Yikes! Update from J at RK...

[TheBeachHouse]

We print all.

 

[Momma Smurf]

Happy & Sunshine (and to anyone else it may apply) re Manual Reservations on RKey!!
Written Response from John (RKey Support):

Yes, that is correct we have only always included the payment details [first 12 digits only] for the payment notification emails. It never contained the guest details.
I also just got off a conference call initiated by John to try to figure out why the Manual info is erratically not being saved and is going missing. He concurred that printing out reservations is a good idea.

 

[gillumhouse]

All of our reservation information is forwarded to our email and sits on our website hosts servers in case it must be retrieved. while it is conceivable that two random server systems could crash at the same time, it is extremely unlikely. Do you have your reservations BCCed to you?.

RK doesn't BBC manual reservations, do they? . They are the ones randomly being lost.
.

It sends me the CC info and when I send the confirmation it sends me a copy- I think
.

Sorry but rhe last 4 digits are not sent and are lost in RK plus the expiration date. You do lose payment means. It also depends what info is included in your confirmation. Phone? Email address? Arrival? Dietary Restrictions? Special needs? Etc.
.

That's correct. You do not get the full number. Once in 10 years, not having the number for a guest, it was a cancellation, created an embarrassing moment. Otherwise, I would just call them or wait until arrival.
As far as details, the guest details are pretty complete, but I do think you could add more if you wanted it.
MS, it works perfectly well in your business. That's great, but it is not the rule anymore and many many of us do not have paper until after the sale because we have redundancy built into our operations.
In the scenario you describe, we would have gone to our email and recaptured all of the data excepting the CC, which we would have called the guest to recapture. It would have been a nuisance, but not a crisis. In the incredibly odd circumstances that ALL three of our computers blew up at the same time, we would have gone to the server company site and pulled the information off of there, assuming us and the house were still here to do so.
The greater crisis is what is going on with RES KEY that it happened in the first place.
.

So you include the guest phone number in the confirmation letter? Otherwise how would you have it?
.

Res Key generates an automatic email to us with the res details and the guest details. It then sends us a copy of the confirmation letter, which also includes res details. I thought that happened for everyone.
.

we also get an email from res k with res info
.

Manual reservations too? What is the setting to get more info besides 12 CC digits?
.

I do not do cc with my online rez so I do not know about what comes with that.

 

[Arks]

All of our reservation information is forwarded to our email and sits on our website hosts servers in case it must be retrieved. while it is conceivable that two random server systems could crash at the same time, it is extremely unlikely. Do you have your reservations BCCed to you?.

RK doesn't BBC manual reservations, do they? . They are the ones randomly being lost.
.

It sends me the CC info and when I send the confirmation it sends me a copy- I think
.

Sorry but rhe last 4 digits are not sent and are lost in RK plus the expiration date. You do lose payment means. It also depends what info is included in your confirmation. Phone? Email address? Arrival? Dietary Restrictions? Special needs? Etc.
.

That's correct. You do not get the full number. Once in 10 years, not having the number for a guest, it was a cancellation, created an embarrassing moment. Otherwise, I would just call them or wait until arrival.
As far as details, the guest details are pretty complete, but I do think you could add more if you wanted it.
MS, it works perfectly well in your business. That's great, but it is not the rule anymore and many many of us do not have paper until after the sale because we have redundancy built into our operations.
In the scenario you describe, we would have gone to our email and recaptured all of the data excepting the CC, which we would have called the guest to recapture. It would have been a nuisance, but not a crisis. In the incredibly odd circumstances that ALL three of our computers blew up at the same time, we would have gone to the server company site and pulled the information off of there, assuming us and the house were still here to do so.
The greater crisis is what is going on with RES KEY that it happened in the first place.
.

So you include the guest phone number in the confirmation letter? Otherwise how would you have it?
.

Res Key generates an automatic email to us with the res details and the guest details. It then sends us a copy of the confirmation letter, which also includes res details. I thought that happened for everyone.
.

we also get an email from res k with res info
.

