She used a competitor's business

[camomilly]

My business provides a facility for dog training. it's quite specialised and high quality, beautifully maintained, and we are on the higher end of pricing as a result.

A friend started a dog training business 3 years ago, and I gave her a full day's hire for free. Value about £200.

After that, she has used our venue at full price 3 or 4 times a year for half a day each time. So in total over the years I have probably earned £450 from her. She wanted to use it more but cancelled lots of sessions due to too few attendees. It's a bit annoying for me too as I lose money, but can't be helped.

I have done loads of advertising for her including creating original artwork, to try and get more customers (and of course this helps me to, as I get the hire fee.)

The last event got no bookings at all so she cancelled.

Now I see online that she's using a competitor venue, 2 miles away from us, so v close. She's advertised it on her socials which is fine, but i feel she should have said something to me first? Out of respect to our friendship and the effort I put in helping with her business with the free day plus the advertising?

I feel a bit hurt, but wonder if I'm being dramatic.

YANBU - She should have told you first about using a competitor training centre
YABU - Get over yourself, it's business not personal.

She is probably embarrassed. If she wasn’t getting any bookings at your place I can see why she moved.

It’ll be all about the money - her costs and then the cost her clients can afford. But she was shitty not to talk to you about it, especially after all your help.

OP
It happens in business, don't feel like that

Good luck with everyhting

Maybe she just doesn't know how to approach the subject with you?

Obviously we know very little about your business but maybe worth a chat with her about why she chose to go elsewhere, purely from a business point of view? We try and do that to find out why a client has chosen someone else over us, you can't take it personally.

Never do business with friends 🤷‍♀️

It would have been decent of her to tell you, but perhaps she felt embarrassed. Did she ask for help with the advertising or did you offer? Perhaps she's felt compelled to use you all this time?

Who knows, but if the other venue is cheaper and means she can charge her clients less without them really noticing a difference then it might just have come down to the maths.

It's business so don't take it as a personal insult

If it was me I'd take the opportunity to look at my venue and see if there was a reason she chose a different one. Compare yours and theirs.

Ask her for honest feedback. Be clear you're asking not as her friend but as a business wanting to know what you can do to improve.

You're so right - I definitely wouldn't do business with friends again in a hurry!

She's charging the same price to clients, I think the venue charge about the same as us so probably not much more or less money made either way.

It's a nice venue, definitely not as nice as ours but I guess it's something different for her to try.

Just weird that she didn't say anything, I would have understood whatever the reasons she gave. She's not a shy character at all.

She is probably trying a new venue in case for whatever reason it appeals to customers more than yours.

Thanks, this is logical. Where we are (se scotland) there aren't many venues, and maybe trying a new one will be a refresh for her business

Whatever the reason, she made a business decision, it has absolutely no bearing on your friendship.

If she'd used your facility, then money would have changed hands. Business thing.

All the stuff you did for her for free, presumably that was because you wanted to help a friend out. No money changed hands. Friend thing.

Keep the two separate in your mind, otherwise you'll end up losing both a friendship and a business relationship.

It will come down to money. Although it might have been nice of her to explain first, she's probably embarrassed to do so.
I have a close family friend who's a travel agent. When I realized I could book independently online I started doing so, and she was very put out for not "supporting her". At the end of the day, she can afford a second home and I can't, I need to save money where I can!

Well you learnt that no good deed goes unpunished.

Does the other venue have a cancellation policy or perhaps links to potential clients? You need to charge if the cancellation is late and you cannot rebook another user.