Finessing the unhappy customer.

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The Farmers Daughter

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More and more I find it necessary to stick to my guns when it comes to our cancellation policy. I am weary of people thinking this is some part time thing I do for fun and not my livelyhood.
I have a couple who have been with me before. They have family that live in the area and come to see them on Holidays. I believe this will be their 3rd Easter with me.
Yesterday they called to cancel for this weekend because the local family has freed up a room for them. I apologized and explained that they are within the cancellation timeframe and would forfeit should they cancel at this late date.
Much whining and complaining ensued but I held my ground. I have already shopped and staffed for this Holiday weekend. What do people think? That B & B's operate by magic and are devoid of costs?
Although they are upholding their committment to their reservation, they are not happy about it. I want to make their stay as nice as possible and have already arranged to have flowers in their upgraded room, but what else can be done?
I know some of you would have said to let them cancel or give them a GC, but I simply can't afford to slide on these things anymore.
 
The Farmers Daughter said:
Much whining and complaining ensued but I held my ground. I have already shopped and staffed for this Holiday weekend. What do people think? That B & B's operate by magic and are devoid of costs?
They think that B&Bs should have more generous cancellation policies, like hotels. They especially don't realize that if your place is small and you've been booked for awhile for a special weekend like Easter (or other special events), that prospective guests have seen that you're booked on your availability chart and looked and booked elsewhere. They honestly think that you'll just re-book the room or it's not that big of a deal if just one room cancels (in their mind).
 
Just had one cancel as well.
cry_smile.gif
 
Well it is the notorious college that is here. The Prof who booked the special speaker called to say he can't get out of "insert state here" and they were all disappointed. They had book three other rooms, for this event, so I bargained and said if they maintain the other three I will not charge the cancellation fee.
As mentioned to another innmate, this college is notorious for not paying their P.O.'s when a guest no-shows or cancels. I won't accept their PO's and it is the Prof credit card, so I am being NICE.
teeth_smile.gif
 
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Basically what I tell them, whatever their reason is, that I'm going to try my best to rebook the room. And that there's every possibility that I will. I always keep waiting lists and try those first but most of the time the waiting list folks will have already booked elsewhere.
Still I try. And I let the guests know that I'm trying. I call other inns to let them know I have a room and let the guest know other innkeepers are also trying to help them.
I let them know that I will let them know at the end of the day they were supposed to arrive how successful I was.
Most of the time, in fact, I am able to rebook. When I can't, though, guests don't kick up a stink because they know I tried as hard as I could to avoid it.
I don't do the GC substitution myself unless I'm innsitting at a place and that's their policy. I just think then you're still losing the revenue by giving a room away another night. And the guest is generally not really happy either. Everyone still loses a little bit and I think it's better just to cut the losses altogether if you have to.
So I give rebooking my best shot. Let them know that. And then charge them if I have to.
 
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Basically what I tell them, whatever their reason is, that I'm going to try my best to rebook the room. And that there's every possibility that I will. I always keep waiting lists and try those first but most of the time the waiting list folks will have already booked elsewhere.
Still I try. And I let the guests know that I'm trying. I call other inns to let them know I have a room and let the guest know other innkeepers are also trying to help them.
I let them know that I will let them know at the end of the day they were supposed to arrive how successful I was.
Most of the time, in fact, I am able to rebook. When I can't, though, guests don't kick up a stink because they know I tried as hard as I could to avoid it.
I don't do the GC substitution myself unless I'm innsitting at a place and that's their policy. I just think then you're still losing the revenue by giving a room away another night. And the guest is generally not really happy either. Everyone still loses a little bit and I think it's better just to cut the losses altogether if you have to.
So I give rebooking my best shot. Let them know that. And then charge them if I have to..
Innkeeper To Go said:
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Wow. Never have any of them get mad? You must be some kind of guest whisperer. In seven years I've had less than a handful of cancellations I've had to charge, but some of them were still po'd. Didn't really matter how much I explained how hard I'd work to fill the room - had someone say to me how do I know you are even going to try, when it's just easier to take my money. You clearly have some amazing telephone skills. Or the most unbelievably generous guests.
 
