Interesting article on where cancellations come from

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Jcam

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http://blog.experience-hotel.com/an-analysis-of-where-cancellations-come-from/
 
It would be interesting to find out what properties these are taken from and what their cancellation policies are?
 
Hillbilly said:
It would be interesting to find out what properties these are taken from and what their cancellation policies are?.
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true - to me what is most interesting is the more contact you have with the guest so they realise there is a real person at the end of the property listing the less likely they are to cancel.
 
We are finding it very annoying that people will stop at nothing to get the cheapest rate. That is why bking is number one in cancellations. They encourage it.
They book the cheapest room and then complain that they are in an inexpensive room. sigh.
 
TheBeachHouse said:
We are finding it very annoying that people will stop at nothing to get the cheapest rate. That is why bking is number one in cancellations. They encourage it.
They book the cheapest room and then complain that they are in an inexpensive room. sigh..
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its why on replies if I know who it was if they mark us down for value I say what they paid and its always rock bottom - then its up to the next person what they think.
 
This is a big part of why we pulled the OTA plug.
PS- I read one of the articles below this one as well and the conclusion is that SERVICE SERVICE SERVICE beats LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION and this has proven true for us. In fact, service has given us the opportunity to drive location as a positive in our reviews.
 
Jcam said:
Hillbilly said:
It would be interesting to find out what properties these are taken from and what their cancellation policies are?.
Click to expand...
true - to me what is most interesting is the more contact you have with the guest so they realise there is a real person at the end of the property listing the less likely they are to cancel.
.
Click to expand...
We very, very rarely get a cancellation. We speak with every guest before booking, do not use OTAs and have a 30 day cancellation policy for a 50% or minimum 2-night deposit. This type of booking is not possible for larger inns, I know, but for smaller places I can highly recommend figuring out a way to speak to your guests before booking. It is more work up front but results in fewer hassles with booking.
 
I am not at all surprised that booking.com is the king of cancellations. We tried it out and put our rooms on it and we only kept it for about two months cause we started seeing "lock in a good price, free cancellation bla bla bla".
I'm currently also working at a resort where we call our guests a few days before arrivals and some of the guests which booked via an OTA without pre-paying will cancel, or else they call themselves asking for a change of dates cause they could not find any flights during their stay!
 
I like this blog's style! Other good bits of info, easily presented. And easy to implement.
 
Silverspoon said:
Jcam said:
Hillbilly said:
It would be interesting to find out what properties these are taken from and what their cancellation policies are?.
Click to expand...
true - to me what is most interesting is the more contact you have with the guest so they realise there is a real person at the end of the property listing the less likely they are to cancel.
.
Click to expand...
We very, very rarely get a cancellation. We speak with every guest before booking, do not use OTAs and have a 30 day cancellation policy for a 50% or minimum 2-night deposit. This type of booking is not possible for larger inns, I know, but for smaller places I can highly recommend figuring out a way to speak to your guests before booking. It is more work up front but results in fewer hassles with booking.
.
Click to expand...
That's it!
 
We are not on OTAs but air. With air, the inquiries tend to not book. (They are looking for you to make them a deal. And the more questions the less likely. Some just want to ask a question before sealing the booking.) Of the confirmed reservations we had almost 10 cancelations last year total, most were because of health issues. We know one couple canceled because they were invited to join their friends at their air rental since another friend, (who also had a room at our place), squealed on them to us after the guest canceled due to his wife breaking her arm, since they got the same invite to join the rest there but they declined since they already had a place and figured it would be too loud at the air rental with everyone piling in.
 
Duff2014 said:
We are not on OTAs but air. With air, the inquiries tend to not book. (They are looking for you to make them a deal. And the more questions the less likely. Some just want to ask a question before sealing the booking.) Of the confirmed reservations we had almost 10 cancelations last year total, most were because of health issues. We know one couple canceled because they were invited to join their friends at their air rental since another friend, (who also had a room at our place), squealed on them to us after the guest canceled due to his wife breaking her arm, since they got the same invite to join the rest there but they declined since they already had a place and figured it would be too loud at the air rental with everyone piling in..
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what is it with air people who don't get that you can't give out web, email or phone info? even when you explicitly tell them! enquiry comes through - needs 1 double, 1 family of 6 (older kids) one 1 family of 5 - all coming for a wedding in june but from abroad so want two nights for 1 room and 3 nights for the others - yes we can do this but can you do a search for us using this info ie our full address so you can get our phone number and we can discuss -air does not allow us to give you this information directly just blanks it out and you can't give it to us. (feel was very clear)
reply - yes we know as have a flat on hom direct - my phone is XYX - so blanked out
really?
 
Jcam said:
Duff2014 said:
We are not on OTAs but air. With air, the inquiries tend to not book. (They are looking for you to make them a deal. And the more questions the less likely. Some just want to ask a question before sealing the booking.) Of the confirmed reservations we had almost 10 cancelations last year total, most were because of health issues. We know one couple canceled because they were invited to join their friends at their air rental since another friend, (who also had a room at our place), squealed on them to us after the guest canceled due to his wife breaking her arm, since they got the same invite to join the rest there but they declined since they already had a place and figured it would be too loud at the air rental with everyone piling in..
Click to expand...
what is it with air people who don't get that you can't give out web, email or phone info? even when you explicitly tell them! enquiry comes through - needs 1 double, 1 family of 6 (older kids) one 1 family of 5 - all coming for a wedding in june but from abroad so want two nights for 1 room and 3 nights for the others - yes we can do this but can you do a search for us using this info ie our full address so you can get our phone number and we can discuss -air does not allow us to give you this information directly just blanks it out and you can't give it to us. (feel was very clear)
reply - yes we know as have a flat on hom direct - my phone is XYX - so blanked out
really?
.
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We just write that we can't do that on air, so you will have to find something else. Then if the guests wants us bad enough they became Holmes and Watson and we get an email through our website a few minutes to half hour later. If they sent their info we tell them that air blocked it and if we sent ours air would block that as well so we can't contact you.
 

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