http://www.whitneyhoffman.com/2009/06/27/other-peoples-money/ Digital Media Diatribes and More Sun, 05 Feb 2012 22:46:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 http://www.whitneyhoffman.com/2009/06/27/other-peoples-money/comment-page-1/#comment-564 Whitney Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:30:32 +0000 http://www.whitneyhoffman.com/?p=697#comment-564 And I've also gone to conferences with my husband, sharing a room at expensive hotels. I think there's room for people to stay, for business or pleasure, at a reasonable hotel, or even what I would consider a fairly expensive one- I know it's gotten us to upgrade our idea of "acceptable hotel" as a result when we're on vacation. (The Motel 8 is no longer a great option...) so I am sure there's some payback in the system here. But I think businesses do get taken advantage of by the conference trade- they may not always get the best rates available, and I think that's why conferences are one of the first luxuries that get cut or scaled back as a result. We've just got to stop thinking that because the business or company is paying, it doesn't "count" as much. And I think there's plenty of room for people to be grateful and thankful when they are treated well by their company- it may, in essence, be part of their benefit package, but it doesn't mean we should take it for granted, either. And I’ve also gone to conferences with my husband, sharing a room at expensive hotels. I think there’s room for people to stay, for business or pleasure, at a reasonable hotel, or even what I would consider a fairly expensive one- I know it’s gotten us to upgrade our idea of “acceptable hotel” as a result when we’re on vacation. (The Motel 8 is no longer a great option…) so I am sure there’s some payback in the system here. But I think businesses do get taken advantage of by the conference trade- they may not always get the best rates available, and I think that’s why conferences are one of the first luxuries that get cut or scaled back as a result. We’ve just got to stop thinking that because the business or company is paying, it doesn’t “count” as much. And I think there’s plenty of room for people to be grateful and thankful when they are treated well by their company- it may, in essence, be part of their benefit package, but it doesn’t mean we should take it for granted, either.

]]> http://www.whitneyhoffman.com/2009/06/27/other-peoples-money/comment-page-1/#comment-563 Robert Rowe Mon, 29 Jun 2009 03:11:14 +0000 http://www.whitneyhoffman.com/?p=697#comment-563 When I accompanied my friend to D.C. (he was on business), my travel/hotel/meals were all covered by the company as well as his. I was shocked that they didn't even care that I wasn't going to "work". Instead, I was merely going along because I had a laptop and a cellphone (my friend has neither). A $399/night room was perfectly acceptable on their budget, whereas I would've spent $150 or less if it were coming out of my pocket. I was amazed... When I accompanied my friend to D.C. (he was on business), my travel/hotel/meals were all covered by the company as well as his. I was shocked that they didn’t even care that I wasn’t going to “work”. Instead, I was merely going along because I had a laptop and a cellphone (my friend has neither). A $399/night room was perfectly acceptable on their budget, whereas I would’ve spent $150 or less if it were coming out of my pocket.
I was amazed…

]]>