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Basically what I tell them, whatever their reason is, that I'm going to try my best to rebook the room. And that there's every possibility that I will. I always keep waiting lists and try those first but most of the time the waiting list folks will have already booked elsewhere.
Still I try. And I let the guests know that I'm trying. I call other inns to let them know I have a room and let the guest know other innkeepers are also trying to help them.
I let them know that I will let them know at the end of the day they were supposed to arrive how successful I was.
Most of the time, in fact, I am able to rebook. When I can't, though, guests don't kick up a stink because they know I tried as hard as I could to avoid it.
I don't do the GC substitution myself unless I'm innsitting at a place and that's their policy. I just think then you're still losing the revenue by giving a room away another night. And the guest is generally not really happy either. Everyone still loses a little bit and I think it's better just to cut the losses altogether if you have to.
So I give rebooking my best shot. Let them know that. And then charge them if I have to..
Innkeeper To Go said:
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Wow. Never have any of them get mad? You must be some kind of guest whisperer. In seven years I've had less than a handful of cancellations I've had to charge, but some of them were still po'd. Didn't really matter how much I explained how hard I'd work to fill the room - had someone say to me how do I know you are even going to try, when it's just easier to take my money. You clearly have some amazing telephone skills. Or the most unbelievably generous guests.
.
It is a blessing, in fact, that I am something of a whisperer on the phone. Don't know how it came to be, but it is the truth.
And yes, I'm able to convince them (possibly because it's true) that I am really working for them. And no, they don't get mad.
I have never had 1 bad online review. Ever. Never had a guest who I had to charge a fee not come back another time and actually thank me for trying for them.
Really it's true.
 
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Basically what I tell them, whatever their reason is, that I'm going to try my best to rebook the room. And that there's every possibility that I will. I always keep waiting lists and try those first but most of the time the waiting list folks will have already booked elsewhere.
Still I try. And I let the guests know that I'm trying. I call other inns to let them know I have a room and let the guest know other innkeepers are also trying to help them.
I let them know that I will let them know at the end of the day they were supposed to arrive how successful I was.
Most of the time, in fact, I am able to rebook. When I can't, though, guests don't kick up a stink because they know I tried as hard as I could to avoid it.
I don't do the GC substitution myself unless I'm innsitting at a place and that's their policy. I just think then you're still losing the revenue by giving a room away another night. And the guest is generally not really happy either. Everyone still loses a little bit and I think it's better just to cut the losses altogether if you have to.
So I give rebooking my best shot. Let them know that. And then charge them if I have to..
Innkeeper To Go said:
Basically what I tell them, whatever their reason is, that I'm going to try my best to rebook the room. And that there's every possibility that I will. I always keep waiting lists and try those first but most of the time the waiting list folks will have already booked elsewhere.
Still I try. And I let the guests know that I'm trying. I call other inns to let them know I have a room and let the guest know other innkeepers are also trying to help them.
I let them know that I will let them know at the end of the day they were supposed to arrive how successful I was.
Most of the time, in fact, I am able to rebook. When I can't, though, guests don't kick up a stink because they know I tried as hard as I could to avoid it.
So I give rebooking my best shot. Let them know that. And then charge them if I have to.
I cannot honestly say I spent a lot of time calling around trying to fill a room and I did not make such promises. It depends on how much physical work I had to do to just to get the place ready for the upcoming check-ins and stayovers along with all the other tasks to get done. Without much staff, and sometimes with none, that was my priority.
It seems to be unreasonable for a guest to question how much someone tried to fill a room or if they really did try. ... other than calling the local chamber, the ferry service, and a few local places to say I had a room available that night and to send folks my way, I don't know what else I could have done. My best shot at filling the room was to have it ready and to take a welcomed walk-in.
I guess it depends on your area, but I often had available rooms and so did my 'neighbors' ... so a waiting list was only helpful during that elusive really busy time when we were booked up solid. Most often when I reached someone on my 'waiting list', they had booked elsewhere.
 
