Must be the heat

OK, after temps being in the 50's for months it's been in the 80's for two days. It's getting to people.
Call yesterday to book a room. Says she needs to use a biz credit card if I'm taking a deposit so she has to call back. I tell her by tonight. She calls back today and says she forgot a couple of questions. I answer and ask if she has the right cc now.
Oh, she's driving, can't get the cc now. The office closes in 30 minutes. She's losing her rez at 9pm.
Then another call now arguing with me that my website says the rooms are $145. "But it says right here..." When I explain that's one room she argues that the room is available. Then is bummed that the cheap room is gone already. It's summer for Pete's sake, lots of rooms are gone!
Then wants a ride to another town. Won't listen to the answers I'm giving just keeps asking the same questions about something I know nothing about other than I know *of* this particular attraction.
I need to go di g out my window fan...

Madeleine said:

Won't listen to the answers I'm giving just keeps asking the same questions...

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I run across people like that, way too often. Drives me crazy. Asks a question, interrupts during the answer to ask another, and this repeats over and over, asking the same questions, never listening to the answers. These people are always, always trouble because they will not, apparently cannot listen.

Arks said:

Madeleine said:

Won't listen to the answers I'm giving just keeps asking the same questions...

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I run across people like that, way too often. Drives me crazy. Asks a question, interrupts during the answer to ask another, and this repeats over and over, asking the same questions, never listening to the answers. These people are always, always trouble because they will not, apparently cannot listen..

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Arks said:

Madeleine said:

Won't listen to the answers I'm giving just keeps asking the same questions...

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I run across people like that, way too often. Drives me crazy. Asks a question, interrupts during the answer to ask another, and this repeats over and over, asking the same questions, never listening to the answers. These people are always, always trouble because they will not, apparently cannot listen.

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What did you say? I wasn't listening. lol

Arks said:

Madeleine said:

Won't listen to the answers I'm giving just keeps asking the same questions...

Click to expand...

I run across people like that, way too often. Drives me crazy. Asks a question, interrupts during the answer to ask another, and this repeats over and over, asking the same questions, never listening to the answers. These people are always, always trouble because they will not, apparently cannot listen..

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Arks said:

Asks a question, interrupts during the answer to ask another, and this repeats over and over, asking the same questions, never listening to the answers.

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Yep...these type and the "tag-team"...the husband asks a question, and as I'm answering, the wife interrupts and asks a different question. So I look from one to the other...and back again...and then back again...as if to say "Who is more important here? Who should I answer first? Should I now not answer Question #1, because Question #2 is out there..or....?" They NEVER get it the point I'm trying to make.

I had this - had to be very firm
(1) lady rang do you have a room for 1 for tonight - yes due to the new bathroom being finished early and did a good price - Im just out but will ring you in 20 minutes with the card (12pm)
(2) 20 mins came and went so did an hour - rang again - sorry I am still out can it be a room for me and the 2 kids as well? yes we can do that it would be £X
(3) never rang got to 3.30pm rang her said if I don't have a card by 4pm I am releasing the room
(4) 4.30 sold it to 2 very nice dutch gentlemen who were a lot less bother
(5) she never rang back - I won't hold rooms without a card, have been messed about on more than one occasion its that simple - if you are serious you get it sorted.

People who muck about with cards like this haven't really made up their mind, IMBE.
Had a lady call yesterday morning for a room last night. Said I need a deposit, hasn't got a card with her so said she'd call back in an hour. Told her if she didn't call back I'd release the room for others. Hour and a half later she calls back and says they've decided to travel south instead. At least she called, but does make me wonder what would have happened if I'd taken the booking with a deposit.
PS: I think I made up IMBE but I like it!! "In My Bitter Experience"

Highlands John said:

People who muck about with cards like this haven't really made up their mind, IMBE.
Had a lady call yesterday morning for a room last night. Said I need a deposit, hasn't got a card with her so said she'd call back in an hour. Told her if she didn't call back I'd release the room for others. Hour and a half later she calls back and says they've decided to travel south instead. At least she called, but does make me wonder what would have happened if I'd taken the booking with a deposit.
PS: I think I made up IMBE but I like it!! "In My Bitter Experience".

