PIMS & other Internet Booking Engines

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akwe-xavante
Posts: 306
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2015 3:19 pm
Location: East Yorkshire

PIMS & other Internet Booking Engines

Post by akwe-xavante »

Does PIMS somehow control last minute book and check-in on next or same day.

At the mo i'm blocking same day book and check-in but i'm happy to take such bookings if i know it's happening but i do not have nor do i wish to have a smart phone and i'm not sitting in front of a PC / laptop 24/7/365 either.

For the last (nearly a year) i've used FreeToBook as an internet booking engine and i've decided to look at other options for next year as i'm sure i've lost a number of bookings and all because of one stupid unneeded selection that people have to make from a drop down box. I have only got one unit but guests still have to click on a drop down box and select "One" the one and only option to select. I'm convinced this is a severe obstacle to bookings. I know this because i've had phone calls asking for help when booking and trying to guide people to click on a dropbox and select the only option available has failed three times. So it must of happened on other occasions where guests have "Given Up" without phoning for help.

I've also lost 2 VERY last minute bookings which i would of taken if i'd only been aware of them at the time, so ok they would have had to check-in at say 7pm rather than 3pm that same day. If my cottage is not booked i can choose to enjoy it myself that weekend or allow it to become booked last minute, but i want to be given a last minute choice.

I have no use for a smart phone, to have one is VERy very expensive. The annual cost of having one is far greater than the benefits gained. I have a mobile, it's just not smart!

I'm currently writing my own internet booking engine but i'm struggling a little bit and i don't think it will be ready for the 2020 season, well it'll probably be ready but not aggressively tested so strange errors could occur. I've got last minute, next or same day options sorted. Guests are asked to phone for a passcode. If i'm happy to allow the booking i'll give them a passcode to enter into a box, job done. If it's 2pm gone and i'm half way down a bottle of red then i can say no!!!!!!!!
Jenster
Posts: 454
Joined: Tue Mar 08, 2016 8:24 am
Location: Cornwall
Contact:

Post by Jenster »

I don't know the answer about booking engines, but if you prefer that guests phone anyway for last minute bookings why not just say this on your website, and take the whole booking over the phone?
akwe-xavante
Posts: 306
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2015 3:19 pm
Location: East Yorkshire

Post by akwe-xavante »

Thank you Jenster,

"for last minute bookings why not just say this on your website"

I do, first question is: How do i book to check-in today?

I say that last minute bookings can only be achieved over the phone. I'll just switch on my laptop to do this for you........

I've lost the booking already.

"take the whole booking over the phone?"

This would require that i had a PC or laptop switched on and ready at the time of the phone call. It also means that i would have to take card details over the phone and so far i'm finding that people are not happy to do this. When guests have phoned because they are struggling to work out why they can't book themselves (Stupid Combo box selection) after trying to guide them and failed i decide to offer to do it for them..... so ok lets do it.

If I get as far as asking for card details the process usually comes to an end because they are not happy to give me the info required to continue. I can understand this because i'm not happy doing this myself either.

Letting them do it themselves online seems to give them the confidence they seem to need and from my point of view avoids any typo's on my part. It's quicker for them to enter their own details rather than me to do it for them too.

At the mo when a booking is successful and a payment is authorized i get a text message within seconds. Love this.

It would be great to get a last minute phone call and say yes, here's a passcode to continue the process. Let them enter their own details and card info. I'll get a text within a few seconds, minutes at the most and i can crack on with getting the place ready at a time agreed with the guest during the initial phone call.

They would have confidence in that they have entered details inc card details securely themselves and i can crack on getting the place ready for them.
moray_cottages
Posts: 19
Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2012 12:18 pm
Location: Forres
Contact:

Post by moray_cottages »

akwe-xavante I use PIMs - for any last minute bookings I have it stated on my website to call me to double check availability.

If I get a last minute request I confirm availability over the phone, take a mobile number and email address and text/email the booking form to the potential guest straight away. Then they can pay online as part of the usual booking process.

I find that texts get a quicker response from the guests than email.
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