Do you text guests who have not arrived by the end of check in time?

We had those guests who had booked the wrong date. I explained why we didn't call them on the day.
Their take was it was ok to text to let the guest know what to expect when they arrived and that way they could text back that there was a problem.
Do you do this?
Caveat for us is we don't have a smartphone so texting doesn't work. Plus, we have a lot of landline phone numbers that are the 'home' number, so no use at all!
Do you find if you text, that the guests then expect to text you for everything?

i am getting used to texting ... and finding that there are those who prefer it to phone calls ... i prefer it in some instances, too! quick answers and quick replies.
understand of course that i use a prepaid phone from tracphone and haven't bought any apps but it does text and can transmit pictures, cheap as it is. i don't surf the net with it. but i could use it for getting paid with square and those things.
but what is pinging? someone told me to ping him and i haven't a clue.

If a guest calls my land line from the road on the day of check in and they leave a message on my machine I will sometimes text them a response instead form my cell phone. When guests check in they all get my cell phone number which is posted in each room and they are welcome to text me. Most do it and prefer texting over calling. For me I am happy to text them back and forth and help them with anything they need.

We text. Most of the time it's just to arrival. Sometimes a guest texts later, but it's rare.

We will text a guest their entry code but only on planned late arrivals and they know to expect a text. This does work very well. I got that idea from a smart innkeeper on this forum! TY

But I would not send a text to a guest out of the blue, even though I do request their cell # at time of booking so normally do have one.

There are still people like you Maddie that do not have or use txt... so using it as your primary source of contact (as that guest suggested) could cause additional headaches.

I always call them in late arrival situations. If it's a planned late arrival, I text with the door code and further instructions on finding their room, etc. I only text if they are expecting it. I like when they text me instead of wandering around trying to find me, or if they are out and about and need some help with information. I've only started feeling comfortable with it in the last couple months - it always felt so impersonal. But a lot do prefer it.

No texting for me. Most cell phone don't work here and we don't even have a text plan on our cell phone.

Copperhead said:

We will text a guest their entry code but only on planned late arrivals and they know to expect a text. This does work very well. I got that idea from a smart innkeeper on this forum! TY

But I would not send a text to a guest out of the blue, even though I do request their cell # at time of booking so normally do have one.

There are still people like you Maddie that do not have or use txt... so using it as your primary source of contact (as that guest suggested) could cause additional headaches..

Click to expand...

Well, I called tonight. Voice mail was full. I figured I would email at that point and maybe that would get thru.
Then they pulled in.
5 hours later than they thought when they made the Rez. And were reminded of the time 3 days ago.
It was that kind of day. 7 pm check in showed up at 11am (read the sign and left, yippee!), 6 pm check in showed up at 3. And so on.

Madeleine said:

Copperhead said:

We will text a guest their entry code but only on planned late arrivals and they know to expect a text. This does work very well. I got that idea from a smart innkeeper on this forum! TY

But I would not send a text to a guest out of the blue, even though I do request their cell # at time of booking so normally do have one.

There are still people like you Maddie that do not have or use txt... so using it as your primary source of contact (as that guest suggested) could cause additional headaches..

Click to expand...

Well, I called tonight. Voice mail was full. I figured I would email at that point and maybe that would get thru.
Then they pulled in.
5 hours later than they thought when they made the Rez. And were reminded of the time 3 days ago.
It was that kind of day. 7 pm check in showed up at 11am (read the sign and left, yippee!), 6 pm check in showed up at 3. And so on.
.

Click to expand...

When this happens, it can really mess up your day when you're doing it all with no housekeeping help. Sorry that happened to you. I had a innkeeping flashback to those sorts of days and it wasn't a good one. ;-)
With the prevalence of texting now, I think I'd be tempted to use it. As a guest, I haven't had any innkeepers text me yet, though. Although I'll be staying somewhere next week and email replies came from a Black berry.

I will text them if they are well past their check in time and I worry that perhaps they mixed up the dates.

Madeleine said:

Copperhead said:

We will text a guest their entry code but only on planned late arrivals and they know to expect a text. This does work very well. I got that idea from a smart innkeeper on this forum! TY

But I would not send a text to a guest out of the blue, even though I do request their cell # at time of booking so normally do have one.

There are still people like you Maddie that do not have or use txt... so using it as your primary source of contact (as that guest suggested) could cause additional headaches..

Click to expand...

Well, I called tonight. Voice mail was full. I figured I would email at that point and maybe that would get thru.
Then they pulled in.
5 hours later than they thought when they made the Rez. And were reminded of the time 3 days ago.
It was that kind of day. 7 pm check in showed up at 11am (read the sign and left, yippee!), 6 pm check in showed up at 3. And so on.
.