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Highlands John said:

PS: I think I made up IMBE but I like it!! "In My Bitter Experience"

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Thanks! I was scratching my head about that one.

I don't hold rooms... EVER! And I mean it. Don't care if you are around the block, up the street or at my front door, I don't hold rooms.
Don't have your credit card now? No problem, you can book on the website when you do have it. But what if someone else books it? C'est la vie. I'm sorry, but I don't hold rooms. It's available on a first-come first-served basis and sometimes karma dictates who gets it.

Jon Sable said:

I don't hold rooms... EVER! And I mean it. Don't care if you are around the block, up the street or at my front door, I don't hold rooms.
Don't have your credit card now? No problem, you can book on the website when you do have it. But what if someone else books it? C'est la vie. I'm sorry, but I don't hold rooms. It's available on a first-come first-served basis and sometimes karma dictates who gets it..

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Jon Sable said:

I don't hold rooms... EVER!

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Same here. I have over a year in the business now, and got burned every single time I held a room, so don't do it anymore.
I'm never far from my cards. Anybody who says they don't have their card handy is just stalling, deciding where they want to spend the night. And most of the time it seems they end up somewhere else. A different town, maybe even different state!

20 questions hasn't called back and neither has the guest who had to go find her biz card or get out of the car or whatever it was. Rooms canceled. Emails sent.

Interesting...they don't want to pay a deposit, that's why they didn't call back with the cc info.

Madeleine said:

Interesting...they don't want to pay a deposit, that's why they didn't call back with the cc info..

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Madeleine said:

...they don't want to pay a deposit...

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Yep. Sure proof they aren't sure they're coming, so I wouldn't hold a room for them. When they're serious, they can put up the money to reserve the room. Until then it's still on the market.
I want the money. The room goes to the first one to put their money where their mouth is!

Arks said:

Jon Sable said:

I don't hold rooms... EVER! And I mean it. Don't care if you are around the block, up the street or at my front door, I don't hold rooms.
Don't have your credit card now? No problem, you can book on the website when you do have it. But what if someone else books it? C'est la vie. I'm sorry, but I don't hold rooms. It's available on a first-come first-served basis and sometimes karma dictates who gets it..

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Jon Sable said:

I don't hold rooms... EVER!

Click to expand...

Same here. I have over a year in the business now, and got burned every single time I held a room, so don't do it anymore.
I'm never far from my cards. Anybody who says they don't have their card handy is just stalling, deciding where they want to spend the night. And most of the time it seems they end up somewhere else. A different town, maybe even different state!
.

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Money Talks, All Else... WALKS!

Madeleine said:

Interesting...they don't want to pay a deposit, that's why they didn't call back with the cc info..

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They aren't coming. They aren't calling back. They are a waste of time. 90% of the "I'm going to think about it" or "I have to talk to my partner" aren't ever going to call back. They are just too frightened to tell you the truth and simply say "Sorry, not for me." because they are afraid that you will continue a selling technique.
So instead of fighting their inability to simply be honest, I just put it all on them. "Not a problem, no need to call back. If you are interested you can go and book on our website. Have a great day." <click> Sometimes I add "Reservations are subject to availability, which can change at any moment, Good Luck."
You might be surprised at how many actually go to the website after that. It's low pressure and neither side has to sweat it out. You aren't waiting for their call and they know it's still not booked or reserved at all.

Arks said:

Jon Sable said:

I don't hold rooms... EVER! And I mean it. Don't care if you are around the block, up the street or at my front door, I don't hold rooms.
Don't have your credit card now? No problem, you can book on the website when you do have it. But what if someone else books it? C'est la vie. I'm sorry, but I don't hold rooms. It's available on a first-come first-served basis and sometimes karma dictates who gets it..

Click to expand...

Jon Sable said:

I don't hold rooms... EVER!

Click to expand...

Same here. I have over a year in the business now, and got burned every single time I held a room, so don't do it anymore.
I'm never far from my cards. Anybody who says they don't have their card handy is just stalling, deciding where they want to spend the night. And most of the time it seems they end up somewhere else. A different town, maybe even different state!
.