Well it is the notorious college that is here. The Prof who booked the special speaker called to say he can't get out of "insert state here" and they were all disappointed. They had book three other rooms, for this event, so I bargained and said if they maintain the other three I will not charge the cancellation fee.
As mentioned to another innmate, this college is notorious for not paying their P.O.'s when a guest no-shows or cancels. I won't accept their PO's and it is the Prof credit card, so I am being NICE.
teeth_smile.gif
.
Joey Bloggs said:
As mentioned to another innmate, this college is notorious for not paying their P.O.'s when a guest no-shows or cancels. I won't accept their PO's and it is the Prof credit card, so I am being NICE.
teeth_smile.gif
Very smart.
 
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Basically what I tell them, whatever their reason is, that I'm going to try my best to rebook the room. And that there's every possibility that I will. I always keep waiting lists and try those first but most of the time the waiting list folks will have already booked elsewhere.
Still I try. And I let the guests know that I'm trying. I call other inns to let them know I have a room and let the guest know other innkeepers are also trying to help them.
I let them know that I will let them know at the end of the day they were supposed to arrive how successful I was.
Most of the time, in fact, I am able to rebook. When I can't, though, guests don't kick up a stink because they know I tried as hard as I could to avoid it.
I don't do the GC substitution myself unless I'm innsitting at a place and that's their policy. I just think then you're still losing the revenue by giving a room away another night. And the guest is generally not really happy either. Everyone still loses a little bit and I think it's better just to cut the losses altogether if you have to.
So I give rebooking my best shot. Let them know that. And then charge them if I have to..
Innkeeper To Go said:
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Wow. Never have any of them get mad? You must be some kind of guest whisperer. In seven years I've had less than a handful of cancellations I've had to charge, but some of them were still po'd. Didn't really matter how much I explained how hard I'd work to fill the room - had someone say to me how do I know you are even going to try, when it's just easier to take my money. You clearly have some amazing telephone skills. Or the most unbelievably generous guests.
.
It is a blessing, in fact, that I am something of a whisperer on the phone. Don't know how it came to be, but it is the truth.
And yes, I'm able to convince them (possibly because it's true) that I am really working for them. And no, they don't get mad.
I have never had 1 bad online review. Ever. Never had a guest who I had to charge a fee not come back another time and actually thank me for trying for them.
Really it's true.
.
Innkeeper To Go said:
Really it's true.
I'll just go to bed tonight and try to figure out why I shouldn't just hand my keys over to you, then. I've met a lot of people in the industry, including some of the most socially skilled people I know (one of which I am not) and I've never heard another innkeeper - or, sorry, innsitter - make that kind of claim. So consider me amazed. Are you really Don Farrell?
 
