No Shows

[JBloggs]

I always sent a personal confirmation letter with a bold request to please reply so that I know you have received the confirmation. If I didn't hear back right away, i always called to finalize confirmation..

I always sent a personal confirmation letter with a bold request to please reply so that I know you have received the confirmation. If I didn't hear back right away, i always called to finalize confirmation.

You can't bold or underline in Webervations.
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I think you can, I believe the custom messages will take HTML script, so you can at least get the bold.
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I think you can, I believe the custom messages will take HTML script, so you can at least get the bold.

I have not seen them take html and in fact the html confirmation I used to send out was the reason many got chewed up in spam filter, so I send the plain text straight from the webervations system now and have a better % of them getting through. ?

 

[Don Draper]

I always sent a personal confirmation letter with a bold request to please reply so that I know you have received the confirmation. If I didn't hear back right away, i always called to finalize confirmation..

I always sent a personal confirmation letter with a bold request to please reply so that I know you have received the confirmation. If I didn't hear back right away, i always called to finalize confirmation.

You can't bold or underline in Webervations.
.

I think you can, I believe the custom messages will take HTML script, so you can at least get the bold.
.

I think you can, I believe the custom messages will take HTML script, so you can at least get the bold.

I have not seen them take html and in fact the html confirmation I used to send out was the reason many got chewed up in spam filter, so I send the plain text straight from the webervations system now and have a better % of them getting through. ?
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I think I'm wrong, you can get what shows up on the web screen to be bolded but not inside the message itself that I can find...

 

[The Farmers Daughter]

We have a disclaimer on our Webervation reservations that states:
Online reservations are considered confirmed reservations.
Our cancellation policy will apply to all reservations made online.

 

[wendydk]

I have never had a noshow, or a guest say that they did not get a confirmation. I have a template that I cut and paste and send from the Inn's email via Outlook Express. I have never used the webervations version of a confirmation.

 

[JeannineIrish]

We have a disclaimer on our Webervation reservations that states:
Online reservations are considered confirmed reservations.
Our cancellation policy will apply to all reservations made online..

We have a disclaimer on our Webervation reservations that states:
Online reservations are considered confirmed reservations.
Our cancellation policy will apply to all reservations made online.

I would like to be able to come up with a solution so that this does not happen in the future. We haven't charged the guests because it really was not their fault. They never received the Reservation Confirmation so they made other plans.
Edited: Just added this verbiage to Webervations Confirmation. I put it right after "we are pleased to accept your reservation".
Please acknoweldge within 24 hours by e-mail or phone that you have received this Reservation Confirmation.

Now if I don't hear from them I will e-mail first and then call if still don't hear.

 

[Copperhead]

Another option is to request automatic notice of receipts when your guests open those emails. This is a setting that is built into all email software..

If Irish is using the Webervations software to auto send the confirmation email, then this is a mute point as there is not setting to provide confirmation of receipt from the guest. Secondly, not all email software provides receipt confirmation - mine does not.
Irish - If you are using Webersations software to send out the confirmation email directly to your guest, you may wish to reconsider this move. Many, many of my guests stated they never received their confirmation email, either by calling, emailing or just when they showed up for their reservation. This is due to the fact that Webervations emails appear to be spam by a large number of email softwares and many do not bother to check their spam and have it on auto delete at days end.
I have had a much better success rate in the message being received after doing the following:
I have the canned message (with my addtions including a request for a reply stating the email was recieved) in Webervations and then have the email sent to MY inbox. From there I forward to the guest using MYemail@myb&b.com. This does add an additional step but in the long run has saved me from having having questioning calls etc.
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If Irish is using the Webervations software to auto send the confirmation email, then this is a mute point as there is not setting to provide confirmation of receipt from the guest. Secondly, not all email software provides receipt confirmation - mine does not.
Irish - If you are using Webersations software to send out the confirmation email directly to your guest, you may wish to reconsider this move. Many, many of my guests stated they never received their confirmation email, either by calling, emailing or just when they showed up for their reservation. This is due to the fact that Webervations emails appear to be spam by a large number of email softwares and many do not bother to check their spam and have it on auto delete at days end.
I have had a much better success rate in the message being received after doing the following:
I have the canned message (with my addtions including a request for a reply stating the email was recieved) in Webervations and then have the email sent to MY inbox. From there I forward to the guest using MYemail@myb&b.com. This does add an additional step but in the long run has saved me from having having questioning calls etc.

