When is a booking not a booking!

[Mouse]

it does happen Ros...I've had that very situation with a family last year who asked me to help them - and it was August, so a nightmare to find them somewhere decent.

They didn't know really why it had happened (i.e. they weren't iven a proper explanation) but I suspect as you do that it was down to being able to up the price (some rental owners here are very greedy...and I've known instances of friends who have taken a years rental then be forced out in July and told to come back at the end of August!! Many rental leases on this island also blatently state that the rental period will not include August! This is because they can charge top dollar then. Sadly they get away with it)

Mouse
x

[Foxandsot]

Got a response from the first enquirer saying that the flights had been booked yesterday afternoon and sorry he hadn't emailed me. He wasn't that bothered that I had released the dates and didn't ask to book, therefore I've come to the conclusion that he wasn't going to book anyway.

I emailed the second enquirer telling her that the dates have now become available again but due to the summer months being so popular I can only hold them for a few days. She seemed fine with this. Am I being too strict??

mx

[Giddy Goat]

Not at all! To date I've been lucky and have had the deposits promptly except for a couple of guests; neither of these were booking for the summer, but I should put a clause in my advertising about this as there's always a first time.

[debk]

She seemed fine with this. Am I being too strict??

You answered your own question!
debk

[Mouse]

Hi Michelle

just as a belts and braces I'd confirm to the 1st guy that he's definately not got a booking with you i.e.

Thank you for confirming that you no longer require the period I was holding for you. I will/have now gone ahead and taken a provisional booking from another enquirer etc etc

I say this...as my first ever enquiry was from someone who wanted to send his step mother round to look at the villa to see if it was suitable for them (she lived here, he didn't). She came, she liked, she went.
We heard nothing for days but then got a definate booking for that fortnight from another enquirer. So I emailed him to advise him of that...he replied;
after our conversation i thought we agreed that i had booked the villa subject to approval, so i was somewhat shocked to hear you had let it to another party
he'd never said he wanted it and hadn't asked for my bank details for the deposit, niether had he confirmed the villa was Ok for him. But he still thought he had a booking

I always now make sure the loop is closed!

Glad to see you're getting bookings through!

Mouse
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[debk]

But he still thought he had a booking

It's not really that surprising. It sounds like a somewhat unusual situation.

Given everyone's different policies, I really do believe the onus is on us, the owner/managers, to make it clear that no booking is made until "X occurs". . . and to remind the guests of this in each and every communication/conversation. (Many of these guests are renting more than one place during their visit and it is darn confusing to keep all the various policies straight: as a favor, tell them and keep telling them.)

Waffling on our part doesn't make it easier for the guest; I think it makes it more confusing because they, rather justifiably, begin to assume that all our policies are loosey-goosey...

Just my two cents,
debk

[Giddy Goat]

I say this...as my first ever enquiry was from someone who wanted to send his step mother round to look at the villa to see if it was suitable for them (she lived here, he didn't). She came, she liked, she went. We heard nothing for days
Mouse x

I feel the onus was on that particular punter to come back immediately and confirm that he wanted the property, and to take the process to the next stage ie pay the deposit. Some days ensued without Mouse hearing from him - I agree Debs, but she was just starting out then - sounds as if now, Mouse would be more precise in her approach, and email and say she'd had another inquiry, would he confirm that he still wanted to book, and that a deposit would be required within X working days. I don't have a credit card arrangement in place but in this situation if one had, he could have been given a 24 hour deadline then.

[Mouse]

onus was on that particular punter to come back immediately

must admit GG - that was the view I took at the time, but in a way it was fortunate that it was my first enquiry as it immediately made me realise that people could assume things.
I now do as we all do - and control the booking process leaving nothing to chance (hopefully!).

To close the story I did offer him a small discount if he was willing to change his dates and still book (I was mortified at the time) - but I didn't get a reply.
I met his step mother a while later at a 'do' and she was lovely about it all. I explained about the misunderstanding and my newness.

The good thing was that the lady I booked in instead has booked a fortnight with us each year since! So a little pain but a lot of gain

Mouse
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[Big Sis..]

The good thing was that the lady I booked in instead has booked a fortnight with us each year since! So a little pain but a lot of gain

There you go.....

[vinent20]

If I get to this stage, I send them a standard Booking Process letter which explains that I hold their request for 1 week while the funds go through.
If after 1 week I hear or receive nothing - Its up for grabs again.
I do not send them a reminder cause I tend not to get a reseponse.
If they are serious - they will contact me.
If I get another booking in the meantime - FCFS First Come First Served.
Hard Nose?? - Yep

[Giddy Goat]

On another thread this was under discussion and I think the consensus was that a week was too long - 3 or 4 working days max is sufficient to hold a reservation, unless it's for an out of season slot. But if people have been slow with their deposit, and I get another inquiry for the same slot, I explain, and immediately contact the first inquirers - that has done the trick to date. I have then returned to the second interested party to tell them that the original reservation has been confirmed.

[Alan Knighting]

When is a booking not a booking?

I see this the other way round.

For me the question is “When does an enquiry become a booking? My answer is “When I have a signed booking form and a deposit�. Until then it may be pencilled-in but it’s not a booking.

Fluffy

[Giddy Goat]

“When I have a signed booking form and a deposit�. Fluffy

Do you have a time limit you mentally or more formally give the interested party Fluffs?

[Alan Knighting]

“When I have a signed booking form and a deposit�. Fluffy

Do you have a time limit you mentally or more formally give the interested party Fluffs?

Not really but I do keep everyone fully informed at all times. It's always a fine balance between the guest's interests and mine but, at the end of the day, I am running a business and I can't afford to risk being let down. A guest can walk away anytime before a booking is made, I can't.

Basically, I work on the "first come first served" basis but my pencil tends to be a heavier one when I am dealing with someone I already know and can rely on.

Fluffy

[marcus]

After similar problems in the past and difficulties contacting people I now always ask for an address and phone number as part of the initial confirmation.

We've never actually had to ring anyone (but would if necessary), but this seems to have stopped timewasters - I think people don't like to give these details unless they are reasonably serious, whereas an email seems less of a commitment.