Horrendous booking disaster!

[bentisdall]

Oh, dear. I think the email I sent this morning is self-explanatory.

Good morning,
I am afraid I have made a terrible mistake. You requested one of the two last periods I have available in summer 2011 so I assumed it was a 2011 request. You never mentioned the Olympics in any of your emails and I never noticed the date was in fact 2012. Unfortunately that period for Olympic year is already booked. In retrospect I think you were probably quite surprised how low the rate was for Olympic week!
I sincerely apologise for inconvenience caused and will of course refund you the deposit you have paid plus any bank charges you incurred as soon as possible. Please advise me of your bank details & any bank charges for the bank transfer and once again sincere apologies.
regards

I've exchanged emails & booking forms with this guy for the last couple of weeks and the penny only dropped when he said in his final email this morning 'We are looking forward already. One question regarding your reply from last Thursday, you’ve set the balance date on 2nd June 2011, but this should probably be 2nd June 2012?'. He's just replied to the email I sent this morning and he is not happy....

[Nemo]

No I'm sure he is not happy, but as the date was already booked you haven't really done anything wrong, just a genuine mix up. You apologised profusely as well! C'est la vie!

[Giddy Goat]

Yes, c'est la vie and you couldn't have been more apologetic bentisdall, as Nemo has said. We all make mistakes.

[lorca]

Just one of those things - and a very gracious apology. Annoying for him but it´s only been a couple of weeks, so don´t feel too badly.

I´m sure we´ve all made this sort of mistake at least once (we´ll I have anyway )

[kendalcottages]

Yes, unfortunate... but easily done, I would imagine. I think you've done everything you need to, really.

[e-richard]

Agree, and would compliment you on your email too.

You say he is not happy....
I'm sure that's true, but I wonder if he suggested what else you should do about it ?

[greenbarn]

He won't be happy, he'll be annoyed. I'd be annoyed, you'd be annoyed.
You made a mistake. We could debate forever as to why, and how the mistake could've been avoided, but it's happened. That's what mistakes do - they happen; they happen to everyone.

When we make a mistake, we can do our best to set it right, and apologise. You can't, as far as I can see, do anything to set it right - the dates he actually wants aren't available, and he's not going to be interested in an alternative. If you can get the dates of the Olympics shifted, that might put things right; you're probably not in a position to do this.

So you can't put right your mistake; all you're left with is apologising and you've done that very well. But you're never going to make him happy.

Sh1t happens. I'm sure everyone on here can empathise - and learn, so thanks for posting.

As Nietzsche would've said if he owned a holiday rental: That which doesn't destroy us makes us better owners.

[Mouse]

As everyone said you acted as soon as you were aware of the mistake...and to be honest, it's an easy one to make with people that are enquiring about advance dates...I've nearly done it myself a few times!

He's no doubt annoyed because of his frustration of finding it difficult to get accommodation at that time at a reasonable price. he probably was congratulating himself on a job well done and a bargain price!

There's nothing to reproach yourself for; well handled!

Mouse
x

[Fraise]

Yes, I agree with everyone else ( baa..), you made a mistake and tried your best to put it right, that's as much as anyone can do. He was probably annoyed that he thought he'd bagged a bargain ! Sleep well in your skin