The Summer of Calls

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Generic

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Ugh... 1:30AM I get a call from someone for a room.... is it available for tonight... yes, I have one (only because of a cancellation) and it's available to be booked on our website. Can we pay in cash? Well, you still have to reserve online with a CC, but yes, you can pay in cash. But I keep on repeating that this is the middle of the night.
And then the realization... they want it NOW. I call back and leave a message. They call back to tell me they found a place. What a mule!?!?! It's bad enough that you call at 1:30AM and can't simply say you want a room immediately, whereupon the answer was "NO" and I'm back to sleep... no, you have to say tonight and get me mixed up, because let's face it, it's 1:30AM and I'm really asleep!
But this summer has been like that. Calls, calls calls from people who failed to plan. And the only nights to sell are often cancellations. I have to leave the phone on for emergencies... but I hate those night calls... and this year, I'm getting them. Don't people have any shame? Any decency anymore?
I'm always tempted to call them back at 7AM in the morning and say "Oh, we missed your call.... can we help you now?" And if they don't answer... to call back every half hour!
 
We turn off the ringer at night.
Guests have the cell number. Non-guests can wait until morning.
 
No ... because from a guest's perspective, you might have a 24 hour front desk like a hotel. They aren't going to read details if they are looking for a place to stay right now. They just see the name and call. Guests would check in, after all the intro's and info, and be surprised I was working alone.
I always shut off the ringer at night and let it go to voicemail. Family and emergencies could reach me by cell. There has to be a way for you to insulate yourself.
sad_smile.gif
 
My main line for the B&B is the cell, our friends use the land line.
 
I'm with BeachHouse & Seashanty. The ringer on our land line is automatically programmed to shut off at 9pm, then turns back on at 9am. Guests are given my cell phone # at check in, and it's posted in the rooms. In the morning, I chuckle when I see all of the calls I "missed" at 11pm, 12am, etc. And yeah, I've called some of them back at 7am :D
 
I had one who called repeatedly at midnight. Finally left a message. I called back at 8am, 5am her time. It was her office number, didn't bother her a bit. Lesson learned.
 
We have a lot of this call this year as well. Any time they call after 11 pm looking for the room for that night - we are full. I am not getting out of my bed and disturbing the house. And just like you - cell is the business number/emergency number - we no longer have a landline.
 
We have a lot of this call this year as well. Any time they call after 11 pm looking for the room for that night - we are full. I am not getting out of my bed and disturbing the house. And just like you - cell is the business number/emergency number - we no longer have a landline..
Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm old fashioned (and starting to sound like my Dad), but I'm always a bit weary of dealing with small businesses that only have a cell/mobile phone number.
 
We have a lot of this call this year as well. Any time they call after 11 pm looking for the room for that night - we are full. I am not getting out of my bed and disturbing the house. And just like you - cell is the business number/emergency number - we no longer have a landline..
Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm old fashioned (and starting to sound like my Dad), but I'm always a bit weary of dealing with small businesses that only have a cell/mobile phone number.
.
Highlands John said:
Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm old fashioned (and starting to sound like my Dad), but I'm always a bit weary of dealing with small businesses that only have a cell/mobile phone number.
How does one know a business number is a mobile number? By it not being listed in the phone book?
 
We have a lot of this call this year as well. Any time they call after 11 pm looking for the room for that night - we are full. I am not getting out of my bed and disturbing the house. And just like you - cell is the business number/emergency number - we no longer have a landline..
Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm old fashioned (and starting to sound like my Dad), but I'm always a bit weary of dealing with small businesses that only have a cell/mobile phone number.
.
Highlands John said:
Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm old fashioned (and starting to sound like my Dad), but I'm always a bit weary of dealing with small businesses that only have a cell/mobile phone number.
How does one know a business number is a mobile number? By it not being listed in the phone book?
.
In the U.K. all mobile numbers start 07
 