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We used to get burned when we were new by those who would call and say they were about an hour away and would we hold the room for them -- now we never do as those peeps never showed up. First, we don't hold rooms, ever. If I go through taking the reservation info and when I ask for the card # they reply that they don't have it on them (who doesn't have their card on them, everyone lives by debit or credit cards now), then I say that I'm going to hit save so I have all of their information and then I will have to cancel the reservation as we don't hold rooms. If you call us back, then it will only take a minute to input the card # and confirm the reservation as I've saved all of your other information. If you finally get to your card and it's late at night and don't want to miss the room, then you can go online and book it yourself. I thank them and hang up. Most never call back but I've not wasted any more of my time by having to cancel and send a confirmation it's been cancelled and I haven't potentially lost a real reservation as most of ours are all done online.
No money, no reservation. Also if their card declines, I call and send them an email that I will hold it for 12 hours and then it's going back online. If they don't call me back or reply to the email then I cancel it and I don't even waste my time sending a confirmation that it's been cancelled. Because those people were never intending to come anyway. I just keep good notes in the cancelled reservation.
I booked a private catamaran ride yesterday for a week from now and had to pay with a credit card right then -- this is the norm for everything so it's not like innkeepers are doing this when no one else requires it.

Jon Sable said:

Madeleine said:

Interesting...they don't want to pay a deposit, that's why they didn't call back with the cc info..

Click to expand...

They aren't coming. They aren't calling back. They are a waste of time. 90% of the "I'm going to think about it" or "I have to talk to my partner" aren't ever going to call back. They are just too frightened to tell you the truth and simply say "Sorry, not for me." because they are afraid that you will continue a selling technique.
So instead of fighting their inability to simply be honest, I just put it all on them. "Not a problem, no need to call back. If you are interested you can go and book on our website. Have a great day." <click> Sometimes I add "Reservations are subject to availability, which can change at any moment, Good Luck."
You might be surprised at how many actually go to the website after that. It's low pressure and neither side has to sweat it out. You aren't waiting for their call and they know it's still not booked or reserved at all.
.

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Exactly my friend . I agree with you 100 % . I just had that call at 845 pm . Just people feel uncomfortable just to tell the truth period.
I told her I understand our price are just maybe to high for you. That is fine. I have a web site you could go to to find a B& B that will be in your price range and may take in a person at this time of night. She said no I am just on my phone I am not near an internet.. Sorry hope you are luck in phoning others. If not there is always a cold motel a waiting you. Best of luck I hope you find a place that will meet your needs.
I can't be bothered with wimps at that time of night.

Yes, it must be the heat. I swore nothing last night or tonight as I gird up for the week ahead! I slept until I woke up this morning - NO ALARM CLOCK!!! However, this morning I had a call from a lady who is a doctor on temp assign to the VA Hospital looking for a place to stay - possibly long term. We will be playing musical beds in the next 2 weeks (IF she stays) and I told her this up front. . Tonight & tomorrow is all I took the rez for just in case and she will have to big room because Rosi's is booked private bath Mon/Tues and Tues night she has to find somewhere else. Then Saturday she will once again be looking elsewhere for the night. From then on, she will be OK - again IF she stays.
Rosi's Room is an Elopement (on Tues - so I bake the wedding cake Monday night after Council meeting) that agreed to Rosi's because I already had an anniversary in the Gillum Tuesday. Geez - this place is starting to get as busy as Maddie and the rest of you!

Arks said:

Jon Sable said:

I don't hold rooms... EVER! And I mean it. Don't care if you are around the block, up the street or at my front door, I don't hold rooms.
Don't have your credit card now? No problem, you can book on the website when you do have it. But what if someone else books it? C'est la vie. I'm sorry, but I don't hold rooms. It's available on a first-come first-served basis and sometimes karma dictates who gets it..

Click to expand...

Jon Sable said:

I don't hold rooms... EVER!

Click to expand...

Same here. I have over a year in the business now, and got burned every single time I held a room, so don't do it anymore.
I'm never far from my cards. Anybody who says they don't have their card handy is just stalling, deciding where they want to spend the night. And most of the time it seems they end up somewhere else. A different town, maybe even different state!
.

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here we have times where it is a zoo but sometimes companies change and mess about at the last minute so rooms do pop up - I take a card and charge it right away - you are inside my cancellation policy anyway so that's that.

I'm checking for a full moon because the calls keep coming in!