Screening

[gillumhouse]

Two strategies:
1) Try and use your pricing as a tool. I find that pricing is a the best screening mechanism. The higher the price point you can charge, the better. A high price point weeds out the guests you really don't want in the firs place.
2) Require a credit card, either for a deposit or to "hold the reservation." If they don't have a credit card, you don't want them as a guest..

I recently discovered I am the most expensive in my immediate area - and I like that. I have no problem hearing the click after I say my prices. It means I have dodged the el cheapo who thinks he is doing me a "favor" to cross my threshold.

 

[undersea]

I have never looked up a guest on FB or any other social media site but I do try to screen in the sense that we are not a "party place" and some businesses that have lodging and also floating (as canoeing is known in MO) definitely cater to a rowdier crowd. I think it's only fair to try and get a feel for what the guest is looking for and let them know if we might not be a match. I don't want to take a reservation that will only end up making the rowdy guest, my non-rowdy repeat guest and me really unhappy. I was 20 something once (although there are plenty of rowdy folks much older than 20...) and I'll gladly steer you to a location with late night hours if that's a better fit.
Hopefully our website conveys this and gets skipped over by those that are looking for a different atmosphere. Sometimes I worry that we might look too boring but I guess better that than the alternative..

As much as the reservation process or website can go in that direction, I certainly agree.

 

[happykeeper]

I have never looked up a guest on FB or any other social media site but I do try to screen in the sense that we are not a "party place" and some businesses that have lodging and also floating (as canoeing is known in MO) definitely cater to a rowdier crowd. I think it's only fair to try and get a feel for what the guest is looking for and let them know if we might not be a match. I don't want to take a reservation that will only end up making the rowdy guest, my non-rowdy repeat guest and me really unhappy. I was 20 something once (although there are plenty of rowdy folks much older than 20...) and I'll gladly steer you to a location with late night hours if that's a better fit.
Hopefully our website conveys this and gets skipped over by those that are looking for a different atmosphere. Sometimes I worry that we might look too boring but I guess better that than the alternative..

As much as the reservation process or website can go in that direction, I certainly agree.
.

It can go a long ways in that direction.

 

[MtnKeeper]

We take online bookings which are almost 90% of our reservations. We don't screen people - we are open to the public. Unless I get someone who puts in a note that they are checking in at say midnight when we stop doing check-ins at 9pm, then everyone's reservation is a go. I'm sure guests would find it creepy that you are screening them/checking them out all over the web. And I wouldn't have time for that anyway, I'm too busy taking care of guests and marketing.

 

[happykeeper]

We take online bookings which are almost 90% of our reservations. We don't screen people - we are open to the public. Unless I get someone who puts in a note that they are checking in at say midnight when we stop doing check-ins at 9pm, then everyone's reservation is a go. I'm sure guests would find it creepy that you are screening them/checking them out all over the web. And I wouldn't have time for that anyway, I'm too busy taking care of guests and marketing..

Hmm.. we take online bookings.. about 90% as well. We are open to the public. On one single occasion, I looked someone up on the internet because they were sort of famous and I thought I should know something about them. Ended up not to be needed.
That said, all businesses should use filters and screens to ensure that they are the right fit for their business. I am guessing you do this in your marketing, in how you present your inn to the public, and in the rules or restrictions you use to conduct business.
Actively screening individual guests isn't necessary because so much of that has been done on the front end. Like you say, who would have time.

 

[MtnKeeper]

We take online bookings which are almost 90% of our reservations. We don't screen people - we are open to the public. Unless I get someone who puts in a note that they are checking in at say midnight when we stop doing check-ins at 9pm, then everyone's reservation is a go. I'm sure guests would find it creepy that you are screening them/checking them out all over the web. And I wouldn't have time for that anyway, I'm too busy taking care of guests and marketing..

Hmm.. we take online bookings.. about 90% as well. We are open to the public. On one single occasion, I looked someone up on the internet because they were sort of famous and I thought I should know something about them. Ended up not to be needed.
That said, all businesses should use filters and screens to ensure that they are the right fit for their business. I am guessing you do this in your marketing, in how you present your inn to the public, and in the rules or restrictions you use to conduct business.
Actively screening individual guests isn't necessary because so much of that has been done on the front end. Like you say, who would have time.
.

So right Happykeeper. Your website, policies, pricing and TA responses all project who you are and what your property is like. Will you get guests you don't care to have back - sure, but that's part of any public accommodation.

