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domsmom

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In an attempt to fill my rooms I am on several websites. This gives me great visibility, however when a guest books I, of course, have to go to all the websites and take the room out of inventory. As much as I try to stay on top of this sometimes I fall short and get distracted in the process or simply forget to get to one of them.
I arrived home tonight with a fax and booking for a date I am already full. I am just curious as to how other innkeepers handle this. I have a couple options, it is for next week, so the chances of a cancellation are slim.
Thank you
 
I had the nightmare of that with Expedia one time when I was using their service. I found it to be too confusing to have bookings on two different systems so now I only allow bookings through my own website andreservation system or by telephone by at which time I enter it into the reservation system while on the phone with the guest. Everything is entered into that system including people who are same day walk ins. It has made my life a lot easier. Something you might have to do is try and contact the guest and give them their money back or if that is not an option you might have to pay for their room somewhere else.
 
We use webervations and only webervations to book. That way there is no confusion.
We only use sites that show our webervation. If I take a phone res I have to put it in myself. Thank goodness that only happens about twice a year. If people call I ask them if they are on our site right now and most of the time they say yes so tell them it would be easier for them if they just book online if they don't mind. They are fine doing that. I love it when they book online. It makes my life so much easier.
 
We only use one system as well. Too much possibiility for over bookings! I would not use anything where I could not put a link in to Webervations. We have enough trouble making sure that we have tour space for those booking the tour package.
RIki
 
Talk to another lodging in the area and see if they can take the guests. If this is Expedia, et al you are required to take the guest so you'll have to bump a guest who has a confirmed booking with you.
My opinion is that you pay any difference in the cost between staying with you and staying elsewhere, however I recently witnessed a place that paid the receiving accommodations at least $30 less than the original accommodation received for the booking and half what the receiving accommodations usually charges for a room. That was theft, in my eyes. But I wasn't on either end of the deal so I kept my mouth shut.
 
Talk to another lodging in the area and see if they can take the guests. If this is Expedia, et al you are required to take the guest so you'll have to bump a guest who has a confirmed booking with you.
My opinion is that you pay any difference in the cost between staying with you and staying elsewhere, however I recently witnessed a place that paid the receiving accommodations at least $30 less than the original accommodation received for the booking and half what the receiving accommodations usually charges for a room. That was theft, in my eyes. But I wasn't on either end of the deal so I kept my mouth shut..
Thank you all! I suddenly feel like I have coworkers!
 
Talk to another lodging in the area and see if they can take the guests. If this is Expedia, et al you are required to take the guest so you'll have to bump a guest who has a confirmed booking with you.
My opinion is that you pay any difference in the cost between staying with you and staying elsewhere, however I recently witnessed a place that paid the receiving accommodations at least $30 less than the original accommodation received for the booking and half what the receiving accommodations usually charges for a room. That was theft, in my eyes. But I wasn't on either end of the deal so I kept my mouth shut..
Thank you all! I suddenly feel like I have coworkers!
.
allnationsbnb said:
Thank you all! I suddenly feel like I have coworkers!
And not the kind that will steal your lunch out of the fridge and leave coffee spills all over the break room. You also don't know if we're clipping our toenails or smacking our gum or listening to the same CD over and over again. All the perks, none of the hassles!
 
Whatever online system you use should be used everywhere you are listed. I use Webervations - for now anyway - and it takes the rooms out of inventory immediately. If I take a phone reservation, as soon as I hang up, I block the room in Webervations.
 
I use 3 online systems and over the phone but you have to be fast and careful. I have only been over booked once in 5 years and that was due to my mum giving rooms to an agency and then forgeting about it (in her defence it was only 1 month after she had a stroke which has affected her memory) It was for a conference so I seeing we had no bookings worked really hard to fill all our rooms and got 12 rooms filled for 3 nights when the agency sent their final update that they had sold 3 rooms! but they won't give you any of the customers details till the day before they arrive so I booked out 3 rooms and they were fine as I found them rooms in a really nice place 15 yards away for the same price. I also sent little welcome packages but I was gutted as they were for more money and more nights plus we had to pay commission to the agency. I am also looking at buying a netbook computer to keep on top of it all or one of those mobiles with all the bells and whistles.
 
Talk to another lodging in the area and see if they can take the guests. If this is Expedia, et al you are required to take the guest so you'll have to bump a guest who has a confirmed booking with you.
My opinion is that you pay any difference in the cost between staying with you and staying elsewhere, however I recently witnessed a place that paid the receiving accommodations at least $30 less than the original accommodation received for the booking and half what the receiving accommodations usually charges for a room. That was theft, in my eyes. But I wasn't on either end of the deal so I kept my mouth shut..
Thank you all! I suddenly feel like I have coworkers!
.
allnationsbnb said:
Thank you all! I suddenly feel like I have coworkers!
And not the kind that will steal your lunch out of the fridge and leave coffee spills all over the break room. You also don't know if we're clipping our toenails or smacking our gum or listening to the same CD over and over again. All the perks, none of the hassles!
.
Morticia said:
allnationsbnb said:
Thank you all! I suddenly feel like I have coworkers!
And not the kind that will steal your lunch out of the fridge and leave coffee spills all over the break room. You also don't know if we're clipping our toenails or smacking our gum or listening to the same CD over and over again. All the perks, none of the hassles!
Morticia your humor is just wonderful! Love it!!!!
 
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