariably are perfectly happy whilst staying here, but then give us a low score and nasty review from afar. ( that winds me up no end. At least if the French are unhappy about something they'll tell us at the time) Although ,having said that our worst review during last season was from Brits who gave us 2 and said " Never again!" . They were perfectly happy during their stay.We rang them for an explanation and was told never to contact them again or they would report us! They were intending to open their own chambres d'hote , not anywhere near us ,I hasten to add, but maybe they just felt like knocking us. We've still achieved a score of  9 for last year , even with them!

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Yes its very frustrating to see a score like that drop your average in the early days when you dont have enough others to counteract it.

 

I never wanted to do what I am doing, i didnt consider myself to have the necessary attributes to be Customer facing in such an industry, sure i have had customers for years in my previous businesses, many one offs lots of repeat business and many cultivated loyally through the years but against that I am a franc parleur, I dont suffer fools easily and over the years have alienated some people unknowingly which others have described as a "clash of personalities" in short more Basil Fawlty than "suits you sir!" I am also very thin skinned Under the surface veneer and would be hurt by comments like you recieved, the négatives I have had I have responded to after reflecting and managed to turn them into positives and its nice having the last word! Some new customers have commented that they thought I dealy very well with an unreasonable expectation and complaint.

 

What does surprise me is how many people report that I was very warm friendly and welcoming, très sympa etc as that is not how I see myself, maybe I am mellowing with age. How long I can keep it up remains to be seen, I need to get out whilst at my zenith!

 

At the moment I am doing surprisingly well and really starting to see repeat custom which gives me a warm feeling, one all but forgotten but it makes me recall the 2nd and 3rd years of my previous businesses. I had 92% occupancy in December, as high as August and for the first 2 weeks of January  I am already running at 86%  and the remaining nights may still be taken, incredible really considering I had next to nothing in the first year, several months completely empty but that was because locally the word of mouth either does not happen or does in a negative way, an example, "do you know of a room to rent, a car to hire, a shop that sells this that or the other" etc will invariably be met with "NON!" and nothing further, people are so mean spirited that if they cannot benefit themselves they will not help someone else even if the person asking is a friend or colleague, if the prson persists and says what about Chez Cancer, such and such a car hire? etc they are likely to be told untruths to put them off, however what they cannot do is stop the word of mouth working where these people come from and where they work.

 

They will be employed at the Airbus factory or the new science park, they may be coming from the other side of the world they ask for help and are given none by the DHR or even the office de tourisme despite me having invited and recieved these people here, when customers do find me its because of my good visible position on the right main road, they always remark why didnt anyone tell me about you when I asked.

I have a Polish guy arrived this morning after a 15 hour drive, he was given my détails by a colleague who stayed a week 3 weeks ago, same story with the Italians, a French guy returned last night, he reserved and stayed once befor with Booking.com but came back direct this time like most do without me asking, he left this morning then rang to ask if the apartment was free tonight I guess his job will take longer, I have a Belgian family who stayed a weekend in December and siad they would return at least once a month, I was sceptical but they have already returned twice!

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