Is it just me? How do you handle this if you don't take a deposit?

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Don Draper

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This is the second time we have had an early departure or No Show and the credit card we have on file is declined or not valid. Thankfully we take a 50% deposit so at least we aren't left with nothing, but this is so frustrating. I have contacted the party and received no answer back yet. If you don't take a deposit at all how do you handle this when it occurs? Or is it only happening here?
 
Can you ring the card issuer? see if they will do something about it?
 
Last year we weren't taking deposits and we got hit with close to $2000 in lost rev because guests didn't show and the cards were bad. Thus, the deposits this year.
When are you taking the deposit? Right away? We do it when the cancellation policy kicks in so I at least have a week to rebook the room if the card is bad.
Glad you are at least getting half. Altho it doesn't help when you could have had the whole amount!
 
Last year we weren't taking deposits and we got hit with close to $2000 in lost rev because guests didn't show and the cards were bad. Thus, the deposits this year.
When are you taking the deposit? Right away? We do it when the cancellation policy kicks in so I at least have a week to rebook the room if the card is bad.
Glad you are at least getting half. Altho it doesn't help when you could have had the whole amount!.
Wow that is a lot of $$ to 'eat'. I am glad you changed your methods. And I am sure you are as well :)
 
We have had it happen only once in three years but I think when we go from 2 rooms to 5 we will have to do the deposit.
RIki
 
We do not charge in advance- we can not do it without card beeing present. If we do it over the phone our rates are considerably higher and in event there is a problem we are not covered. In 6 yeras we only had 2-3 "no shows" and we always charge on arrival.
 
So two days after she was to arrive, and after I left her a message, she calls to say she booked for JULY 6 and 7. Um, nope...here's your confirmation which clearly states JUNE 6 and 7! I wasn't here, she left a message so I emailed her original confirmation to her. I will not charge for the second night because we had a walk-in, but she is losing her deposit because the room sat empty the first night. We'll see how that goes over.
 
So two days after she was to arrive, and after I left her a message, she calls to say she booked for JULY 6 and 7. Um, nope...here's your confirmation which clearly states JUNE 6 and 7! I wasn't here, she left a message so I emailed her original confirmation to her. I will not charge for the second night because we had a walk-in, but she is losing her deposit because the room sat empty the first night. We'll see how that goes over..
Can you get her in Jul 6 & 7? I wouldn't think so given everything going on there that week.
 
So two days after she was to arrive, and after I left her a message, she calls to say she booked for JULY 6 and 7. Um, nope...here's your confirmation which clearly states JUNE 6 and 7! I wasn't here, she left a message so I emailed her original confirmation to her. I will not charge for the second night because we had a walk-in, but she is losing her deposit because the room sat empty the first night. We'll see how that goes over..
Can you get her in Jul 6 & 7? I wouldn't think so given everything going on there that week.
.
How's this for coincidence? Had a cancellation for the same room she booked open up for the July dates literally 2 minutes before she emailed me back. So she rebooked for July online and left a new deposit. She apologized at least.
 
So two days after she was to arrive, and after I left her a message, she calls to say she booked for JULY 6 and 7. Um, nope...here's your confirmation which clearly states JUNE 6 and 7! I wasn't here, she left a message so I emailed her original confirmation to her. I will not charge for the second night because we had a walk-in, but she is losing her deposit because the room sat empty the first night. We'll see how that goes over..
Can you get her in Jul 6 & 7? I wouldn't think so given everything going on there that week.
.
How's this for coincidence? Had a cancellation for the same room she booked open up for the July dates literally 2 minutes before she emailed me back. So she rebooked for July online and left a new deposit. She apologized at least.
.
Ah, she's one of 'those' people. You know, you're circling the parking lot for 20 minutes looking for a space and the minute she pulls in one opens up right in front of her right as you drive by it. You stand in line for 10 minutes, she comes to the check-out and a new line opens up and she's first in it. One of those people.
 
Well here we go again. This one was not a No Show, it was a cancellation less than 3 days out. Told them I would try to rebook, but was unable to. Go to run balance due this morning, and card is declined.
When people wonder why small businesses fail they can look themselves straight in the mirror. Used to be your word was your bond, these days it seems it's whatever you can get away with.
 
Well here we go again. This one was not a No Show, it was a cancellation less than 3 days out. Told them I would try to rebook, but was unable to. Go to run balance due this morning, and card is declined.
When people wonder why small businesses fail they can look themselves straight in the mirror. Used to be your word was your bond, these days it seems it's whatever you can get away with..
Don Draper said:
Well here we go again. This one was not a No Show, it was a cancellation less than 3 days out. Told them I would try to rebook, but was unable to. Go to run balance due this morning, and card is declined.
When people wonder why small businesses fail they can look themselves straight in the mirror. Used to be your word was your bond, these days it seems it's whatever you can get away with.
May be why they cancelled, no money to pay the balance! Sadly long gone are the days when your word, and sometimes a handshake, was good enough to seal a deal. When we first moved to this place in the mid 90's there was still one auto/hardwear business in the neighboring small town that kept a tab for locals, you came in and the owner would go to here index card file and mark down your payment. We were floored when they asked us if we wanted to use store credit & told us the procedure - they still do this for their regular customers but no longer offer it to new ones.
 
