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Morticia

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Joined
May 22, 2008
Messages
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Situation 1: "Can you speed this up?" (The check in process.)
Situation 2: unexpected additional guests in party. (And surprise that we would even care how many were in the room.)
 
Situation 1: Sure. Please come back when you have questions or need help, we are available until 6PM or in the morning.
Situation 2: I'm sorry, but you reserved for x people, so which x of you are staying?

or
The charge for extra people is $Y
or
The room cannot accommodate more than x people, the state licencing department, the health department, the fire department and the insurance company do not allow us to exceed capacity or to allow anyone to sleep without a full sanitary bed. I'm unsure of how to handle this problem, how do you propose that we solve the problem and not endanger my licence? (Basically, you toss it back to them and ask them for a solution.)
or
(Legally, anyone not on the register is actually committing trespass. Around here, trespass after 9PM is actually criminal.) Explain that no unregistered is allowed on the property after 9PM, so if they are staying, they need to register and the charge is $Y.
Basically, I've been lucky. They have always booked rooms where there is place for a third. Or they have called me ahead of time to warn me. Except for once when it was a baby but it was winter and we could isolate the room. But the best thing you can do is ask them how to solve the problem, since this is a B&B and unlike a hotel you have extra guest charges.
 
Situation 1: Sure. Please come back when you have questions or need help, we are available until 6PM or in the morning.
Situation 2: I'm sorry, but you reserved for x people, so which x of you are staying?

or
The charge for extra people is $Y
or
The room cannot accommodate more than x people, the state licencing department, the health department, the fire department and the insurance company do not allow us to exceed capacity or to allow anyone to sleep without a full sanitary bed. I'm unsure of how to handle this problem, how do you propose that we solve the problem and not endanger my licence? (Basically, you toss it back to them and ask them for a solution.)
or
(Legally, anyone not on the register is actually committing trespass. Around here, trespass after 9PM is actually criminal.) Explain that no unregistered is allowed on the property after 9PM, so if they are staying, they need to register and the charge is $Y.
Basically, I've been lucky. They have always booked rooms where there is place for a third. Or they have called me ahead of time to warn me. Except for once when it was a baby but it was winter and we could isolate the room. But the best thing you can do is ask them how to solve the problem, since this is a B&B and unlike a hotel you have extra guest charges..
Hotels have extra guest charges too.
 
No one has ever asked to speed up our paperwork check-in. Takes about two-minutes including greeting, tour, room tips, and request for questions.
What John said, but it has never happened in 9 years.
 
Morticia said:
Situation 1: "Can you speed this up?" (The check in process.)
"Keep your pants on!" as the saying goes.
shades_smile.gif
 
No one has ever asked to speed up our paperwork check-in. Takes about two-minutes including greeting, tour, room tips, and request for questions.
What John said, but it has never happened in 9 years..
happykeeper said:
No one has ever asked to speed up our paperwork check-in. Takes about two-minutes including greeting, tour, room tips, and request for questions.
What John said, but it has never happened in 9 years.
I had a problem with her cc. I was taking too long. So I cut the whole 'here's where this is' short and took them right to the room. I explained that I would normally be showing them where everything is but as they didn't have time...
The front door threw her and I had to go over how to get in several times. She didn't seem to understand what I was saying. But, she didn't have time. If the doorbell rings later, I will take my time. I have all the time in the world.
I can do the whole spiel in under 5 minutes. But, if you hand me a cc that doesn't work, don't then throw another one at me and say, 'Just show me the room and give me back the card when you figure it out.'
 
Situation 1: Sure. Please come back when you have questions or need help, we are available until 6PM or in the morning.
Situation 2: I'm sorry, but you reserved for x people, so which x of you are staying?

or
The charge for extra people is $Y
or
The room cannot accommodate more than x people, the state licencing department, the health department, the fire department and the insurance company do not allow us to exceed capacity or to allow anyone to sleep without a full sanitary bed. I'm unsure of how to handle this problem, how do you propose that we solve the problem and not endanger my licence? (Basically, you toss it back to them and ask them for a solution.)
or
(Legally, anyone not on the register is actually committing trespass. Around here, trespass after 9PM is actually criminal.) Explain that no unregistered is allowed on the property after 9PM, so if they are staying, they need to register and the charge is $Y.
Basically, I've been lucky. They have always booked rooms where there is place for a third. Or they have called me ahead of time to warn me. Except for once when it was a baby but it was winter and we could isolate the room. But the best thing you can do is ask them how to solve the problem, since this is a B&B and unlike a hotel you have extra guest charges..
Jon Sable said:
Situation 2: I'm sorry, but you reserved for x people, so which x of you are staying?
Cleverest thing I have seen here
:poke:
 
Situation 1: Sure. Please come back when you have questions or need help, we are available until 6PM or in the morning.
Situation 2: I'm sorry, but you reserved for x people, so which x of you are staying?

