Is something up with Harvest Host?

[ducksface]

'It takes all kinds'
Is one of the worst lies perpetuated/perpetrated.

It doesn't take all kinds.
We are forced to smilingly tolerate fools and cretins and deviants.

It needs to stop.
It is beyond ridiculous at this point.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by ducksface

'It takes all kinds'
Is one of the worst lies perpetuated/perpetrated.

It doesn't take all kinds.
We are forced to smilingly tolerate fools and cretins and deviants.

It needs to stop.
It is beyond ridiculous at this point.

Agree, stop kowtowing to the fools and cretins and deviants. Our country will be better for it.

[The Gritz Carlton]

Originally Posted by Lt Keefer

Just watch the nightly news and see all the crap that is going down in this country. The thing about discounted options in a free market place is that you get a lot of junk. When you stay at a high dollar resort the price keeps out some of the riff raff. When you stay for free, so does the riff raff. Extend that to hosts that have bought into the kind of places HH caters to and it's not a wonder they are failing.

Are you a member of Harvest Host and have you ever stayed at one of their Host's businesses? I've stayed at some pretty "high dollar" wineries...it's not the "kind of places" they cater to...it's the "kind of people" they have recently started catering to that's ruining the experience. HH has gone from 2 people to a huge staff of "executive titles".

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

Are you a member of Harvest Host and have you ever stayed at one of their Host's businesses? I've stayed at some pretty "high dollar" wineries...it's not the "kind of places" they cater to...it's the "kind of people" they have recently started catering to that's ruining the experience. HH has gone from 2 people to a huge staff of "executive titles".

Totally agree. Harvest Host went from a organization started by dedicated RV travelers to one now owned by an IT profiteer who owns an RV and is only concerned about money.

They started going down the tubes when they were bought out in 2018.

[RACarvalho]

Originally Posted by EA37TS

Totally agree. Harvest Host went from a organization started by dedicated RV travelers to one now owned by an IT profiteer who owns an RV and is only concerned about money.
They started going down the tubes when they were bought out in 2018.

I find it really entertaining that "Master in Business" became one of the most popular courses in education but for some decades now you only see good business being ruined by stupid decisions....

When I was doing my "master in business" I challenged one of the professors on the direction he was teaching and he asked me, in front of the entire class, If wanted to be a business leader or a Union leader....
He didn't even want to know why I was challenging him...
It happens that I already had witness the application of what he was teaching many times and every single time the result for the business was catastrophic ... But hey, I paid a lot for that title, the professor can't be wrong.... So lets not use critical thinking and just follow the play book....

Pride and greed became the norm, the "serve your customer well" was changed to "lets profit the most while we can" mentality.
"We exist to provide good products / services" was changed to "We exist to maximize profit at ANY cost".

Several people have posted here suggesting a very simple change in the rules that would make everything better for HH but I guess simple decisions is not part of the playbook (?).

Huge difference between a old business owners and a modern "CEO's"....

Our toad lease is due in two months and GM guys are desperate trying to get it back, offering all kinds of deals in a new lease.
I wrote back to them saying we intent to buy it and we will not be buying GM products going forward since GM said they will stop producing ICE powered cars and we don't want electric...
This is a customer that have bought 3 new vehicles in the last 5 years and have a $1500 discount voucher on hand to buy a new GM product...

But hey, customer voice is not important, instant maximum profit is...

[yukongrant]

Originally Posted by ducksface

'It takes all kinds'
Is one of the worst lies perpetuated/perpetrated.
It doesn't take all kinds.
We are forced to smilingly tolerate fools and cretins and deviants.
It needs to stop.
It is beyond ridiculous at this point.

Be careful what you wish for. I'm only good with this IF I get to decide who the fools, cretins and deviants are. Other then that, I'm not a fan of someone else making that decision.

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by yukongrant

Be careful what you wish for. I'm only good with this IF I get to decide who the fools, cretins and deviants are. Other then that, I'm not a fan of someone else making that decision.

Good point, but apparently the fools, cretins, and deviants (which are a demonstrated small minority) believe the rest of the planet needs to be forced to bow to their wants and "needs". Stop letting the small minority change the path of the vast majority.

[lwmcguir]

We would all be so much better off if our country did what Ace said

Dropping HH as well, going to hit state parks primarily with a few family visits this year

Several of our favorite dispersed areas have been closed due to shall we say lazy privileged people

[RACarvalho]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

Good point, but apparently the fools, cretins, and deviants (which are a demonstrated small minority) believe the rest of the planet needs to be forced to bow to their wants and "needs". Stop letting the small minority change the path of the vast majority.

