Online Reservations and DNBAs

[sgirouard]

How do you handle this? Some one books online who happens to be on your DNBA list. Do you email/call and cancel? What do you say? The online calendar was out of date? Sorry, we can't face having you stay here again? Obviously, this isn't about the folks who WON'T come back - it's the ones who want to but aren't welcome (for whatever reason) I'm concerned with.
I haven't run into this yet, but I've read enough here about innkeepers and their DNBA lists to have it in my mind as I set up online booking.

 

[egoodell]

I don't know how i'll handle it, but I've been told to simply tell them the truth somehow. For example, the only ones I really have is the couple who got sick three times causing me to have to remake the bed three times. I don't think I would have a problem telling them that we are "not a good fit" and that they should book the Omni Hotel in town.
RIki

 

[EmptyNest]

FOr me, I would tell a white lie

" sorry I hadn't updated my on line availability when you booked. We don't have anything available for that date."
Unless you have a real specific reason as to something they did that you can tell them...I would take the easy way out.

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

FOr me, I would tell a white lie

" sorry I hadn't updated my on line availability when you booked. We don't have anything available for that date."
Unless you have a real specific reason as to something they did that you can tell them...I would take the easy way out..

It's not even a white lie if you leave off the first line and just say "sorry, we don't have anything at all available on those dates" because, for this guest anyway, there is simply nothing available.
No reason necessary.
The other alternative is to hope for the best and that they'll show better behavior this time...

 

[Morticia]

Because guests can continually go back to the calendar and see there IS availability and they may just think their first booking didn't go thru, this is an instance where a healthy spine is in order. No little white lies about 'just remembering them' that I tell to guests who think I remember everyone.
If you've done me wrong, I have not forgotten! So, call the person and explain why you cannot take them again. 'You smoked in your room, causing distress to other guests. And you continued to do so, even after you knew you were causing distress and knew you were going against the STATE policy of no smoking inside public accommodations.' (OK, now you know who's on my DNB list!)
'Your charming child ran amok in the dining room, causing breakfast to be dumped in another guest's lap. Your child may have outgrown such behavior, but I'm not over it yet.'
If it was years ago, I might give them another chance. We have one guest who comes every year, is a complete pain, but we've grown accustomed to him. He doesn't wind us up anymore.
Damages, smoking, rude behavior, whatever the reason, let them know and refer them to a hotel where they are staffed to handle these things.
If it's a personality clash, say you didn't find that there was a good match during the previous visit and you felt they were uncomfortable. 'Here's the name of another B&B (or hotel) that I think will better match your expectations. We want you to really enjoy your stay in our town.' (We just don't want you doing it at our expense!)
Plenty of guests who have not fared well with other B&B's have done fine here and vice versa.

 

[JBloggs]

I would handle it when it came up, saying what I think I would do it moot. It would not be what I would really do.

Case in point, if the couple who destroyed the sheets wants to come back? After I already charged them and sent them a photo of the damage.."Uh No, sorry I do not have a room open." There would be little discussion. me thinking they are out of their mind would happen of course.
Listen, if they are on the DNBA list they are pretty dang bad. I would like to see a DNBA try to book!

 

[JBloggs]

How to tell when someone is lying, step 1) they make multiple excuses.
When a guest calls and simply has one reason they cannot make it, then I will take them at their word, if they begin to try to justify, then they are lying.
The point being, if a DNBA calls it is not good if you discuss it too much. There is no reasoning with them, explaining, blah blah then they can look at the calendar, so what, let them. You said I do not have a room available for you. If they are booking via online knock it back, we have the button that says decline booking.

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

How to tell when someone is lying, step 1) they make multiple excuses.
When a guest calls and simply has one reason they cannot make it, then I will take them at their word, if they begin to try to justify, then they are lying.
The point being, if a DNBA calls it is not good if you discuss it too much. There is no reasoning with them, explaining, blah blah then they can look at the calendar, so what, let them. You said I do not have a room available for you. If they are booking via online knock it back, we have the button that says decline booking. .

The point being, if a DNBA calls it is not good if you discuss it too much. There is no reasoning with them, explaining, blah blah then they can look at the calendar, so what, let them. You said I do not have a room available for you. If they are booking via online knock it back, we have the button that says decline booking.

I agree. As a rule, I think honesty is always the best policy. But I just don't think opening the door to a discussion of any kind is helpful when you're dealing with blacklisted guests.
Decline the booking. Nothing available. Done.
IMHO.

 

[JBloggs]

How to tell when someone is lying, step 1) they make multiple excuses.
When a guest calls and simply has one reason they cannot make it, then I will take them at their word, if they begin to try to justify, then they are lying.
The point being, if a DNBA calls it is not good if you discuss it too much. There is no reasoning with them, explaining, blah blah then they can look at the calendar, so what, let them. You said I do not have a room available for you. If they are booking via online knock it back, we have the button that says decline booking. .

The point being, if a DNBA calls it is not good if you discuss it too much. There is no reasoning with them, explaining, blah blah then they can look at the calendar, so what, let them. You said I do not have a room available for you. If they are booking via online knock it back, we have the button that says decline booking.