I would think that Webervations would be able to come up with a fix for this so we as Innkeepers don't have to do double the work. Joe Blogs asks John B in another thread about this.
.

If Irish is using the Webervations software to auto send the confirmation email, then this is a mute point as there is not setting to provide confirmation of receipt from the guest. Secondly, not all email software provides receipt confirmation - mine does not.
Irish - If you are using Webersations software to send out the confirmation email directly to your guest, you may wish to reconsider this move. Many, many of my guests stated they never received their confirmation email, either by calling, emailing or just when they showed up for their reservation. This is due to the fact that Webervations emails appear to be spam by a large number of email softwares and many do not bother to check their spam and have it on auto delete at days end.
I have had a much better success rate in the message being received after doing the following:
I have the canned message (with my addtions including a request for a reply stating the email was recieved) in Webervations and then have the email sent to MY inbox. From there I forward to the guest using MYemail@myb&b.com. This does add an additional step but in the long run has saved me from having having questioning calls etc.

I would think that Webervations would be able to come up with a fix for this so we as Innkeepers don't have to do double the work. Joe Blogs asks John B in another thread about this.

Irish - The issue that Joe is addressing is the issue of miss typed email addies which is NOT the same issue that I am addressing to you. And I do not believe there is anything that can be done system wise to address this problem. Unfortunately, emails to your guests from the Webervations email system may appear as spam due to filters email systems put in place to help control spam for their customers. This is why it is better to send the confirmation from your personal email address instead, just as Catlady mentioned she did. What I do is have the confirmation from webervations sent to ME then I bold the area to reply stating the confirmation was received and send it on to the guest.

 

[user 26]

just occurred to me .... if i make a reservation some place (or try to) and don't hear back, i call. i suppose some folks just want to make the reservation and be done, don't want to wait ... so if they don't hear back they go on to the next place on their list.

 

[JBloggs]

just occurred to me .... if i make a reservation some place (or try to) and don't hear back, i call. i suppose some folks just want to make the reservation and be done, don't want to wait ... so if they don't hear back they go on to the next place on their list..

just occurred to me .... if i make a reservation some place (or try to) and don't hear back, i call. i suppose some folks just want to make the reservation and be done, don't want to wait ... so if they don't hear back they go on to the next place on their list.

a guest called for directions yesterday. they showed up with another room and she had forgotten to make the rez. She had us written down - these were part of the 'different B&B each night' for a week group on a motorcycle trip. She was adamant she had made the booking, but of course had not, and then was worried I had charged her already.
When she called I just assumed she had left the directions - part of the confirmation - at home.
The problem I have come across is the reservation says Webervations Reservation!! it does not say our Inn name, so guests are not looking for it in the spam folder, even if it is right there.

 

[Copperhead]

Since we are on the subject of Confirmation Emails, I thought to share my latest communication.
A couple of weeks ago I sent out a confirmation letter for a stay in late October. My confirmation email begins by requesting a reply to the email so I know it was received (in bold) AND since this was a reservation done over the phone, I verbally requested a reply as well. None came. So I decided to email them one more time prior to calling and stated I was sorry for the duplication but did not receive a reply email indicating the confirmation was received.
The reply came today: "I will not be staying at the YOUR PLACE in Oct. I assumed if you did not get an acknowledgment, you would cancel the reservation. I am sorry about the inconvenience."
DUH - Well, you know the saying "Assume makes an ........." Well it is 1/2 way right!
I am sure I would have a charge back if I had not emailed them and took the deposit 14 days (day of cancellation) in advance of their stay. (As stated in the confirmation).