We have a lot of this call this year as well. Any time they call after 11 pm looking for the room for that night - we are full. I am not getting out of my bed and disturbing the house. And just like you - cell is the business number/emergency number - we no longer have a landline..
Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm old fashioned (and starting to sound like my Dad), but I'm always a bit weary of dealing with small businesses that only have a cell/mobile phone number.
.
Highlands John said:
Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm old fashioned (and starting to sound like my Dad), but I'm always a bit weary of dealing with small businesses that only have a cell/mobile phone number.
How does one know a business number is a mobile number? By it not being listed in the phone book?
.
In the U.K. all mobile numbers start 07
.
Highlands John said:
In the U.K. all mobile numbers start 07
Ah, okay. I use a free Google Voice number as my inn's phone number, then I can set it to forward calls to my mobile phone, or any other phone.
 
So If many of us are moving to cell service with no landline .... I can have business calls come to my cell ... if calls are forwarded to your cell number from, say, google voice, am I correct that the business calls can't get through in the hours you specify but someone you want to hear from, calling on another number same phone, can reach you?
One place where I work gets calls at the old landline number but it's through voip via the internet and we had to get modified phone wiring to use the phones. Not sure exactly how it works and I wasn't anticipating the changeover when we switched service providers for internet and phone. So if the internet goes down, no phone service.
The property I'm renovating to sell has the old connections for landline phones but hasn't had phone service in years. So I am thinking just to cap those jacks on the wall because one is damaged and let the new owner decide if they want to connect.
 
We have a lot of this call this year as well. Any time they call after 11 pm looking for the room for that night - we are full. I am not getting out of my bed and disturbing the house. And just like you - cell is the business number/emergency number - we no longer have a landline..
Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm old fashioned (and starting to sound like my Dad), but I'm always a bit weary of dealing with small businesses that only have a cell/mobile phone number.
.
I have a land line (required to have DSL so I can have wifi). Now that Himself is no longer available to answer the phone when I am out, I have the house line transferred to my cell phone all the time. I would love to be able to get rid of the expense of the landline.
 
We have a lot of this call this year as well. Any time they call after 11 pm looking for the room for that night - we are full. I am not getting out of my bed and disturbing the house. And just like you - cell is the business number/emergency number - we no longer have a landline..
Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm old fashioned (and starting to sound like my Dad), but I'm always a bit weary of dealing with small businesses that only have a cell/mobile phone number.
.
I have a landline number but its connected to my cell - best of both worlds,have a BT cell and landline so no call divert charges.
 
We have a lot of this call this year as well. Any time they call after 11 pm looking for the room for that night - we are full. I am not getting out of my bed and disturbing the house. And just like you - cell is the business number/emergency number - we no longer have a landline..
Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm old fashioned (and starting to sound like my Dad), but I'm always a bit weary of dealing with small businesses that only have a cell/mobile phone number.
.
Highlands John said:
Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm old fashioned (and starting to sound like my Dad), but I'm always a bit weary of dealing with small businesses that only have a cell/mobile phone number.
How does one know a business number is a mobile number? By it not being listed in the phone book?
.
In the U.K. all mobile numbers start 07
.
In North America, there is no real way to tell if they are mobile or land line. In fact, mine is a landline number I converted to mobile service.

One of the only ways to tell is https://www.textmagic.com/free-tools/carrier-lookup
 
So If many of us are moving to cell service with no landline .... I can have business calls come to my cell ... if calls are forwarded to your cell number from, say, google voice, am I correct that the business calls can't get through in the hours you specify but someone you want to hear from, calling on another number same phone, can reach you?
One place where I work gets calls at the old landline number but it's through voip via the internet and we had to get modified phone wiring to use the phones. Not sure exactly how it works and I wasn't anticipating the changeover when we switched service providers for internet and phone. So if the internet goes down, no phone service.
The property I'm renovating to sell has the old connections for landline phones but hasn't had phone service in years. So I am thinking just to cap those jacks on the wall because one is damaged and let the new owner decide if they want to connect..
seashanty said:
if the internet goes down, no phone service.
This is why we keep the landline
 