Click to expand...

Are you talking about my guests? They marked check in between 6-7 pm and did not arrive until 11:30pm. As it happens, they changed their flight and did not send us the email about it regardless of the remainder email they got 7 days prior. I guess they did not think it was important and obviously we have nothing better to do (like sleep after 16 hour day) than wait for them. Btw, they were a returning guests!

I've been manic about this for 2 weeks. Calling every guest at 9pm to let them know how to get in.
Last weekend I called a guest who informed me he had already checked in and was enjoying dinner at the moment.
I felt like an idiot. He thought it was cute that I was worried about him.

Madeleine said:

I've been manic about this for 2 weeks. Calling every guest at 9pm to let them know how to get in.
Last weekend I called a guest who informed me he had already checked in and was enjoying dinner at the moment.
I felt like an idiot. He thought it was cute that I was worried about him..

Click to expand...

9PM?!?!?!
If they aren't here by 6PM we start to text and/or call. By 9PM I'm in bed.

Jon Sable said:

Madeleine said:

I've been manic about this for 2 weeks. Calling every guest at 9pm to let them know how to get in.
Last weekend I called a guest who informed me he had already checked in and was enjoying dinner at the moment.
I felt like an idiot. He thought it was cute that I was worried about him..

Click to expand...

9PM?!?!?!
If they aren't here by 6PM we start to text and/or call. By 9PM I'm in bed.
.

Click to expand...

Jon Sable said:

9PM?!?!?!
If they aren't here by 6PM we start to text and/or call. By 9PM I'm in bed.

Click to expand...

I don't like contacting guests on the road at all. I'm not sleeping until midnight no matter what, so 9 works for me.
I've been yelled at for calling and 'rushing' the guest so by 9 it's a 'courtesy call' to remind them check-in ended 2 hours ago.

Madeleine said:

Jon Sable said:

Madeleine said:

I've been manic about this for 2 weeks. Calling every guest at 9pm to let them know how to get in.
Last weekend I called a guest who informed me he had already checked in and was enjoying dinner at the moment.
I felt like an idiot. He thought it was cute that I was worried about him..

Click to expand...

9PM?!?!?!
If they aren't here by 6PM we start to text and/or call. By 9PM I'm in bed.
.

Click to expand...

Jon Sable said:

9PM?!?!?!
If they aren't here by 6PM we start to text and/or call. By 9PM I'm in bed.

Click to expand...

I don't like contacting guests on the road at all. I'm not sleeping until midnight no matter what, so 9 works for me.
I've been yelled at for calling and 'rushing' the guest so by 9 it's a 'courtesy call' to remind them check-in ended 2 hours ago.
.

Click to expand...

We send every guest a warning that at 6PM, we turn into pumpkins. So, if they are arriving after 6PM they have better set up auto-check-in. I've had plenty ask me straight out to do the auto-check-in just so they don't have to worry about arriving on time.

Cell phones in the mountain area is very hit and miss at best.

April said:

I will text them if they are well past their check in time and I worry that perhaps they mixed up the dates..

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mind you we have had a weird one - chap was supposed to check in 2 nights ago and leave this morning, rang about 6pm said I won't be making it tonight am going to stay with friends in next town over, feel free to charge my card. chap said he would come about 7.30am to park the car in the car park and pick up the key - all fine
However chap never came - its all paid for and one less room for us to do - but just weird.

Joey Camb said:

April said:

I will text them if they are well past their check in time and I worry that perhaps they mixed up the dates..

Click to expand...

mind you we have had a weird one - chap was supposed to check in 2 nights ago and leave this morning, rang about 6pm said I won't be making it tonight am going to stay with friends in next town over, feel free to charge my card. chap said he would come about 7.30am to park the car in the car park and pick up the key - all fine
However chap never came - its all paid for and one less room for us to do - but just weird.
.

Click to expand...

We have had 2 rooms booked - one used.

Madeleine said:

I've been manic about this for 2 weeks. Calling every guest at 9pm to let them know how to get in.
Last weekend I called a guest who informed me he had already checked in and was enjoying dinner at the moment.
I felt like an idiot. He thought it was cute that I was worried about him..

Click to expand...

6PM is our limit here, then we make Late Arrival arrangements: Keys, instructions, maps left in a "secret" place and we charge the balance to the card on file. If folks call and say they are stuck in traffic, we will give them until 7. They are usually grateful for the self-check in. No pressure to arrive at 6. We have probably had only 1 person who did not call us to let us know that they were running late all year. In other words, we have regained our lives back after 6 PM. We used to do 7, but changed about 6 years ago to 6:00 and it has been wonderful.