or
The charge for extra people is $Y
or
The room cannot accommodate more than x people, the state licencing department, the health department, the fire department and the insurance company do not allow us to exceed capacity or to allow anyone to sleep without a full sanitary bed. I'm unsure of how to handle this problem, how do you propose that we solve the problem and not endanger my licence? (Basically, you toss it back to them and ask them for a solution.)
or
(Legally, anyone not on the register is actually committing trespass. Around here, trespass after 9PM is actually criminal.) Explain that no unregistered is allowed on the property after 9PM, so if they are staying, they need to register and the charge is $Y.
Basically, I've been lucky. They have always booked rooms where there is place for a third. Or they have called me ahead of time to warn me. Except for once when it was a baby but it was winter and we could isolate the room. But the best thing you can do is ask them how to solve the problem, since this is a B&B and unlike a hotel you have extra guest charges..
Jon Sable said:
Situation 2: I'm sorry, but you reserved for x people, so which x of you are staying?
I had to do this one night. 3 people showed up for a room reserved for 1. They got seriously pissed that they couldn't all stay. It was around midnight and the only reason I knew was they made so much noise I went out to shush them. I tried to find them a hotel but everyone was full. Got a lot of grumbling and 'we'll sleep in the car, thanks a LOT.'
Next day? A completely different person showed up with the room key! The one guy who stayed gave his key to someone else and swapped rooms at a motel for the room here.
 
Morticia said:
Situation 1: "Can you speed this up?" (The check in process.)
"Keep your pants on!" as the saying goes.
shades_smile.gif
.
Got a toe tapper once. Knew what that meant. Then I said, " You know, when I first worked retail years ago, before debit machines, we had to phone an 800 number to get an authorization number for any sale over $50. And if they were busy, you got a recording and you had to wait in the queue until your turn. Can you imagine if we had to do that now? Isn't technology amazing?"
'Nuff said.
 
Morticia said:
Situation 1: "Can you speed this up?" (The check in process.)
"Keep your pants on!" as the saying goes.
shades_smile.gif
.
Got a toe tapper once. Knew what that meant. Then I said, " You know, when I first worked retail years ago, before debit machines, we had to phone an 800 number to get an authorization number for any sale over $50. And if they were busy, you got a recording and you had to wait in the queue until your turn. Can you imagine if we had to do that now? Isn't technology amazing?"
'Nuff said.
.
I remember those days! And it wasn't just you, it was everyone at every register standing in line for one phone.
The annoying thing is I know because I was trying to figure it out I got charged more for processing the card. It was a business card and it asked for the tax which I had to look up. While she was toe tapping the machine timed out so I got hit with a fee for not entering the tax info.
 
As I was trying to check in Wednesday evening a gentleman was also trying to check in. He was trying to check in for 3 nights but had had to make a one night rez for Wednesday and a 2-night for his other nights for some reason. They were trying to find out if his room was clean. I do not remember what the delay was for me. Since I had tried to find a roomie (unsuccessfully), I had asked if they had a room with 2 beds come available to put me there instead of the king I had to reserve to start with. I got the room with 2 beds. Turns out, the gentleman was being told his room had one bed - oh-oh, he needed 2 beds as it was 2 men in the room. There were no other rooms. Hearing his problem, I suggested we trade rooms. We did and he was grateful. He even came up to me at the Conference to thank me for trading.
Thursday morning, I awoke to find a receipt had been slid under my door, Whoops! Stopped at the desk to get my room for the second night, THAT took some time, but I was able to stay in tat room, whew.
It was particularly good that I had traded - for the gentleman that is - the room he was supposed to have not only had one bed, but it was a full-size.
 
No one has ever asked to speed up our paperwork check-in. Takes about two-minutes including greeting, tour, room tips, and request for questions.
What John said, but it has never happened in 9 years..
How can this be? It would take me more than two minutes just to say hello and find out who they are.
happykeeper said:
No one has ever asked to speed up our paperwork check-in. Takes about two-minutes including greeting, tour, room tips, and request for questions.
 
No one has ever asked to speed up our paperwork check-in. Takes about two-minutes including greeting, tour, room tips, and request for questions.
What John said, but it has never happened in 9 years..
How can this be? It would take me more than two minutes just to say hello and find out who they are.
happykeeper said:
No one has ever asked to speed up our paperwork check-in. Takes about two-minutes including greeting, tour, room tips, and request for questions.
.
seashanty said:
How can this be? It would take me more than two minutes just to say hello and find out who they are.
happykeeper said:
No one has ever asked to speed up our paperwork check-in. Takes about two-minutes including greeting, tour, room tips, and request for questions.
Sometimes it takes 2 minutes just to wait for them to get off the phone. It takes longer than that to get thru the house. Then again, 2 minutes beats having the innkeeper ask you to sit down while she goes over 6000 things to do in the area. No, really, the only thing in the area I want to do right now is pee.
 
I have been to B&B where the check in was a long drawn out process, and I had to "go"... and the innkeeper never asks or shows me a powder room upon arrival.
 