Manual reservations too? What is the setting to get more info besides 12 CC digits?
.

I do not do cc with my online rez so I do not know about what comes with that.
.

I do not do cc with my online rez so I do not know about what comes with that.

Mine are handled through authorize.net, so they always have the full CC number and I can charge or refund as needed directly through them. Nice, but not cheap!

 

[Momma Smurf]

All of our reservation information is forwarded to our email and sits on our website hosts servers in case it must be retrieved. while it is conceivable that two random server systems could crash at the same time, it is extremely unlikely. Do you have your reservations BCCed to you?.

I do exactly the same. My reservation system is in the cloud on Amazon's servers. I have every email to the clients, every confirmation on Google's email servers. And I have redundant access via my DSL and phone.
.

btw, RK uses that Amazon Cloud too, and somehow details are randomly getting lost in transition from server to cloud...

 

[Iris]

We print all..

We print all.

 

[Tom]

Hit that Print button folks... it takes just a second.... this time it's RK, but as I advised just a few days ago, any system is vulnerable.

Since we began as all-paper inn then went through Webervatons (simple) followed by Resnexus (complex and extensive) we have a tendency to carry over old habits:
1) a paper calendar on the kitchen counter for a quick consult as needed (last names/date only)
2) a printed invoice for every arriving guest.
Resnexus printouts [set up to my specs] include name, address, phone number and email address. Everything but the cc number right there on one page.
So, IF entered info goes missing, and they have not arrived you have the "invoice" with the data for re-entry if ever needed. Great during power outages, too.
Many guests LIKE to receive that receipt/invoice at check in. Business people REQUIRE it (including one which shows a $0 balance).
One has to trust one's "cloud" so go with the most trustworthy one you can afford. IF their ability to keep your data safe and available isn't good, find another which is. Just as important as offering reservations online!.

Those auto email details are a good cloud backup independent of RN's online. Can see 'em come in on the phone.

 

[Momma Smurf]

Hit that Print button folks... it takes just a second.... this time it's RK, but as I advised just a few days ago, any system is vulnerable.

Since we began as all-paper inn then went through Webervatons (simple) followed by Resnexus (complex and extensive) we have a tendency to carry over old habits:
1) a paper calendar on the kitchen counter for a quick consult as needed (last names/date only)
2) a printed invoice for every arriving guest.
Resnexus printouts [set up to my specs] include name, address, phone number and email address. Everything but the cc number right there on one page.
So, IF entered info goes missing, and they have not arrived you have the "invoice" with the data for re-entry if ever needed. Great during power outages, too.
Many guests LIKE to receive that receipt/invoice at check in. Business people REQUIRE it (including one which shows a $0 balance).
One has to trust one's "cloud" so go with the most trustworthy one you can afford. IF their ability to keep your data safe and available isn't good, find another which is. Just as important as offering reservations online!.

Those auto email details are a good cloud backup independent of RN's online. Can see 'em come in on the phone.
.

Except RK only sends emails for online reservations; with phone or any other manually entered reservations there are no email details sent as back up.
You might check to make sure that RN is sending both.

 

[happykeeper]

Hit that Print button folks... it takes just a second.... this time it's RK, but as I advised just a few days ago, any system is vulnerable.

Since we began as all-paper inn then went through Webervatons (simple) followed by Resnexus (complex and extensive) we have a tendency to carry over old habits:
1) a paper calendar on the kitchen counter for a quick consult as needed (last names/date only)
2) a printed invoice for every arriving guest.
Resnexus printouts [set up to my specs] include name, address, phone number and email address. Everything but the cc number right there on one page.
So, IF entered info goes missing, and they have not arrived you have the "invoice" with the data for re-entry if ever needed. Great during power outages, too.
Many guests LIKE to receive that receipt/invoice at check in. Business people REQUIRE it (including one which shows a $0 balance).
One has to trust one's "cloud" so go with the most trustworthy one you can afford. IF their ability to keep your data safe and available isn't good, find another which is. Just as important as offering reservations online!.