So If many of us are moving to cell service with no landline .... I can have business calls come to my cell ... if calls are forwarded to your cell number from, say, google voice, am I correct that the business calls can't get through in the hours you specify but someone you want to hear from, calling on another number same phone, can reach you?
One place where I work gets calls at the old landline number but it's through voip via the internet and we had to get modified phone wiring to use the phones. Not sure exactly how it works and I wasn't anticipating the changeover when we switched service providers for internet and phone. So if the internet goes down, no phone service.
The property I'm renovating to sell has the old connections for landline phones but hasn't had phone service in years. So I am thinking just to cap those jacks on the wall because one is damaged and let the new owner decide if they want to connect..
seashanty said:
if the internet goes down, no phone service.
This is why we keep the landline
.
Anon Inn said:
seashanty said:
if the internet goes down, no phone service.
This is why we keep the landline
With this new service provider, the traditional 'landline' by wire is not an option. They only offer voip over the internet. Broadband phone.
 
So If many of us are moving to cell service with no landline .... I can have business calls come to my cell ... if calls are forwarded to your cell number from, say, google voice, am I correct that the business calls can't get through in the hours you specify but someone you want to hear from, calling on another number same phone, can reach you?
One place where I work gets calls at the old landline number but it's through voip via the internet and we had to get modified phone wiring to use the phones. Not sure exactly how it works and I wasn't anticipating the changeover when we switched service providers for internet and phone. So if the internet goes down, no phone service.
The property I'm renovating to sell has the old connections for landline phones but hasn't had phone service in years. So I am thinking just to cap those jacks on the wall because one is damaged and let the new owner decide if they want to connect..
seashanty said:
if the internet goes down, no phone service.
This is why we keep the landline
.
Anon Inn said:
seashanty said:
if the internet goes down, no phone service.
This is why we keep the landline
With this new service provider, the traditional 'landline' by wire is not an option. They only offer voip over the internet. Broadband phone.
.
:(
In other news, I thought of you recently when a guest removed our (freshly washed) quilted bedspread and hid it in the blanket chest. When I refreshed the room the next day and saw it was removed, I knew where I would find it after their departure, and wondered what hotel hell horror article they had read to prompt that action.
If they only knew how obsessive we can be! I purchased those spreads specifically because I can throw them in the wash with no special care needed.
I thought this year about ditching the spreads for an updated look, but they suit our 1890s house, and we had too many compliments on them at the start of the season.
Maybe next year.
 
We have a lot of this call this year as well. Any time they call after 11 pm looking for the room for that night - we are full. I am not getting out of my bed and disturbing the house. And just like you - cell is the business number/emergency number - we no longer have a landline..
Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm old fashioned (and starting to sound like my Dad), but I'm always a bit weary of dealing with small businesses that only have a cell/mobile phone number.
.
Explain why would you be weary? Looking at my number you would not have a clue if it is a landline or a mobile. When I ask my guests to text me when delayed - they are surprised that they can
 
We have a lot of this call this year as well. Any time they call after 11 pm looking for the room for that night - we are full. I am not getting out of my bed and disturbing the house. And just like you - cell is the business number/emergency number - we no longer have a landline..
Maybe it's just me, maybe I'm old fashioned (and starting to sound like my Dad), but I'm always a bit weary of dealing with small businesses that only have a cell/mobile phone number.
.
Explain why would you be weary? Looking at my number you would not have a clue if it is a landline or a mobile. When I ask my guests to text me when delayed - they are surprised that they can
.
April said:
Explain why would you be weary? Looking at my number you would not have a clue if it is a landline or a mobile. When I ask my guests to text me when delayed - they are surprised that they can
I think he meant 'leery' as in possible fly by night operation.
 
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