One of the biggest mistakes I've made was just this past Friday night. My very first double booking...and on Valentine's weekend! I still feel horrible about it. We've been able to go back and figure out how it happened, but that doesn't make it any better for the couple we had to turn away. The booking happened during the time when our old computer crashed, we had the new one but RezOvation couldn't be loaded due to it's age and we were using both Webervations and transitition over to Reservation Key. Bottom line is this reservation fell through the cracks and it won't happen again.
I found alternate lodging and was prepared to also buy their dinner, but they chose to be on their own. It wasn't until they got home that they decided to tell me in an e-mail what they thought. It wasn't pleasant! Oh well, live and learn, but this one will sting for quite some time and I hope we don't get slammed on TA..
We have nightmares about doing this very thing. As a matter of fact we hold off taking bookings until we double check with each other. I am so scared of doing this!!!!!Breakfast Diva said:One of the biggest mistakes I've made was just this past Friday night. My very first double booking...and on Valentine's weekend!
One of the biggest mistakes I've made was just this past Friday night. My very first double booking...and on Valentine's weekend! I still feel horrible about it. We've been able to go back and figure out how it happened, but that doesn't make it any better for the couple we had to turn away. The booking happened during the time when our old computer crashed, we had the new one but RezOvation couldn't be loaded due to it's age and we were using both Webervations and transitition over to Reservation Key. Bottom line is this reservation fell through the cracks and it won't happen again.
I found alternate lodging and was prepared to also buy their dinner, but they chose to be on their own. It wasn't until they got home that they decided to tell me in an e-mail what they thought. It wasn't pleasant! Oh well, live and learn, but this one will sting for quite some time and I hope we don't get slammed on TA..We have nightmares about doing this very thing. As a matter of fact we hold off taking bookings until we double check with each other. I am so scared of doing this!!!!!Breakfast Diva said:One of the biggest mistakes I've made was just this past Friday night. My very first double booking...and on Valentine's weekend!
riki
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Interesting how this happens on a daily basis with hotels and they think nothing of it. When it happens to us, we're devastated!egoodell said:We have nightmares about doing this very thing. As a matter of fact we hold off taking bookings until we double check with each other. I am so scared of doing this!!!!!Breakfast Diva said:One of the biggest mistakes I've made was just this past Friday night. My very first double booking...and on Valentine's weekend!
riki
One of the biggest mistakes I've made was just this past Friday night. My very first double booking...and on Valentine's weekend! I still feel horrible about it. We've been able to go back and figure out how it happened, but that doesn't make it any better for the couple we had to turn away. The booking happened during the time when our old computer crashed, we had the new one but RezOvation couldn't be loaded due to it's age and we were using both Webervations and transitition over to Reservation Key. Bottom line is this reservation fell through the cracks and it won't happen again.
I found alternate lodging and was prepared to also buy their dinner, but they chose to be on their own. It wasn't until they got home that they decided to tell me in an e-mail what they thought. It wasn't pleasant! Oh well, live and learn, but this one will sting for quite some time and I hope we don't get slammed on TA..We have nightmares about doing this very thing. As a matter of fact we hold off taking bookings until we double check with each other. I am so scared of doing this!!!!!Breakfast Diva said:One of the biggest mistakes I've made was just this past Friday night. My very first double booking...and on Valentine's weekend!
riki
.Interesting how this happens on a daily basis with hotels and they think nothing of it. When it happens to us, we're devastated!egoodell said:We have nightmares about doing this very thing. As a matter of fact we hold off taking bookings until we double check with each other. I am so scared of doing this!!!!!Breakfast Diva said:One of the biggest mistakes I've made was just this past Friday night. My very first double booking...and on Valentine's weekend!
riki
.
It is the loss of control. It is the same feeling after being in a car crash. It takes a long time to get past it, always wondering, double checking...Breakfast Diva said:Interesting how this happens on a daily basis with hotels and they think nothing of it. When it happens to us, we're devastated!egoodell said:We have nightmares about doing this very thing. As a matter of fact we hold off taking bookings until we double check with each other. I am so scared of doing this!!!!!Breakfast Diva said:One of the biggest mistakes I've made was just this past Friday night. My very first double booking...and on Valentine's weekend!
