how do I deal with double booking?

[Musetta]

ah!! I just KNEW this would happen one of these days!

I had 4 enquires come in for Easter week within a few days - 1 got back to me straight away and told me she was just going to try and organized flights, etc. and she would email in a couple of days...I said ok...and also said to please remember that no dates were reserved or considered booked until I receive confirmation of travel dates, a deposit and our booking terms....

next day, heard back from one of the other ones saying she was organizing flights and wanted airport info...gave her the same info. about not confirming anything without deposit and T&Cs.

This am, both got back to me saying they have booked flights and would like to confirm their booking I feel rotten and want to know what the very nicest way possible would be to tell one of them they're too late!

(#1 is for 7 days...#2 is for 10 days, but with one or possibly 2 more guests. #1 send initial enquiry 3 days before the other... I received the emails today within 15minutes of each other. which would you pick?)

Thanks!

[tree-peony]

the one that arrived first

[Musetta]

yes, thanks - I think you're right - it's only fair.

[Partridge]

Musetta I think we covered most of this from RR's thread last week BUT I do think you need to re word your statement to your guests. You cannot let them think it is ok to go away and book/organise flights without holding the dates for them. Alternatively you need to at least confirm to them that they should not book flights until they have checked with you.

From what you've said you gave 2 sets of guests the all clear to book their flights & come back to you which is unfair. Sorry if I've missed something but that's how it reads.

[Musetta]

yes - am going through older posts right now to find the very best way to reword!!

both guests were unsure about their dates and neither asked me to hold anything...they were standard "are you available Easter week" enquires - one told me she would get back to me an a couple of days - the other emailed saying she could not find good flights in/out of Newark and how far was JFK...and I emailed back that JFK was REALLY far (so didn't expect to hear back form her!) didn't hear back from the other 2 who had enquired...and, to both, I said: "please do note that your requested dates are not booked/reserved in your name until we hear back from you confirming your travel dates and receive your deposit and booking form."

like I said...do need to find better wording I think...OTOH, she may not be upset at all...I do believe they were booking the NY trip whether they stayed in my house or not It's not the sort of destination that one find a nice home first and then plans the flights really. (thank goodness...because I was really feeling a bit rotten!)

Thanks so very much for the advice (as always!) so sorry I posted before doing a "search" since there's quite a bit on the subject - sorry!

[goosie]

Musetta,

it is a hard one, especially when people want to sort out transport costs - we had one yesterday because Christmas week became unexpectedly reavailable and we had three enquiries. Like you I said that we were free, but we'd had other enquiries. The one who needed to double check flights did that, but thankfully didn't book them because by the time she came back one of the others had already confirmed. There will always be a `chicken and egg` for people needing to sort travel arrangements - do you book the hotel and then the flights, or do you book the flights and then the hotel?

We have a set of other rental owners in our area and I always try and pass missed opportunities to other rental owners - in the hope that they will do the same for us too!

[A-two]

We love referrals! May not be what they are looking for exactly, but something rather than nothing may get you off the hook? Newark manageable distance, JFK best.

[Musetta]

A-Two,
will send them over your link straight away!! should have thought of that one sooner...DUH - so sorry! Will suggest, since they want to fly into Newark that maybe they spend the first night in the city and then head out your way for the week and fly out of JFK again...totally sorry I didn't think how close you are (in comparison to me) to JFK.

[Margaret]

We take a slightly more pro-active approach to that sort of thig ad ask if we should hold the dates for a few days while they check out flights. I would have held them for just 2 or 3 days for the first 1 who asked to have the dates held. Ad told the others of the situatio.

[goosie]

Margaret,

that does seem the right approach (despite the RR thread!) but I suppose it is about how committed people really are, I've had people say that will get back to me and never heard from then again, on the other hand I've had people just book who took four weeks to `get back`. We do hold dates for that sort of thing but only if I think they are serious but in my example they were in the `I need to speak to my husband/friends/uncle tom cobbly` and with a firm offer arriving that same afternoon it seemed a no-brainer!

Goosie

[A-two]

Margaret,
that does seem the right approach (despite the RR thread!)

Nothing that Margaret said conflicts with the RR thread. It's what most of us agreed is fairest when people need time to get flights, which is quite different from agreeing to hold it just because we are asked to do so by someone who hasn't made up their mind yet.

a) "Well I guess we'll need to look into flights, and firm up dates, but it sounds good" is not a reason to hold anything. Our response to that is to say great, go ahead and work it all out, then come back to us when you're ready and check availability at that time, as situation may have changed.

Whereas
b)"Yes, we definitely want to go ahead for these specific dates, only subject to flight availability, which we will book in the next 24 hours". is a commitment. Then we would hold dates for that person, and wait list any other inquiries.

Since our policy is only to hold for flights, and for no other reason at all, I'm looking to establish with them that their flights are the only reason for them not to book immediately. If it's flights AND how husband/wife feel about it or checking school holidays or the weather forecast or..... forget it, I'm not holding anything.

I wouldn't beat yourself up about it, it's easily done when you're juggling so many inquiries and trying to get through your day at the same time, but when the vague woman rang back the second time, I think that's the point where you could have told her that since you last spoke, you had accepted a booking from someone else subject to their getting flights. You would need to call them to find out if that was going ahead, then get back to her. Then call the first one immediately to make sure progress was being made on flights, and to let them know that you now have another offer and don't want to lose the booking if their plans have changed.

Nice to get so many many inquiries though for Easter, well done, I only had one and they didn't book!

[Margaret]

We usually vary our offer to hold dates accordig to time of year rather tha level of commitmet. If we are talkig about 1 week of May, at this time of year, I would be offer to hold for a few days whatever the reaso. If it was Jauary ad we were talkig about August, I'd be ulikely to hold dates for more tha 48 hours.
(Sorry, key betwee b & m out of actio this morig!)

[e-richard]

As a result of a similar thread on this subject, I added this phrasing to my first reply

Please do be aware that we are constantly getting enquiries for this accommodation, and a reservation cannot be guaranteed until deposit is received. If you need more time to think about it, please do email back and we'll try and work with you if possible.

Personally, I think its a bit long winded and would be happy to hear of better versions.

[Rocket Rab]

As a result of a similar thread on this subject, I added this phrasing to my first reply

Please do be aware that we are constantly getting enquiries for this accommodation, and a reservation cannot be guaranteed until deposit is received. If you need more time to think about it, please do email back and we'll try and work with you if possible.

Great idea, e-R. I'm deffo going to add something similar to my replies. Especially after my recent dilemma (Update: after a lot of sweating, finally managed to sweet-talk "L" into an alternative week....).

Prog has been slow and painful, and I've needed my ears knotting on several occasions, but I think I get it: you just can't be too clear. The other day I ended up paying 45 euros for a wasted taxi trip for a punter who had misunderstood my instructions (or maybe I misunderstood his? )

[Margaret]

I really doubt that will help much. Most people will fail to read it, uderstad it or believe it.

If appropriate, we ask if they would like dates held & give them a fixed time limit - more at quiet times, less at busy times. After that, the dates are released.