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Basically what I tell them, whatever their reason is, that I'm going to try my best to rebook the room. And that there's every possibility that I will. I always keep waiting lists and try those first but most of the time the waiting list folks will have already booked elsewhere.
Still I try. And I let the guests know that I'm trying. I call other inns to let them know I have a room and let the guest know other innkeepers are also trying to help them.
I let them know that I will let them know at the end of the day they were supposed to arrive how successful I was.
Most of the time, in fact, I am able to rebook. When I can't, though, guests don't kick up a stink because they know I tried as hard as I could to avoid it.
I don't do the GC substitution myself unless I'm innsitting at a place and that's their policy. I just think then you're still losing the revenue by giving a room away another night. And the guest is generally not really happy either. Everyone still loses a little bit and I think it's better just to cut the losses altogether if you have to.
So I give rebooking my best shot. Let them know that. And then charge them if I have to..
Innkeeper To Go said:
Basically what I tell them, whatever their reason is, that I'm going to try my best to rebook the room. And that there's every possibility that I will. I always keep waiting lists and try those first but most of the time the waiting list folks will have already booked elsewhere.
Still I try. And I let the guests know that I'm trying. I call other inns to let them know I have a room and let the guest know other innkeepers are also trying to help them.
I let them know that I will let them know at the end of the day they were supposed to arrive how successful I was.
Most of the time, in fact, I am able to rebook. When I can't, though, guests don't kick up a stink because they know I tried as hard as I could to avoid it.
So I give rebooking my best shot. Let them know that. And then charge them if I have to.
I cannot honestly say I spent a lot of time calling around trying to fill a room and I did not make such promises. It depends on how much physical work I had to do to just to get the place ready for the upcoming check-ins and stayovers along with all the other tasks to get done. Without much staff, and sometimes with none, that was my priority.
It seems to be unreasonable for a guest to question how much someone tried to fill a room or if they really did try. ... other than calling the local chamber, the ferry service, and a few local places to say I had a room available that night and to send folks my way, I don't know what else I could have done. My best shot at filling the room was to have it ready and to take a welcomed walk-in.
I guess it depends on your area, but I often had available rooms and so did my 'neighbors' ... so a waiting list was only helpful during that elusive really busy time when we were booked up solid. Most often when I reached someone on my 'waiting list', they had booked elsewhere.
.
seashanty said:
It seems to be unreasonable for a guest to question how much someone tried to fill a room or if they really did try. ... other than calling the local chamber, the ferry service, and a few local places to say I had a room available that night and to send folks my way, I don't know what else I could have done. My best shot at filling the room was to have it ready and to take a welcomed walk-in.
That's something I don't really know about so perhaps your experience there is different from mine.
Personally, I've not had guests questioning whether I was trying to do anything. If you did, perhaps you're right that's a result of where you are.
But I've worked in a lot of places. And wherever I've been, I've had guests who believed me when I told them I was trying.
Perhaps your area was altogether different so I'm not questioning your experience at all.
But I can say that I've never treated a guest as though anything they were saying was unreasonable. I just listen to them and then let them know what I can and cannot do. That works for me. Most folks just want to be heard, in my experience.
 
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Basically what I tell them, whatever their reason is, that I'm going to try my best to rebook the room. And that there's every possibility that I will. I always keep waiting lists and try those first but most of the time the waiting list folks will have already booked elsewhere.
Still I try. And I let the guests know that I'm trying. I call other inns to let them know I have a room and let the guest know other innkeepers are also trying to help them.
I let them know that I will let them know at the end of the day they were supposed to arrive how successful I was.
Most of the time, in fact, I am able to rebook. When I can't, though, guests don't kick up a stink because they know I tried as hard as I could to avoid it.
I don't do the GC substitution myself unless I'm innsitting at a place and that's their policy. I just think then you're still losing the revenue by giving a room away another night. And the guest is generally not really happy either. Everyone still loses a little bit and I think it's better just to cut the losses altogether if you have to.
So I give rebooking my best shot. Let them know that. And then charge them if I have to..
Innkeeper To Go said:
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Wow. Never have any of them get mad? You must be some kind of guest whisperer. In seven years I've had less than a handful of cancellations I've had to charge, but some of them were still po'd. Didn't really matter how much I explained how hard I'd work to fill the room - had someone say to me how do I know you are even going to try, when it's just easier to take my money. You clearly have some amazing telephone skills. Or the most unbelievably generous guests.
.
** this posted in the wrong place **
 