 

[happykeeper]

We take online bookings which are almost 90% of our reservations. We don't screen people - we are open to the public. Unless I get someone who puts in a note that they are checking in at say midnight when we stop doing check-ins at 9pm, then everyone's reservation is a go. I'm sure guests would find it creepy that you are screening them/checking them out all over the web. And I wouldn't have time for that anyway, I'm too busy taking care of guests and marketing..

Hmm.. we take online bookings.. about 90% as well. We are open to the public. On one single occasion, I looked someone up on the internet because they were sort of famous and I thought I should know something about them. Ended up not to be needed.
That said, all businesses should use filters and screens to ensure that they are the right fit for their business. I am guessing you do this in your marketing, in how you present your inn to the public, and in the rules or restrictions you use to conduct business.
Actively screening individual guests isn't necessary because so much of that has been done on the front end. Like you say, who would have time.
.

So right Happykeeper. Your website, policies, pricing and TA responses all project who you are and what your property is like. Will you get guests you don't care to have back - sure, but that's part of any public accommodation.
.

Agreed. Once in a while one slips through the cracks. Thankfully they get buried in the pile great guests pretty quickly.

 

[TheBeachHouse]

I did worry about crazies when we first started. We have strong bolt locks between the inn and our apartment. Then we got busy and I stopped thinking about it.

 

[Tom]

I won't reiterate the wise comments of Morticia and other who have been in the trenches a long time.
I will note that this post and most of your other posts show an anxious, controlling, and untrusting nature. I hope you are cut out for B&B! It is a people business. If your personal life experience has been a lot of conflicts with people, you will likely have a lot of conflicts with guests.

 

[Mac]

I found this forum question quite interesting. Some people feel they are a hotel. Me, not so much. Just a private home opened to guests, which probably makes a difference. I brought up the subject over breakfast this morning, knowing one of the quests was a retired policewoman as well as a frequent visitor to B&B's all over Texas. She mentioned the responsibility of innkeepers to protect their guests from criminal elements, etc, and welcomed the screening process herself. The only question that bothers her is, "What are you/will you be in town for?" That, she feels, is an invasion of privacy but she gets asked it a lot. (Not from us, I might add.) I know I'm not going to change opinions here but at least I present another point of view. P.S. This is their fifth visit with us and they brought us a lovely, wrapped gift when they came and presented Mac with a new coozie when they left. Sweet!

 

[gillumhouse]

I found this forum question quite interesting. Some people feel they are a hotel. Me, not so much. Just a private home opened to guests, which probably makes a difference. I brought up the subject over breakfast this morning, knowing one of the quests was a retired policewoman as well as a frequent visitor to B&B's all over Texas. She mentioned the responsibility of innkeepers to protect their guests from criminal elements, etc, and welcomed the screening process herself. The only question that bothers her is, "What are you/will you be in town for?" That, she feels, is an invasion of privacy but she gets asked it a lot. (Not from us, I might add.) I know I'm not going to change opinions here but at least I present another point of view. P.S. This is their fifth visit with us and they brought us a lovely, wrapped gift when they came and presented Mac with a new coozie when they left. Sweet!.

The only question that bothers her is, "What are you/will you be in town for?"
I do sometimes ask if they are "coming for something special" - not because I am being nosy, but to be able to make that anniversary more special or to suggest other things to see and do during that stay in addition to what they are coming for. Often it is just a getaway but many times I have been able to suggest things on the way in or reasons to extend their stay.
There is no way I am going "screen" my guests - I take them on the same trust they are taking me. Trust and respect is a 2-way street and I like it like that. He who does not trust his guests should not be taking guests.

 

[Mac]

I found this forum question quite interesting. Some people feel they are a hotel. Me, not so much. Just a private home opened to guests, which probably makes a difference. I brought up the subject over breakfast this morning, knowing one of the quests was a retired policewoman as well as a frequent visitor to B&B's all over Texas. She mentioned the responsibility of innkeepers to protect their guests from criminal elements, etc, and welcomed the screening process herself. The only question that bothers her is, "What are you/will you be in town for?" That, she feels, is an invasion of privacy but she gets asked it a lot. (Not from us, I might add.) I know I'm not going to change opinions here but at least I present another point of view. P.S. This is their fifth visit with us and they brought us a lovely, wrapped gift when they came and presented Mac with a new coozie when they left. Sweet!.

The only question that bothers her is, "What are you/will you be in town for?"
I do sometimes ask if they are "coming for something special" - not because I am being nosy, but to be able to make that anniversary more special or to suggest other things to see and do during that stay in addition to what they are coming for. Often it is just a getaway but many times I have been able to suggest things on the way in or reasons to extend their stay.
There is no way I am going "screen" my guests - I take them on the same trust they are taking me. Trust and respect is a 2-way street and I like it like that. He who does not trust his guests should not be taking guests.
.