riki
I am like that a bit to I have to steel myself to say a higher price so I can "discount" which i am not really doing if you see what I mean. it is like a silly game in a way it should just be a price and that is it. We wouldn't do it over the price of an apple in the supermarket would we? so why this thing with accommodation? where did it come from?1. Installing a very fancy jacuzzi tub which as soon as I have some money will become a shower
2. Discounting rooms ..... because of the last 2 horrible years I tend to 'automatically" offer a discount for a repeat guest / multi night / last minute res ... concerned that once that guest hangs up if I don't get the booking they won't call back (which has in fact been proved as true, people call to MAKE A BOOKING, if you don't hook them then there is a good chance they don't call back .. I don't say ALWAYS but MOST TIMES)
3. Over extending myself, this last week I booked too many lunches and dinners and had a full turn both on Sat and Sun, my other job was slow so I took on the extra and am now sick with flu and paying the price. It was actually the best thing that could have happened because it made me realize I have to start making some drastic choices, despite how fearful I am about this economy..
In re your 48-hr cancel period from the PO's, we had a slew of reservations with no info. No cc's, no phone #'s, just a name. So when they didn't show, we were totally out of luck. Couldn't even contact the guests or charge them.Here is a simple list from me as I was sorting out the "dog-towels" cupboard and wonder why I have a whole cupboard devoted to old towels that is valuable real estate at our inn.
#1) We bought the B&B and had a 48 hour cancellation period form the PO's. I had graduation weekend booked by a wedding party that cancelled the whole house booking in that 48 hours and we were left with bills to pay and no money to pay them.
#2) Trusting the PO's that they would be above board, after all they are innkeepers.
#3) Not sticking to my policies when I know I should. and...Sticking to my policies when I know I shouldn't (ie some things are not worth the hassle!)
#4) allowing the business to interferre in my life, being too tired to be a wife and mother.
#5) allowing guests to manipulate my time (I am the boss of me, this won't happen again)..
1. Installing a very fancy jacuzzi tub which as soon as I have some money will become a shower
2. Discounting rooms ..... because of the last 2 horrible years I tend to 'automatically" offer a discount for a repeat guest / multi night / last minute res ... concerned that once that guest hangs up if I don't get the booking they won't call back (which has in fact been proved as true, people call to MAKE A BOOKING, if you don't hook them then there is a good chance they don't call back .. I don't say ALWAYS but MOST TIMES)
3. Over extending myself, this last week I booked too many lunches and dinners and had a full turn both on Sat and Sun, my other job was slow so I took on the extra and am now sick with flu and paying the price. It was actually the best thing that could have happened because it made me realize I have to start making some drastic choices, despite how fearful I am about this economy..
How much cushion of money in the bank makes a HUGE different on how you deal with the every day issues of the business. Finding the courage to change your policy when the bank account is empty is difficult at best.agoodman said:1. Installing a very fancy jacuzzi tub which as soon as I have some money will become a shower
2. Discounting rooms ..... because of the last 2 horrible years I tend to 'automatically" offer a discount for a repeat guest / multi night / last minute res ... concerned that once that guest hangs up if I don't get the booking they won't call back (which has in fact been proved as true, people call to MAKE A BOOKING, if you don't hook them then there is a good chance they don't call back .. I don't say ALWAYS but MOST TIMES)
3. Over extending myself, this last week I booked too many lunches and dinners and had a full turn both on Sat and Sun, my other job was slow so I took on the extra and am now sick with flu and paying the price. It was actually the best thing that could have happened because it made me realize I have to start making some drastic choices, despite how fearful I am about this economy.
I think one of the biggest mistakes we make is hiding our light under a bushel instead of being loud and proud of what we have an are!.
This was me. But not anymore. I used to tell guests 'how easy' it was to make something. Caught myself doing it today when someone complimented me on the starter. I stopped, and because they were all repeats, I said, 'I am making myself stop telling everyone how 'easy' everything is to make. I SLAVED over this! It took me FOREVER to get it just right. I swear, it took TEN WHOLE MINUTES to put this together.' They all laughed.[email protected] said:I think one of the biggest mistakes we make is hiding our light under a bushel instead of being loud and proud of what we have an are!
With all your changes you've made, I think you're just highly motivated. It's great! And infectious!sorry i am on ultra pep talk mode it may be cos I am highly caffinated! lol.
sorry i am on ultra pep talk mode it may be cos I am highly caffinated! lol.
It's very contagious. Thanks. Even without the caffeine I'm feeling energized! I just went and replaced all the 'sliders' on the bottoms of my dining room chairs.[email protected] said:sorry i am on ultra pep talk mode it may be cos I am highly caffinated! lol
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