"No, really, the only thing in the area I want to do right now is pee."
regular_smile.gif
regular_smile.gif
yup, Morticia
 
Situation 1: Sure. Please come back when you have questions or need help, we are available until 6PM or in the morning.
Situation 2: I'm sorry, but you reserved for x people, so which x of you are staying?

or
The charge for extra people is $Y
or
The room cannot accommodate more than x people, the state licencing department, the health department, the fire department and the insurance company do not allow us to exceed capacity or to allow anyone to sleep without a full sanitary bed. I'm unsure of how to handle this problem, how do you propose that we solve the problem and not endanger my licence? (Basically, you toss it back to them and ask them for a solution.)
or
(Legally, anyone not on the register is actually committing trespass. Around here, trespass after 9PM is actually criminal.) Explain that no unregistered is allowed on the property after 9PM, so if they are staying, they need to register and the charge is $Y.
Basically, I've been lucky. They have always booked rooms where there is place for a third. Or they have called me ahead of time to warn me. Except for once when it was a baby but it was winter and we could isolate the room. But the best thing you can do is ask them how to solve the problem, since this is a B&B and unlike a hotel you have extra guest charges..
Jon Sable said:
Situation 2: I'm sorry, but you reserved for x people, so which x of you are staying?
I had to do this one night. 3 people showed up for a room reserved for 1. They got seriously pissed that they couldn't all stay. It was around midnight and the only reason I knew was they made so much noise I went out to shush them. I tried to find them a hotel but everyone was full. Got a lot of grumbling and 'we'll sleep in the car, thanks a LOT.'
Next day? A completely different person showed up with the room key! The one guy who stayed gave his key to someone else and swapped rooms at a motel for the room here.
.
Morticia said:
Jon Sable said:
Situation 2: I'm sorry, but you reserved for x people, so which x of you are staying?
I had to do this one night. 3 people showed up for a room reserved for 1. They got seriously pissed that they couldn't all stay. It was around midnight and the only reason I knew was they made so much noise I went out to shush them. I tried to find them a hotel but everyone was full. Got a lot of grumbling and 'we'll sleep in the car, thanks a LOT.'
Next day? A completely different person showed up with the room key! The one guy who stayed gave his key to someone else and swapped rooms at a motel for the room here.
Have had this issue now twice. Not happy campers at all.
The first one was 5 guys (early 20s) that showed after booking a room for 3. They called from the road to request late arrival. It was in the am we saw 5 trying to avoid us seeing them all depart for the day... a mult-night stay for a festival in the big city.

I had to call them back in, as some tried to scurry. I told them just that - which of the 3 are staying? They paid, but did not stay. Such is life.

Second was a family that booked 2 standard rooms for 2, 1 showed with a 10yo in tow. She stood there and yelled at me that my site said it accommodated 3. Interestingly, they had a sleeping bag in their arms for the kid. Humm if the room accommodated 3, that was not necessary.

We allowed them to stay, added a fee for the kid. And asked her to please let me know where the info was on our site so I can correct it. Of course it was HER confusion, not the site, just gave her an out. I got a nasty email after they got home but at least no bad public review.
 
I have been to B&B where the check in was a long drawn out process, and I had to "go"... and the innkeeper never asks or shows me a powder room upon arrival..
Thankfully we now have a powder room in the entry. It was added due to many dancers during check in.
 
The check in process should take no more than three minutes if you prepare everything in advance including all paperwork. In three minutes, you should be able to see the guests ID, take a payment, get a signature, explain the rules (such as no pets, pay per view charges, etc), and give them their keys. I haven't had the amount of time check in takes be an issue in at least ten years at any front desk I have been part of because of this unless I have a line up of check ins and I'm alone. You can even shorten the amount of time it takes by explaining the rules to all of them while you have handed out all the paperwork for them to sign at the same time. Put the phone on silent and even if you are busy, it still shouldn't take longer than 7 minutes per check in.
For unexpected additional guests, I always explain that there is an additional cost for extra guests. If they argue, I explain that all reservations are booked with up to two adults, and each additional adult is an extra. Since the paperwork they have to agree to says it, they usually can't argue and give in.
 
The check in process should take no more than three minutes if you prepare everything in advance including all paperwork. In three minutes, you should be able to see the guests ID, take a payment, get a signature, explain the rules (such as no pets, pay per view charges, etc), and give them their keys. I haven't had the amount of time check in takes be an issue in at least ten years at any front desk I have been part of because of this unless I have a line up of check ins and I'm alone. You can even shorten the amount of time it takes by explaining the rules to all of them while you have handed out all the paperwork for them to sign at the same time. Put the phone on silent and even if you are busy, it still shouldn't take longer than 7 minutes per check in.
For unexpected additional guests, I always explain that there is an additional cost for extra guests. If they argue, I explain that all reservations are booked with up to two adults, and each additional adult is an extra. Since the paperwork they have to agree to says it, they usually can't argue and give in..
Great perspective. Although quite different than what we do, the idea of getting it done without any nonsense is kinda the same. I haven't really thought about from this angle much, but in the end- getting people introduced and settled into your environment, whatever it is, is a very good idea.
 
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