I agree. As a rule, I think honesty is always the best policy. But I just don't think opening the door to a discussion of any kind is helpful when you're dealing with blacklisted guests.
Decline the booking. Nothing available. Done.
IMHO.
.

The point being, if a DNBA calls it is not good if you discuss it too much. There is no reasoning with them, explaining, blah blah then they can look at the calendar, so what, let them. You said I do not have a room available for you. If they are booking via online knock it back, we have the button that says decline booking.

I agree. As a rule, I think honesty is always the best policy. But I just don't think opening the door to a discussion of any kind is helpful when you're dealing with blacklisted guests.
Decline the booking. Nothing available. Done.
IMHO.

Yep, don't dig a hole. No room available (over phone), decline over internet. Done deal. No can or worms. You don't need to be "nice" why do innkeepers think they always need to be nice - esp to BAD GUESTS!! No rooms I am afraid. Thank you. Bye bye!

 

[Morticia]

How to tell when someone is lying, step 1) they make multiple excuses.
When a guest calls and simply has one reason they cannot make it, then I will take them at their word, if they begin to try to justify, then they are lying.
The point being, if a DNBA calls it is not good if you discuss it too much. There is no reasoning with them, explaining, blah blah then they can look at the calendar, so what, let them. You said I do not have a room available for you. If they are booking via online knock it back, we have the button that says decline booking. .

The point being, if a DNBA calls it is not good if you discuss it too much. There is no reasoning with them, explaining, blah blah then they can look at the calendar, so what, let them. You said I do not have a room available for you. If they are booking via online knock it back, we have the button that says decline booking.

I agree. As a rule, I think honesty is always the best policy. But I just don't think opening the door to a discussion of any kind is helpful when you're dealing with blacklisted guests.
Decline the booking. Nothing available. Done.
IMHO.
.

And when they rebook because they think there's been a cancellation?
I'm thinking it's easier to tell them why there are no rooms. And here's another place to try.
Not trying to reason with them, just stating the facts.

 

[JBloggs]

I am, as you can tell, a parent who does not explain, it is "do it" and there is no telling you why I am the parent, nuff said. I am the nike of parenting "just do it" and no having a pow wow over it. Again, when it comes to bad guests I feel the same. Nip it in the bud. Be cold to them, end it now... K..I.S.S. is my theory. If they call back say the same thing again. We are not talking about okay guests, these are DNBA guests. But again, let them call and I will tell you what I actually say when the time comes. I DARE that sheet trasher to call!

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

How to tell when someone is lying, step 1) they make multiple excuses.
When a guest calls and simply has one reason they cannot make it, then I will take them at their word, if they begin to try to justify, then they are lying.
The point being, if a DNBA calls it is not good if you discuss it too much. There is no reasoning with them, explaining, blah blah then they can look at the calendar, so what, let them. You said I do not have a room available for you. If they are booking via online knock it back, we have the button that says decline booking. .

The point being, if a DNBA calls it is not good if you discuss it too much. There is no reasoning with them, explaining, blah blah then they can look at the calendar, so what, let them. You said I do not have a room available for you. If they are booking via online knock it back, we have the button that says decline booking.

I agree. As a rule, I think honesty is always the best policy. But I just don't think opening the door to a discussion of any kind is helpful when you're dealing with blacklisted guests.
Decline the booking. Nothing available. Done.
IMHO.
.

And when they rebook because they think there's been a cancellation?
I'm thinking it's easier to tell them why there are no rooms. And here's another place to try.
Not trying to reason with them, just stating the facts.
.

You might be able to make that work and if it works for you, then it's a good plan.
My feeling, though, is that once you state the fact that this particular guest is not welcome and why, you've actually begun to reason with them. And if they were reasonable to begin with, they wouldn't be on the list. So opening the door is starting an unpleasant discussion that's going nowhere.
Sure, they'll try again if they're clueless enough to try the first time after whatever they did to get on the list. But that's where that decline button comes in.
I don't generally refer them to other inns because I don't want them sending their blacklisted guests to me, thank you very much. It works both ways.

 

[seashanty]

i do not know how the conversation would run.
if they are truly dnba then
'i am sorry we are unable to accommodate you' and provide them with some recommendations of other places to stay.
if you say no rooms are available, what is to prevent them from choosing different dates or trying to book repeatedly online?

 

[Breakfast Diva]

I'm with Seashanty and Morticia on this one. If they are DNBA, then be up front with them. I have had to do this once. The webervations came in, I declined it and wrote them an e-mail with the decline that said basically "it saddens me, but we can no longer accept your reservations because of "xyz". When I did this, they never responded back and I know they will never attempt to make a reservation again. In this case, they did damage and disrespected me and the room. They had been repeat guests for many years.
I have one other DNBA which will try one day to return (again repeats over several years) and I expect to repond something to the affect "I don't think we can meet your expectations". PERIOD
Being upfront gives the innkeeper the peace of mind that they won't have to deal with the situation again.