He who does not trust his guests should not be taking guests.
Wow. I'll shutter my doors immediately.
Do you NOT think guests check you out? Trip Advisor? Goo gle? Referrals? They aren't taking you on trust. They have looked you up in some way. Or heard something about you. If they haven't. why do we care what past guests have said about us? How many bubbles we get? Nobody sees it. Nobody checks us out.

 

[gillumhouse]

I found this forum question quite interesting. Some people feel they are a hotel. Me, not so much. Just a private home opened to guests, which probably makes a difference. I brought up the subject over breakfast this morning, knowing one of the quests was a retired policewoman as well as a frequent visitor to B&B's all over Texas. She mentioned the responsibility of innkeepers to protect their guests from criminal elements, etc, and welcomed the screening process herself. The only question that bothers her is, "What are you/will you be in town for?" That, she feels, is an invasion of privacy but she gets asked it a lot. (Not from us, I might add.) I know I'm not going to change opinions here but at least I present another point of view. P.S. This is their fifth visit with us and they brought us a lovely, wrapped gift when they came and presented Mac with a new coozie when they left. Sweet!.

The only question that bothers her is, "What are you/will you be in town for?"
I do sometimes ask if they are "coming for something special" - not because I am being nosy, but to be able to make that anniversary more special or to suggest other things to see and do during that stay in addition to what they are coming for. Often it is just a getaway but many times I have been able to suggest things on the way in or reasons to extend their stay.
There is no way I am going "screen" my guests - I take them on the same trust they are taking me. Trust and respect is a 2-way street and I like it like that. He who does not trust his guests should not be taking guests.
.

He who does not trust his guests should not be taking guests.
Wow. I'll shutter my doors immediately.
Do you NOT think guests check you out? Trip Advisor? Goo gle? Referrals? They aren't taking you on trust. They have looked you up in some way. Or heard something about you. If they haven't. why do we care what past guests have said about us? How many bubbles we get? Nobody sees it. Nobody checks us out.
.

Read Tom's comment - it was NOT directed at you. That is what I was referring to with that reply.
When they check us out on TA, they are checking the accommodation, service, business aspects. I do not believe they are checking us out as people or personally.

 

[Morticia]

I found this forum question quite interesting. Some people feel they are a hotel. Me, not so much. Just a private home opened to guests, which probably makes a difference. I brought up the subject over breakfast this morning, knowing one of the quests was a retired policewoman as well as a frequent visitor to B&B's all over Texas. She mentioned the responsibility of innkeepers to protect their guests from criminal elements, etc, and welcomed the screening process herself. The only question that bothers her is, "What are you/will you be in town for?" That, she feels, is an invasion of privacy but she gets asked it a lot. (Not from us, I might add.) I know I'm not going to change opinions here but at least I present another point of view. P.S. This is their fifth visit with us and they brought us a lovely, wrapped gift when they came and presented Mac with a new coozie when they left. Sweet!.

The only question that bothers her is, "What are you/will you be in town for?"
I do sometimes ask if they are "coming for something special" - not because I am being nosy, but to be able to make that anniversary more special or to suggest other things to see and do during that stay in addition to what they are coming for. Often it is just a getaway but many times I have been able to suggest things on the way in or reasons to extend their stay.
There is no way I am going "screen" my guests - I take them on the same trust they are taking me. Trust and respect is a 2-way street and I like it like that. He who does not trust his guests should not be taking guests.
.

He who does not trust his guests should not be taking guests.
Wow. I'll shutter my doors immediately.
Do you NOT think guests check you out? Trip Advisor? Goo gle? Referrals? They aren't taking you on trust. They have looked you up in some way. Or heard something about you. If they haven't. why do we care what past guests have said about us? How many bubbles we get? Nobody sees it. Nobody checks us out.
.

Guests are checking out the bona fides of a business. Is it a valid business? Do you get what they say you'll get?
If they happen to find out I'm a lunatic because that's how I've treated other guests, well that's probably a good thing.
Nosing around for info on guests is creepy. It's similar to the stalking innkeepers do by tracking every move you make on their websites. And with sophisticated tracking software they know where you live. Or at least where your car is parked while you look for a place to stay.
Do you really want the innkeeper knowing all about you before you walk in the door? Knowing you've just gotten a divorce or your kid died in a car accident last week or anything personal you weren't planning on sharing with the innkeepers on your recovery vacation? Give me a bored front desk clerk any day over the super sleuth.
And that's why I only post boring crap on fb. And why I regret asking some questions on a forum using my own name. And why I'm thankful every old record hasn't been scanned online yet. Maybe they'll miss it all until I'm dead and don't care.