It is proven that a well organized minority of 10 per cent can take over an entire country...

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by RACarvalho

It is proven that a well organized minority of 10 per cent can take over an entire country...

We're not talking about "well organized". Have you seen these people?

[The Gritz Carlton]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

We're not talking about "well organized". Have you seen these people?

Made me laugh too!! The only well organized group I know is a Militia.

[RACarvalho]

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

We're not talking about "well organized". Have you seen these people?

And do you think I was ref. to the wackos that boondock?

You need a good reason to tell the people they can't use their land for free ...

Just mismanage someone else business, let it fail and then buy it at dust price after it fails.....
Playbook being executed many times....

No more free BLM boondock is the plan...

[The Gritz Carlton]

I reached out to HH two days ago by email...as they no longer publish any phone numbers or personal contact info for any employees. I explained in a lengthy email, the concerns of members and how we see the program today, advising them to expect many membership cancellations from the base of customers that built their success..and their response was basically a hogwash of words:


Don,

Thank you for your email,

​I do not have access to their forum and post however I do know that we want to uphold the essence of our program and value the experience for both the member and Host.


​

We are making several changes on the app and website in functionality for better usability and communications. We absolutely love our members and Hosts.
​

​Happy Travels!

[RVwife]

Originally Posted by The Gritz Carlton

I reached out to HH two days ago by email...as they no longer publish any phone numbers or personal contact info for any employees. I explained in a lengthy email, the concerns of members and how we see the program today, advising them to expect many membership cancellations from the base of customers that built their success..and their response was basically a hogwash of words:


Don,

Thank you for your email,

​I do not have access to their forum and post however I do know that we want to uphold the essence of our program and value the experience for both the member and Host.


​

We are making several changes on the app and website in functionality for better usability and communications. We absolutely love our members and Hosts.
​

​Happy Travels!

Translation please??? That response from HH is a pile of ****

Best "usability" for their app would be to can it completely and return to the person to person contact that worked just fine. That app was just the start of declining communication. I'm NOT feeling their love at all.

Ostriches that keep their heads in the sand eventually die.

[Chateau_Nomad]

Sounds like a word salad you'd get from a politician faking an apology... completely oblivious and missing the point.

I once thought about subscribing... but that response just convinced me not to.

[16ACE27]

I like their straight out lie: "I do not have access to their forum". Everyone with Internet access has access to this forum and this thread; IF, they cared enough to read it.

[The Gritz Carlton]

This was my response back to "her": I don't really expect to hear back from them. They don't "get it".


I suggest you look into this. Forums are public and offer tons of information...just like Google Reviews but only better. Every RV manufacturer has a forum available to the public and every subject of Rving is on all of them. Your business is based totally on RV owners. Your response was just words and did not address a really serious issue your company will experience if you don't open your window and look outside. I love HH and the business principal it was built on. HH has become huge and I suggest, has lost touch with it's base, charter customers. Please feel free to call if you wish.


Don Gordon
The Gritz Carlton

[ducksface]

HH
may be moving on to 1,000 trail type subscriptuons and rv accessories, and roadside service and...and....

I dont see their annual fees supporting more than a few families let alone a company.

You buy a well known entity, the you encompass lots of things, fluff it up, put it for sale.
'I need a tax write-off' guy buys and dismantles...a loss is a good as a profit.

Most of us know harvest host was ran by two folks in their RV.

Here's your big chance at the big time.

Offer the original business model at half the fees.

Some state they could do better...
Do better.

No sarcasm here. It really is a chance to do what's been done successfully yet abandoned.

[The Gritz Carlton]

It would be tough to recreate the original feeling and experience of HH. It's been too manipulated for profit and too many "free everything" roamers have shared the data and locations with so many non-members, creating a really bad taste in the mouths of many host. That's why they (HH) keep having to add more categories (churches and golf courses) to maintain. Most hosts never check memberships cards and still take phone call reservations versus the online method HH has been unsuccessfully trying to shift to. It was great while it lasted...hopefully the ostrich will pull it's head from the sand and get a grip on what's needed to survive before it dies. You can lead a horse to water, hold his head under, but you can't make it drink.

[Chief2650]

I can't relate. I haven't had any problem yet with any of my stays. Probably about 10. Just lucky I guess. Each stay has been a great experience. We have one that we go back to over and over again called Wrights Farm. OH, we do drop more money than it would cost us to stay somewhere. But it's always been for something we enjoy.