Those auto email details are a good cloud backup independent of RN's online. Can see 'em come in on the phone.
.

Except RK only sends emails for online reservations; with phone or any other manually entered reservations there are no email details sent as back up.
You might check to make sure that RN is sending both.
.

am i missing something? when you complete a manual reservation, can"t you just send it to yourself?

 

[Momma Smurf]

Hit that Print button folks... it takes just a second.... this time it's RK, but as I advised just a few days ago, any system is vulnerable.

Since we began as all-paper inn then went through Webervatons (simple) followed by Resnexus (complex and extensive) we have a tendency to carry over old habits:
1) a paper calendar on the kitchen counter for a quick consult as needed (last names/date only)
2) a printed invoice for every arriving guest.
Resnexus printouts [set up to my specs] include name, address, phone number and email address. Everything but the cc number right there on one page.
So, IF entered info goes missing, and they have not arrived you have the "invoice" with the data for re-entry if ever needed. Great during power outages, too.
Many guests LIKE to receive that receipt/invoice at check in. Business people REQUIRE it (including one which shows a $0 balance).
One has to trust one's "cloud" so go with the most trustworthy one you can afford. IF their ability to keep your data safe and available isn't good, find another which is. Just as important as offering reservations online!.

Those auto email details are a good cloud backup independent of RN's online. Can see 'em come in on the phone.
.

Except RK only sends emails for online reservations; with phone or any other manually entered reservations there are no email details sent as back up.
You might check to make sure that RN is sending both.
.

am i missing something? when you complete a manual reservation, can"t you just send it to yourself?
.

Go into the RK website tab, check Email Templates. Have you designed a template to automatically send you ALL the reservation details (phone #, arrival time, dietary issues, last 4 digits & expiration, packages, payments, etc) when Manually entered?
Per my conversation with John on the phone, unless you have proactively designed the Manual email and set up a schedule, you will receive nothing but the first 12 digits of the credit card.

 

[happykeeper]

Hit that Print button folks... it takes just a second.... this time it's RK, but as I advised just a few days ago, any system is vulnerable.

Since we began as all-paper inn then went through Webervatons (simple) followed by Resnexus (complex and extensive) we have a tendency to carry over old habits:
1) a paper calendar on the kitchen counter for a quick consult as needed (last names/date only)
2) a printed invoice for every arriving guest.
Resnexus printouts [set up to my specs] include name, address, phone number and email address. Everything but the cc number right there on one page.
So, IF entered info goes missing, and they have not arrived you have the "invoice" with the data for re-entry if ever needed. Great during power outages, too.
Many guests LIKE to receive that receipt/invoice at check in. Business people REQUIRE it (including one which shows a $0 balance).
One has to trust one's "cloud" so go with the most trustworthy one you can afford. IF their ability to keep your data safe and available isn't good, find another which is. Just as important as offering reservations online!.

Those auto email details are a good cloud backup independent of RN's online. Can see 'em come in on the phone.
.

Except RK only sends emails for online reservations; with phone or any other manually entered reservations there are no email details sent as back up.
You might check to make sure that RN is sending both.
.

am i missing something? when you complete a manual reservation, can"t you just send it to yourself?
.

Go into the RK website tab, check Email Templates. Have you designed a template to automatically send you ALL the reservation details (phone #, arrival time, dietary issues, last 4 digits & expiration, packages, payments, etc) when Manually entered?
Per my conversation with John on the phone, unless you have proactively designed the Manual email and set up a schedule, you will receive nothing but the first 12 digits of the credit card.
.

We have designed a portfolio which can send us the guest information with the click of a button. I am just assuming you could expand the information it captures. As I said previously, we would not have the full CC information and would be comfortable acquiring it from our guest. We would have everything else.
Also as stated previously, that information is sent to us automatically when a guest reserves online.