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Basically what I tell them, whatever their reason is, that I'm going to try my best to rebook the room. And that there's every possibility that I will. I always keep waiting lists and try those first but most of the time the waiting list folks will have already booked elsewhere.
Still I try. And I let the guests know that I'm trying. I call other inns to let them know I have a room and let the guest know other innkeepers are also trying to help them.
I let them know that I will let them know at the end of the day they were supposed to arrive how successful I was.
Most of the time, in fact, I am able to rebook. When I can't, though, guests don't kick up a stink because they know I tried as hard as I could to avoid it.
I don't do the GC substitution myself unless I'm innsitting at a place and that's their policy. I just think then you're still losing the revenue by giving a room away another night. And the guest is generally not really happy either. Everyone still loses a little bit and I think it's better just to cut the losses altogether if you have to.
So I give rebooking my best shot. Let them know that. And then charge them if I have to..
Innkeeper To Go said:
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Wow. Never have any of them get mad? You must be some kind of guest whisperer. In seven years I've had less than a handful of cancellations I've had to charge, but some of them were still po'd. Didn't really matter how much I explained how hard I'd work to fill the room - had someone say to me how do I know you are even going to try, when it's just easier to take my money. You clearly have some amazing telephone skills. Or the most unbelievably generous guests.
.
It is a blessing, in fact, that I am something of a whisperer on the phone. Don't know how it came to be, but it is the truth.
And yes, I'm able to convince them (possibly because it's true) that I am really working for them. And no, they don't get mad.
I have never had 1 bad online review. Ever. Never had a guest who I had to charge a fee not come back another time and actually thank me for trying for them.
Really it's true.
.
Innkeeper To Go said:
Really it's true.
I'll just go to bed tonight and try to figure out why I shouldn't just hand my keys over to you, then. I've met a lot of people in the industry, including some of the most socially skilled people I know (one of which I am not) and I've never heard another innkeeper - or, sorry, innsitter - make that kind of claim. So consider me amazed. Are you really Don Farrell?
.
No need at all to apologize for calling me an innkeeper. It's what I am.
And yes, the phone thing is something that, when I first discovered it, amazed me, too. It is, as I said, a blessing. Don't know where it came from but I do have it.
 
muirford said:
Innkeeper To Go said:
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Wow. Never have any of them get mad? You must be some kind of guest whisperer. In seven years I've had less than a handful of cancellations I've had to charge, but some of them were still po'd. Didn't really matter how much I explained how hard I'd work to fill the room - had someone say to me how do I know you are even going to try, when it's just easier to take my money. You clearly have some amazing telephone skills. Or the most unbelievably generous guests.
Innkeeper to go, I was referencing muirford's statment. So I'm not sure if you were addressing me.
I was thinking of muirford's statement that a guest said ... 'how do I know you are even going to try, when it's just easier to take my money.' That to me is unreasonable and unfair.
' But I can say that I've never treated a guest as though anything they were saying was unreasonable. I just listen to them and then let them know what I can and cannot do. That works for me. Most folks just want to be heard, in my experience. ' Innkeeper to go ... Yes, people want to be heard. But, when an innkeeper tells a guest they are doing their best to fill a room, and the guest responds with the above, that is not right! How muirford responded to that comment has not been stated.
But I think the guest was being unreasonable ......... and I'm sticking to it.
 
