When one travels on vacation the mindset is to relax and have a good time so one can feel refreshed and ready to resume the work. Hotels and attractions try to make your travel comfortable and the stay enjoyable.
When I travel for work, however my overriding mindset is the bottom line. I stay in Red
Roof Inns because with my corporate discount the price is good as is the uniform quality of the room and service. I know what the lodging is going to cost and there are no surprises or unexpected problems. The length of my stay is extended or cut short because of the income taken in and the expenses that are being incurred. I book the work in advance and do not travel unless there is the prospect of a profit but I evaluate how things are going and eventually have to make a judgement and buy a ticket home.
I am not sure that hotels for instance understand this. When hotels remodel or offer different services things like flat screen TV's or expensive bathroom makeovers mean very little to me. It is not that I don't want to be comfortable but something like a breakfast or shuttle service or a business center can be translated into dollar values that might justify a higher rate. A breakfast might be worth $10 so I can deduct that from a competitors rate and make a decision in favor of another hotel.
I just returned from a trip to Chicago and I had to make some pretty hard choices to insure a profit like sleeping in the car a few nights to save some lodging costs. The Lord blessed, however and it was a profitable trip.
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