 

[Momma Smurf]

Hit that Print button folks... it takes just a second.... this time it's RK, but as I advised just a few days ago, any system is vulnerable.

Since we began as all-paper inn then went through Webervatons (simple) followed by Resnexus (complex and extensive) we have a tendency to carry over old habits:
1) a paper calendar on the kitchen counter for a quick consult as needed (last names/date only)
2) a printed invoice for every arriving guest.
Resnexus printouts [set up to my specs] include name, address, phone number and email address. Everything but the cc number right there on one page.
So, IF entered info goes missing, and they have not arrived you have the "invoice" with the data for re-entry if ever needed. Great during power outages, too.
Many guests LIKE to receive that receipt/invoice at check in. Business people REQUIRE it (including one which shows a $0 balance).
One has to trust one's "cloud" so go with the most trustworthy one you can afford. IF their ability to keep your data safe and available isn't good, find another which is. Just as important as offering reservations online!.

Those auto email details are a good cloud backup independent of RN's online. Can see 'em come in on the phone.
.

Except RK only sends emails for online reservations; with phone or any other manually entered reservations there are no email details sent as back up.
You might check to make sure that RN is sending both.
.

am i missing something? when you complete a manual reservation, can"t you just send it to yourself?
.

Go into the RK website tab, check Email Templates. Have you designed a template to automatically send you ALL the reservation details (phone #, arrival time, dietary issues, last 4 digits & expiration, packages, payments, etc) when Manually entered?
Per my conversation with John on the phone, unless you have proactively designed the Manual email and set up a schedule, you will receive nothing but the first 12 digits of the credit card.
.

We have designed a portfolio which can send us the guest information with the click of a button. I am just assuming you could expand the information it captures. As I said previously, we would not have the full CC information and would be comfortable acquiring it from our guest. We would have everything else.
Also as stated previously, that information is sent to us automatically when a guest reserves online.
.

That's a great idea. So how does one go about designing a portfolio on RK? Where is the button to click? And you click it when entering every reservation or just the manual ones?
Another issue we've had is that some of these Manual reservations revert to No Name with all info lost way after the fact, or we've just not noticed in a timely matter, cause they are amidst a sea of blue, which is our confirmation color. So am trying to figure out if I had all these RK emails saved in a file, how would I know which one is the missing one? They would be sorted and correspond to Date Booked, not First Night, so would mean having to open each email up and checking to see if it happens to be the one missing. Just musing.

 

[Iris]

Hit that Print button folks... it takes just a second.... this time it's RK, but as I advised just a few days ago, any system is vulnerable.

Since we began as all-paper inn then went through Webervatons (simple) followed by Resnexus (complex and extensive) we have a tendency to carry over old habits:
1) a paper calendar on the kitchen counter for a quick consult as needed (last names/date only)
2) a printed invoice for every arriving guest.
Resnexus printouts [set up to my specs] include name, address, phone number and email address. Everything but the cc number right there on one page.
So, IF entered info goes missing, and they have not arrived you have the "invoice" with the data for re-entry if ever needed. Great during power outages, too.
Many guests LIKE to receive that receipt/invoice at check in. Business people REQUIRE it (including one which shows a $0 balance).
One has to trust one's "cloud" so go with the most trustworthy one you can afford. IF their ability to keep your data safe and available isn't good, find another which is. Just as important as offering reservations online!.

Those auto email details are a good cloud backup independent of RN's online. Can see 'em come in on the phone.
.

Except RK only sends emails for online reservations; with phone or any other manually entered reservations there are no email details sent as back up.
You might check to make sure that RN is sending both.
.

am i missing something? when you complete a manual reservation, can"t you just send it to yourself?
.

Go into the RK website tab, check Email Templates. Have you designed a template to automatically send you ALL the reservation details (phone #, arrival time, dietary issues, last 4 digits & expiration, packages, payments, etc) when Manually entered?
Per my conversation with John on the phone, unless you have proactively designed the Manual email and set up a schedule, you will receive nothing but the first 12 digits of the credit card.
.