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Basically what I tell them, whatever their reason is, that I'm going to try my best to rebook the room. And that there's every possibility that I will. I always keep waiting lists and try those first but most of the time the waiting list folks will have already booked elsewhere.
Still I try. And I let the guests know that I'm trying. I call other inns to let them know I have a room and let the guest know other innkeepers are also trying to help them.
I let them know that I will let them know at the end of the day they were supposed to arrive how successful I was.
Most of the time, in fact, I am able to rebook. When I can't, though, guests don't kick up a stink because they know I tried as hard as I could to avoid it.
I don't do the GC substitution myself unless I'm innsitting at a place and that's their policy. I just think then you're still losing the revenue by giving a room away another night. And the guest is generally not really happy either. Everyone still loses a little bit and I think it's better just to cut the losses altogether if you have to.
So I give rebooking my best shot. Let them know that. And then charge them if I have to..
Innkeeper To Go said:
Basically what I tell them, whatever their reason is, that I'm going to try my best to rebook the room. And that there's every possibility that I will. I always keep waiting lists and try those first but most of the time the waiting list folks will have already booked elsewhere.
Still I try. And I let the guests know that I'm trying. I call other inns to let them know I have a room and let the guest know other innkeepers are also trying to help them.
I let them know that I will let them know at the end of the day they were supposed to arrive how successful I was.
Most of the time, in fact, I am able to rebook. When I can't, though, guests don't kick up a stink because they know I tried as hard as I could to avoid it.
So I give rebooking my best shot. Let them know that. And then charge them if I have to.
I cannot honestly say I spent a lot of time calling around trying to fill a room and I did not make such promises. It depends on how much physical work I had to do to just to get the place ready for the upcoming check-ins and stayovers along with all the other tasks to get done. Without much staff, and sometimes with none, that was my priority.
It seems to be unreasonable for a guest to question how much someone tried to fill a room or if they really did try. ... other than calling the local chamber, the ferry service, and a few local places to say I had a room available that night and to send folks my way, I don't know what else I could have done. My best shot at filling the room was to have it ready and to take a welcomed walk-in.
I guess it depends on your area, but I often had available rooms and so did my 'neighbors' ... so a waiting list was only helpful during that elusive really busy time when we were booked up solid. Most often when I reached someone on my 'waiting list', they had booked elsewhere.
.
seashanty said:
It seems to be unreasonable for a guest to question how much someone tried to fill a room or if they really did try. ... other than calling the local chamber, the ferry service, and a few local places to say I had a room available that night and to send folks my way, I don't know what else I could have done. My best shot at filling the room was to have it ready and to take a welcomed walk-in.
That's something I don't really know about so perhaps your experience there is different from mine.
Personally, I've not had guests questioning whether I was trying to do anything. If you did, perhaps you're right that's a result of where you are.
But I've worked in a lot of places. And wherever I've been, I've had guests who believed me when I told them I was trying.
Perhaps your area was altogether different so I'm not questioning your experience at all.
But I can say that I've never treated a guest as though anything they were saying was unreasonable. I just listen to them and then let them know what I can and cannot do. That works for me. Most folks just want to be heard, in my experience.
.
Innkeeper To Go said:
But I can say that I've never treated a guest as though anything they were saying was unreasonable. I just listen to them and then let them know what I can and cannot do. That works for me. Most folks just want to be heard, in my experience.
Not me. I just went on a long road trip and stayed two nights in the kinda pricey historic Peabody on the way. At check-in, the young woman checking us in wasn't very smooth, but one of the things she said was that our daily service charge of $15 included wireless internet, local and long-distance phone calls and a daily paper. I made one brief call on the phone to my innsitter (because my cell was dead) and when we received our bill there was a charge for $35 for that phone call. I called the front desk immediately (it was like 6:30 in the morning) and the girl told me there was nothing she could do about the charge, that their policy was that only local calls were included. (BTW, we stayed at two other Marriotts along the way and their daily package included local AND long-distance calls). She stuck to her policy guns and I told her I would want the manager's name and contact information when we checked out. At my arrival at the front desk, she offered me a comp breakfast - no, we were leaving. Would half of the charge removed make me happy? No it wouldn't. She finally removed the charge, and I left. Still pissed off, still writing a letter to the manager, and still never staying there again. I really was not interested in 'being heard'.
The fact is, you can decide not to charge the cancellation fee - that's your choice. I personally would never contest one myself, but clearly not everyone thinks like me. I've still never had a chargeback, but if I run the cancellation fee I believe I probably won't ever see that guest again. I expect that's the experience of 99% of the innkeepers and innsitters out there.
 
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Basically what I tell them, whatever their reason is, that I'm going to try my best to rebook the room. And that there's every possibility that I will. I always keep waiting lists and try those first but most of the time the waiting list folks will have already booked elsewhere.
Still I try. And I let the guests know that I'm trying. I call other inns to let them know I have a room and let the guest know other innkeepers are also trying to help them.
I let them know that I will let them know at the end of the day they were supposed to arrive how successful I was.
Most of the time, in fact, I am able to rebook. When I can't, though, guests don't kick up a stink because they know I tried as hard as I could to avoid it.
I don't do the GC substitution myself unless I'm innsitting at a place and that's their policy. I just think then you're still losing the revenue by giving a room away another night. And the guest is generally not really happy either. Everyone still loses a little bit and I think it's better just to cut the losses altogether if you have to.
So I give rebooking my best shot. Let them know that. And then charge them if I have to..
Innkeeper To Go said:
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Wow. Never have any of them get mad? You must be some kind of guest whisperer. In seven years I've had less than a handful of cancellations I've had to charge, but some of them were still po'd. Didn't really matter how much I explained how hard I'd work to fill the room - had someone say to me how do I know you are even going to try, when it's just easier to take my money. You clearly have some amazing telephone skills. Or the most unbelievably generous guests.
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It is a blessing, in fact, that I am something of a whisperer on the phone. Don't know how it came to be, but it is the truth.
And yes, I'm able to convince them (possibly because it's true) that I am really working for them. And no, they don't get mad.
I have never had 1 bad online review. Ever. Never had a guest who I had to charge a fee not come back another time and actually thank me for trying for them.
Really it's true.
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Innkeeper To Go said:
Really it's true.
I'll just go to bed tonight and try to figure out why I shouldn't just hand my keys over to you, then. I've met a lot of people in the industry, including some of the most socially skilled people I know (one of which I am not) and I've never heard another innkeeper - or, sorry, innsitter - make that kind of claim. So consider me amazed. Are you really Don Farrell?
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No need at all to apologize for calling me an innkeeper. It's what I am.
And yes, the phone thing is something that, when I first discovered it, amazed me, too. It is, as I said, a blessing. Don't know where it came from but I do have it.
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Innkeeper To Go said:
No need at all to apologize for calling me an innkeeper. It's what I am.
And yes, the phone thing is something that, when I first discovered it, amazed me, too. It is, as I said, a blessing. Don't know where it came from but I do have it.
Maybe you can sell recordings to all of us that lack this talent.
 