Well here we go again. This one was not a No Show, it was a cancellation less than 3 days out. Told them I would try to rebook, but was unable to. Go to run balance due this morning, and card is declined.
When people wonder why small businesses fail they can look themselves straight in the mirror. Used to be your word was your bond, these days it seems it's whatever you can get away with..
We have been burnt in this way what we do now is charge in full at that time with a refund if resold. It protects you then.
 
I had a cancellation just yesterday and they gave us only 7 days notice instead of 10. We already had the deposit, so I charged the second night. I almost gave in and let them go, but I'm bound and determined to stick to my guns this summer!
With the dog people 2 weeks ago and this one that just happened, I've kept $800. That's a lot of money to be out because of no fault of my own. Fortunately, this last one didn't give me grief about it.
My mantra for this summer: We have policies for a reason
 
I had a cancellation just yesterday and they gave us only 7 days notice instead of 10. We already had the deposit, so I charged the second night. I almost gave in and let them go, but I'm bound and determined to stick to my guns this summer!
With the dog people 2 weeks ago and this one that just happened, I've kept $800. That's a lot of money to be out because of no fault of my own. Fortunately, this last one didn't give me grief about it.
My mantra for this summer: We have policies for a reason.
This made me laugh, because I actually thought about not charging these people, just keeping the deposit. But dang it, we are busy this week and they held one of our best rooms for over 4 months so I went ahead and charged it...and now it got declined.
I called the issuing bank and it is a problem of not enough funds. Is it better to bill in pieces or wait and try to bill the whole thing?
 
I had a cancellation just yesterday and they gave us only 7 days notice instead of 10. We already had the deposit, so I charged the second night. I almost gave in and let them go, but I'm bound and determined to stick to my guns this summer!
With the dog people 2 weeks ago and this one that just happened, I've kept $800. That's a lot of money to be out because of no fault of my own. Fortunately, this last one didn't give me grief about it.
My mantra for this summer: We have policies for a reason.
This made me laugh, because I actually thought about not charging these people, just keeping the deposit. But dang it, we are busy this week and they held one of our best rooms for over 4 months so I went ahead and charged it...and now it got declined.
I called the issuing bank and it is a problem of not enough funds. Is it better to bill in pieces or wait and try to bill the whole thing?
.
id bill in pieces roughly around when you expect it to be their pay day!
 
I had a cancellation just yesterday and they gave us only 7 days notice instead of 10. We already had the deposit, so I charged the second night. I almost gave in and let them go, but I'm bound and determined to stick to my guns this summer!
With the dog people 2 weeks ago and this one that just happened, I've kept $800. That's a lot of money to be out because of no fault of my own. Fortunately, this last one didn't give me grief about it.
My mantra for this summer: We have policies for a reason.
This made me laugh, because I actually thought about not charging these people, just keeping the deposit. But dang it, we are busy this week and they held one of our best rooms for over 4 months so I went ahead and charged it...and now it got declined.
I called the issuing bank and it is a problem of not enough funds. Is it better to bill in pieces or wait and try to bill the whole thing?
.
I'd probably bill in pieces. Get whatever you can, when you can. And if you do end up re-renting the room, still keep the money!
 
I had a cancellation just yesterday and they gave us only 7 days notice instead of 10. We already had the deposit, so I charged the second night. I almost gave in and let them go, but I'm bound and determined to stick to my guns this summer!
With the dog people 2 weeks ago and this one that just happened, I've kept $800. That's a lot of money to be out because of no fault of my own. Fortunately, this last one didn't give me grief about it.
My mantra for this summer: We have policies for a reason.
This made me laugh, because I actually thought about not charging these people, just keeping the deposit. But dang it, we are busy this week and they held one of our best rooms for over 4 months so I went ahead and charged it...and now it got declined.
I called the issuing bank and it is a problem of not enough funds. Is it better to bill in pieces or wait and try to bill the whole thing?
.
Look back at the date/day of month you got the deposit. Quite possibly the cc will be paid down again at that point during this month.
Terribly embarrassing to us was that we were disputing a charge on our cc (charged twice for the same thing) and we missed the payment deadline. Our card was put in limbo immediately when the date for the payment was passed. We called to find out why it didn't work and the bank told us we hadn't sent the payment. This was right after our card number was stolen and we were between new card and old card. Very embarrassing.
And it doesn't take anything nowadays for your credit score to drop thru the floor and then all of your rates for everything go up immediately.
 
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