sonatainn
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 31, 2009
- Messages
- 110
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Alllllllriiiighty then...here goes.
Seeing as I am not anonymous here, I risk making my business look bad, but I need a tad of advice.
I had a client call in for a reservation few weeks back...holding a room for a night....this night turned into a fully booked night...I turned away three potential clients that I personally took...I don't know how many potentials my innkeeper took, I will ignore that from the equation.
The client EMAILS (no calls,) on the morning of the check in, and tells me that they will not be coming because of a scheduling conflict with their child, but tells me that they will rebook another time later in July. I email them saying that if I don't manage to rebook the room, I will have to charge them.
In Charlottetown, walk ins are fairly rare...they happen, but it's rare...and The Sonata Inn, being new...does not receive too much local exposure yet.
So, the room was not sold that night...so I charged them for one night....the client now complains, because she says she did not cancel...just changed the date....even though, she didn't really place a reservation for the future, just said that she would.
My cancellation policy => http://www.sonatainn.com/canc.html
I realize that my policy does not really delve into "changing dates," but I fail to see how the customer does not see this is a cancelation when the modification is done on the day of check in...it makes no sense to me. However, even if the customer comes back in the future I don't think I should refund them anyways...because that's still lost revenue to me.
I find many people don't see how making reservation is very much like selling limited inventory. If you work in retail, a similar scenario would be if someone bought a tv from you...then smashed it with a sledge hammer...and demanded a full refund...can you sell the TV again? Nope....can I sell a room after time passes...nope....I'm not Marty McFly.
Any advice on the ethics of what transpired here?
Seeing as I am not anonymous here, I risk making my business look bad, but I need a tad of advice.
I had a client call in for a reservation few weeks back...holding a room for a night....this night turned into a fully booked night...I turned away three potential clients that I personally took...I don't know how many potentials my innkeeper took, I will ignore that from the equation.
The client EMAILS (no calls,) on the morning of the check in, and tells me that they will not be coming because of a scheduling conflict with their child, but tells me that they will rebook another time later in July. I email them saying that if I don't manage to rebook the room, I will have to charge them.
In Charlottetown, walk ins are fairly rare...they happen, but it's rare...and The Sonata Inn, being new...does not receive too much local exposure yet.
So, the room was not sold that night...so I charged them for one night....the client now complains, because she says she did not cancel...just changed the date....even though, she didn't really place a reservation for the future, just said that she would.
My cancellation policy => http://www.sonatainn.com/canc.html
I realize that my policy does not really delve into "changing dates," but I fail to see how the customer does not see this is a cancelation when the modification is done on the day of check in...it makes no sense to me. However, even if the customer comes back in the future I don't think I should refund them anyways...because that's still lost revenue to me.
I find many people don't see how making reservation is very much like selling limited inventory. If you work in retail, a similar scenario would be if someone bought a tv from you...then smashed it with a sledge hammer...and demanded a full refund...can you sell the TV again? Nope....can I sell a room after time passes...nope....I'm not Marty McFly.
Any advice on the ethics of what transpired here?