 

[Mac]

I found this forum question quite interesting. Some people feel they are a hotel. Me, not so much. Just a private home opened to guests, which probably makes a difference. I brought up the subject over breakfast this morning, knowing one of the quests was a retired policewoman as well as a frequent visitor to B&B's all over Texas. She mentioned the responsibility of innkeepers to protect their guests from criminal elements, etc, and welcomed the screening process herself. The only question that bothers her is, "What are you/will you be in town for?" That, she feels, is an invasion of privacy but she gets asked it a lot. (Not from us, I might add.) I know I'm not going to change opinions here but at least I present another point of view. P.S. This is their fifth visit with us and they brought us a lovely, wrapped gift when they came and presented Mac with a new coozie when they left. Sweet!.

The only question that bothers her is, "What are you/will you be in town for?"
I do sometimes ask if they are "coming for something special" - not because I am being nosy, but to be able to make that anniversary more special or to suggest other things to see and do during that stay in addition to what they are coming for. Often it is just a getaway but many times I have been able to suggest things on the way in or reasons to extend their stay.
There is no way I am going "screen" my guests - I take them on the same trust they are taking me. Trust and respect is a 2-way street and I like it like that. He who does not trust his guests should not be taking guests.
.

He who does not trust his guests should not be taking guests.
Wow. I'll shutter my doors immediately.
Do you NOT think guests check you out? Trip Advisor? Goo gle? Referrals? They aren't taking you on trust. They have looked you up in some way. Or heard something about you. If they haven't. why do we care what past guests have said about us? How many bubbles we get? Nobody sees it. Nobody checks us out.
.

Read Tom's comment - it was NOT directed at you. That is what I was referring to with that reply.
When they check us out on TA, they are checking the accommodation, service, business aspects. I do not believe they are checking us out as people or personally.
.

But it was in a reply to my post. Verbage was a little over the top for an exchange of ideas in a business forum.
And all I'm doing is checking out that future guests are who they say they are. I don't have time or inclination to do more than that and never said I did. "Stalking" was labeled elsewhere.

 

[Tom]

I found this forum question quite interesting. Some people feel they are a hotel. Me, not so much. Just a private home opened to guests, which probably makes a difference. I brought up the subject over breakfast this morning, knowing one of the quests was a retired policewoman as well as a frequent visitor to B&B's all over Texas. She mentioned the responsibility of innkeepers to protect their guests from criminal elements, etc, and welcomed the screening process herself. The only question that bothers her is, "What are you/will you be in town for?" That, she feels, is an invasion of privacy but she gets asked it a lot. (Not from us, I might add.) I know I'm not going to change opinions here but at least I present another point of view. P.S. This is their fifth visit with us and they brought us a lovely, wrapped gift when they came and presented Mac with a new coozie when they left. Sweet!.

The only question that bothers her is, "What are you/will you be in town for?"
I do sometimes ask if they are "coming for something special" - not because I am being nosy, but to be able to make that anniversary more special or to suggest other things to see and do during that stay in addition to what they are coming for. Often it is just a getaway but many times I have been able to suggest things on the way in or reasons to extend their stay.
There is no way I am going "screen" my guests - I take them on the same trust they are taking me. Trust and respect is a 2-way street and I like it like that. He who does not trust his guests should not be taking guests.
.

He who does not trust his guests should not be taking guests.
Wow. I'll shutter my doors immediately.
Do you NOT think guests check you out? Trip Advisor? Goo gle? Referrals? They aren't taking you on trust. They have looked you up in some way. Or heard something about you. If they haven't. why do we care what past guests have said about us? How many bubbles we get? Nobody sees it. Nobody checks us out.
.

Read Tom's comment - it was NOT directed at you. That is what I was referring to with that reply.
When they check us out on TA, they are checking the accommodation, service, business aspects. I do not believe they are checking us out as people or personally.
.

But it was in a reply to my post. Verbage was a little over the top for an exchange of ideas in a business forum.
And all I'm doing is checking out that future guests are who they say they are. I don't have time or inclination to do more than that and never said I did. "Stalking" was labeled elsewhere.
.

