We don’t want to become big!
Peter and Xiaoli Tours is a small company. We have been going over 8 years and we go out of our way to remain small. Sometimes we get offered business others would jump at, and we say no. It has left a few over the years staggered.
Xiaoli and I are over stretched. We know something must give and we both adamantly maintain it’s the Ninety Mile Beach side that must go. Its where we started but not where we wish to be. So ultimately a buyer will come along and hopefully relieve us of what has become a burden. A real treasure for others to own but those others wont be trying to run a multi day tour business and a farm as well.
We don’t want to employ staff. Occasionally we do need to help at the beach or for me on tours as an interpreter because I don’t have a grasp on the language required. But we don’t want staff full time. If I cant do a tour then its better we turn it away than pull in another driver. I know some would say why? Quite simply Xiaoli and I set ourselves high expectation levels of the services we provide and its very hard to find staff that have no share in the business that are prepared to reach to the heights we do.
So we just prefer to remain small. Like everybody, we need money but not that important we need hire staff then take on all the stress that comes with that.
Recently we advertised some simple 3 day tours for the Northland area of New Zealand. We don’t normally do packaged tours but we thought we have down time being off season so lets keep our tour vehicle working, and yes me, the driver/guide. I hate being bored.
We offered exceptional rates for the tour that would be very hard to better anywhere and then what happens. An elderly group probably in reality my age says if we bring 10 (our vehicle only takes 11 passengers) can you improve the price. I told Xiaoli outright no. Xiaoli being Xiaoli offers a discount which they then said is not enough. They barter with Xiaoli to knock a third off our price. Me I am wild by now. I do not discount. Quote once, quote right. Someone betters it, let them loose money or certainly make next to none.
Xiaoli takes the booking but wait, 10 now becomes 6 at one third off. Now the tour will actually cost us money. Tour cancelled because I told Xiaoli find another driver and rent a vehicle. She said she cant do that as we would lose money. Point taken. She told them no.
I like being in a small business. I am very happy to remain small. And I will not accept business if we don’t need to. We don’t need discount our prices as I know our prices are already sharp. We are not discounters. Don’t ask us.
For me I hate it when a company quotes and you tell them no and suddenly you get a much better quote. Put your best foot forward from the start. We do.
Peter and Xiaoli Tours 