We have designed a portfolio which can send us the guest information with the click of a button. I am just assuming you could expand the information it captures. As I said previously, we would not have the full CC information and would be comfortable acquiring it from our guest. We would have everything else.
Also as stated previously, that information is sent to us automatically when a guest reserves online.
.

That's a great idea. So how does one go about designing a portfolio on RK? Where is the button to click? And you click it when entering every reservation or just the manual ones?
Another issue we've had is that some of these Manual reservations revert to No Name with all info lost way after the fact, or we've just not noticed in a timely matter, cause they are amidst a sea of blue, which is our confirmation color. So am trying to figure out if I had all these RK emails saved in a file, how would I know which one is the missing one? They would be sorted and correspond to Date Booked, not First Night, so would mean having to open each email up and checking to see if it happens to be the one missing. Just musing.
.

That's a great idea. So how does one go about designing a portfolio on RK? Where is the button to click? And you click it when entering every reservation or just the manual ones?
I would like to know that as well.
Another issue we've had is that some of these Manual reservations revert to No Name with all info lost way after the fact, or we've just not noticed in a timely matter, cause they are amidst a sea of blue, which is our confirmation color. So am trying to figure out if I had all these RK emails saved in a file, how would I know which one is the missing one? They would be sorted and correspond to Date Booked, not First Night, so would mean having to open each email up and checking to see if it happens to be the one missing. Just musing.
We've had a whole week of names change into one guest's name. Had I not printed everything out as it came in, I would not have been able to redo my reservations. Thank goodness, it was during the beginning of the season.

 

[Arks]

Happy that I've never had any database problems with ResKey.
My own e-mail program, Outlook (not Outlook Express), lets me run a search on the text content of any of my e-mail folders for a word or phrase, so it would be easy to find all the confirmations that refer to arrival on a particular date, or containing a guest's name, etc.

 

[Momma Smurf]

Happy that I've never had any database problems with ResKey.
My own e-mail program, Outlook (not Outlook Express), lets me run a search on the text content of any of my e-mail folders for a word or phrase, so it would be easy to find all the confirmations that refer to arrival on a particular date, or containing a guest's name, etc..

Good point, Arks! Btw, there has been a Lag problem reloading the database that John and I have been working on. Hence he has added an additional server.
Every point brought up has been a valid one to be taken into consideration to those who rely upon others ie The Cloud. Let's please just make sure that every one has their ducks in a row and know potential vulnerable points and have redundant measures in place to circumvent failures in "the system" if they should arise.

 

[Ice]

I have a BCC sent to me when the confirmation is sent. Then I put it in my Reservation folder tied to my email account. I have always done this.

 

[Momma Smurf]

I have a BCC sent to me when the confirmation is sent. Then I put it in my Reservation folder tied to my email account. I have always done this..

As long as that Confirmation Letter contains ALL the info you need about the guests then you are set, if you are comfortable not having their Credit Card info on file. As others have suggested, make sure their telephone number is in it so you can re-contact them about any special needs, arrival, CC number etc.

 

[Tom]

Hit that Print button folks... it takes just a second.... this time it's RK, but as I advised just a few days ago, any system is vulnerable.

Since we began as all-paper inn then went through Webervatons (simple) followed by Resnexus (complex and extensive) we have a tendency to carry over old habits:
1) a paper calendar on the kitchen counter for a quick consult as needed (last names/date only)
2) a printed invoice for every arriving guest.
Resnexus printouts [set up to my specs] include name, address, phone number and email address. Everything but the cc number right there on one page.
So, IF entered info goes missing, and they have not arrived you have the "invoice" with the data for re-entry if ever needed. Great during power outages, too.
Many guests LIKE to receive that receipt/invoice at check in. Business people REQUIRE it (including one which shows a $0 balance).
One has to trust one's "cloud" so go with the most trustworthy one you can afford. IF their ability to keep your data safe and available isn't good, find another which is. Just as important as offering reservations online!.