FD, flowers in the room are nice. I would not mention anything about them keeping their reservation unless they bring it up, and you probably weren't planning to. Just be your gracious self and hopefully they will have a wonderful time and will feel it was worth it.
I had an arrangement with a few local museums for discounts for my guests, at a local restaurant the awesome owner would give my guests a complimentary dessert if they mentioned they were staying with me, and I could get ferry tickets for less for my guests if they were bought through me. Are there any little perks like that you can offer and emphasize that will help them feel special but really are available for all your wonderful guests?
 
muirford said:
Innkeeper To Go said:
FD, I always stick to my guns, too. But guests somehow walk away thinking I'm doing them a favor and don't get mad. Really.
Wow. Never have any of them get mad? You must be some kind of guest whisperer. In seven years I've had less than a handful of cancellations I've had to charge, but some of them were still po'd. Didn't really matter how much I explained how hard I'd work to fill the room - had someone say to me how do I know you are even going to try, when it's just easier to take my money. You clearly have some amazing telephone skills. Or the most unbelievably generous guests.
Innkeeper to go, I was referencing muirford's statment. So I'm not sure if you were addressing me.
I was thinking of muirford's statement that a guest said ... 'how do I know you are even going to try, when it's just easier to take my money.' That to me is unreasonable and unfair.
' But I can say that I've never treated a guest as though anything they were saying was unreasonable. I just listen to them and then let them know what I can and cannot do. That works for me. Most folks just want to be heard, in my experience. ' Innkeeper to go ... Yes, people want to be heard. But, when an innkeeper tells a guest they are doing their best to fill a room, and the guest responds with the above, that is not right! How muirford responded to that comment has not been stated.
But I think the guest was being unreasonable ......... and I'm sticking to it..
seashanty said:
I was thinking of muirford's statement that a guest said ... 'how do I know you are even going to try, when it's just easier to take my money.' That to me is unreasonable and unfair.
' But I can say that I've never treated a guest as though anything they were saying was unreasonable. I just listen to them and then let them know what I can and cannot do. That works for me. Most folks just want to be heard, in my experience. ' Innkeeper to go ... Yes, people want to be heard. But, when an innkeeper tells a guest they are doing their best to fill a room, and the guest responds with the above, that is not right! How muirford responded to that comment has not been stated.
But I think the guest was being unreasonable ......... and I'm sticking to it.
Just repeated that I would try to rebook the room - really, what else could I say? Besides saying they were being unreasonable, which clearly isn't the expert way to solve the problem. In point of fact, in that situation, I did rebook the room - one of the reasons I have had so few cancellation charges is that I often can rebook the room - but I agree with you, that potential guest was being unreasonable. And, just to be clear, if someone does cancel last minute, and they are unreasonable about the policy, even if I don't have to charge them, I don't take a reservation from them ever again. Who needs that proven aggravation?
 
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