?? Referring to my comment ?
My comment "I won't reiterate the wise comments of Morticia ... " was directed at the original post, as it says in the header. My comments go toward the series of posts undersea has made. To me as a 6 year innkeeper, they show worry about things that are not too problematical in practice.
I will disagree with the statement that the innkeeper has responsibility to protect guests from criminal elements. The innkeeper only has a responsibility to make a reasonable effort to protect the safety of his guests as required by law and in the common practice of hospitality. That means we have interconnected smoke detectors per code, fire extinguishers on every floor, a sprinkler system, night lighting, deadbolt locks on the bedrooms, locked exterior doors and an innkeeper on premises at night.
I can exclude or eject someone who I think is a problem, but I don't have the tools, the legal access to databases, or the training to allow me to detect in advance "criminal elements" who may wish to visit my inn.

 

[user 26]

i had eight guestrooms and couldn't even begin to try to screen guests ... i also took walk-ins or reservations the day of for that night.
even though i lived onsite and it was my home, i took the reservations and hoped for the best. in that sense, i guess it was more like a hotel. if i recognized a 'celebrity' name it was exciting ... sometimes it was that person, sometimes not.
if it was long term rentals i certainly would go through a screening process - with references. i was not set up for long stays ... it was mostly a night or two.
those of you who screen, how many rooms do you have?
and let's say you found something that alarmed you ... would you then contact the person with the reservation and tell them they can't come? have you ever done that?

 

[Morticia]

I found this forum question quite interesting. Some people feel they are a hotel. Me, not so much. Just a private home opened to guests, which probably makes a difference. I brought up the subject over breakfast this morning, knowing one of the quests was a retired policewoman as well as a frequent visitor to B&B's all over Texas. She mentioned the responsibility of innkeepers to protect their guests from criminal elements, etc, and welcomed the screening process herself. The only question that bothers her is, "What are you/will you be in town for?" That, she feels, is an invasion of privacy but she gets asked it a lot. (Not from us, I might add.) I know I'm not going to change opinions here but at least I present another point of view. P.S. This is their fifth visit with us and they brought us a lovely, wrapped gift when they came and presented Mac with a new coozie when they left. Sweet!.

The only question that bothers her is, "What are you/will you be in town for?"
I do sometimes ask if they are "coming for something special" - not because I am being nosy, but to be able to make that anniversary more special or to suggest other things to see and do during that stay in addition to what they are coming for. Often it is just a getaway but many times I have been able to suggest things on the way in or reasons to extend their stay.
There is no way I am going "screen" my guests - I take them on the same trust they are taking me. Trust and respect is a 2-way street and I like it like that. He who does not trust his guests should not be taking guests.
.

He who does not trust his guests should not be taking guests.
Wow. I'll shutter my doors immediately.
Do you NOT think guests check you out? Trip Advisor? Goo gle? Referrals? They aren't taking you on trust. They have looked you up in some way. Or heard something about you. If they haven't. why do we care what past guests have said about us? How many bubbles we get? Nobody sees it. Nobody checks us out.
.

Read Tom's comment - it was NOT directed at you. That is what I was referring to with that reply.
When they check us out on TA, they are checking the accommodation, service, business aspects. I do not believe they are checking us out as people or personally.
.

But it was in a reply to my post. Verbage was a little over the top for an exchange of ideas in a business forum.
And all I'm doing is checking out that future guests are who they say they are. I don't have time or inclination to do more than that and never said I did. "Stalking" was labeled elsewhere.
.

But it was in a reply to my post. Verbage was a little over the top for an exchange of ideas in a business forum.
And all I'm doing is checking out that future guests are who they say they are. I don't have time or inclination to do more than that and never said I did. "Stalking" was labeled elsewhere.

Walk me thru how you verify I am who I say I am when I make a reservation. What steps do you take?
I need to understand what some innkeepers may be doing before I show up.

 

[JimBoone]

Mom & Pop motel with 8 rooms, don't book online so screening if you want to call it that consists of listing to what the prospective guest has to say, at times this can help me or help refer the guest to a property that better fits their needs.
On a positive side over twenty years there have only been a handful of folks that I hope don't return, the majority are nice folks and make this an enjoyable business.

 

[Morticia]

Mom & Pop motel with 8 rooms, don't book online so screening if you want to call it that consists of listing to what the prospective guest has to say, at times this can help me or help refer the guest to a property that better fits their needs.
On a positive side over twenty years there have only been a handful of folks that I hope don't return, the majority are nice folks and make this an enjoyable business..

Totally get chatting up the guests. Spent 6 minutes on the phone with a guy who sounded totally clueless. Did not know where he was calling, what he wanted, etc.
By the time he got off the phone he knew how to get here, what there was to do when he arrived and he was wishing we had availability so he could meet me.
Turned him from clueless to looking forward to his stay.