Those auto email details are a good cloud backup independent of RN's online. Can see 'em come in on the phone.
.

Except RK only sends emails for online reservations; with phone or any other manually entered reservations there are no email details sent as back up.
You might check to make sure that RN is sending both.
.

Innkeeper manual entries through Res Nex can be set to auto confirm email. We do it manually so we can add e.g pet fee. All confirmed reservations are in our email inbox regardless of who makes them.

 

[Tom]

Hit that Print button folks... it takes just a second.... this time it's RK, but as I advised just a few days ago, any system is vulnerable.

Since we began as all-paper inn then went through Webervatons (simple) followed by Resnexus (complex and extensive) we have a tendency to carry over old habits:
1) a paper calendar on the kitchen counter for a quick consult as needed (last names/date only)
2) a printed invoice for every arriving guest.
Resnexus printouts [set up to my specs] include name, address, phone number and email address. Everything but the cc number right there on one page.
So, IF entered info goes missing, and they have not arrived you have the "invoice" with the data for re-entry if ever needed. Great during power outages, too.
Many guests LIKE to receive that receipt/invoice at check in. Business people REQUIRE it (including one which shows a $0 balance).
One has to trust one's "cloud" so go with the most trustworthy one you can afford. IF their ability to keep your data safe and available isn't good, find another which is. Just as important as offering reservations online!.

Those auto email details are a good cloud backup independent of RN's online. Can see 'em come in on the phone.
.

Except RK only sends emails for online reservations; with phone or any other manually entered reservations there are no email details sent as back up.
You might check to make sure that RN is sending both.
.

Innkeeper manual entries through Res Nex can be set to auto confirm email. We do it manually so we can add e.g pet fee. All confirmed reservations are in our email inbox regardless of who makes them.
.

And, we set the RN email to us as the exact duplicate of what the guest receives. There have been a few times when I have printed it out and said, this is what you got, exactly, so let's talk about what isn't clear on this email about your reservation ...

 

[Momma Smurf]

Hit that Print button folks... it takes just a second.... this time it's RK, but as I advised just a few days ago, any system is vulnerable.

Since we began as all-paper inn then went through Webervatons (simple) followed by Resnexus (complex and extensive) we have a tendency to carry over old habits:
1) a paper calendar on the kitchen counter for a quick consult as needed (last names/date only)
2) a printed invoice for every arriving guest.
Resnexus printouts [set up to my specs] include name, address, phone number and email address. Everything but the cc number right there on one page.
So, IF entered info goes missing, and they have not arrived you have the "invoice" with the data for re-entry if ever needed. Great during power outages, too.
Many guests LIKE to receive that receipt/invoice at check in. Business people REQUIRE it (including one which shows a $0 balance).
One has to trust one's "cloud" so go with the most trustworthy one you can afford. IF their ability to keep your data safe and available isn't good, find another which is. Just as important as offering reservations online!.

Those auto email details are a good cloud backup independent of RN's online. Can see 'em come in on the phone.
.

Except RK only sends emails for online reservations; with phone or any other manually entered reservations there are no email details sent as back up.
You might check to make sure that RN is sending both.
.

Innkeeper manual entries through Res Nex can be set to auto confirm email. We do it manually so we can add e.g pet fee. All confirmed reservations are in our email inbox regardless of who makes them.
.

And, we set the RN email to us as the exact duplicate of what the guest receives. There have been a few times when I have printed it out and said, this is what you got, exactly, so let's talk about what isn't clear on this email about your reservation ...
.

RK Confirmation Letters are customizable. For example what we send back to the Guest includes: Date of Booking, Names, Address, Room, Arrival & Departure, Total & Balance Due.
Info like: Phone numbers, Arrival Time, Dietary Issues, Special Needs, & Credit Card info are not included in our Guest Confirmations, so not auto-sent.
Bottom line: If Confirmation Letters are your back-up, make sure that they include all pertinent info you might need to retrieve in the future.