Why I don't do payment at check-out (an example of what goes wrong!)

[Morticia]

7 rooms last night, 2 late arrivals who still need to pay. Serving 4 tables, 2 get up to leave, 1 wants to check-out. Trying to bus tables, serve next guests, do check-out, get new coffee going. Nope. Doesn't work. But that's me...

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

But you serve an open ended breakfast time (well not OPEN, but extended). We have three rooms about to leave and all of them will pay when they leave. I prefer to have them pay after their enjoyable stay. Works for us, table is cleared (plates) Dh is in doing dishes! I am here with door open waiting for them to ramble past.
I think whatever groove you get into then that is what works for you. I only charge at check in if they are walk-ins/call ins.
Today is only 3 rooms tho, so not 7 rooms like you have.

 

[user 26]

doesn't work for me, either. there are always some who still want to pay at checkout (even though i've told them that payment is due at check-in) .... i can't handle it. one pair of girls, i was run off my feet when they checked in and they told me to put the balance on their credit card. i forgot to run it that nite, next day when the card was declined they were long gone. small balance but still ........ and of course i can't reach them. it is not worth chasing them at this point ....
no chambermaid today and i am bummed! waiting for two rooms to come down to breakfast ... have a feeling one couple is sleeping in and the other is likely to come late (language problem) but i've got to get going on the rooms when the checkouts have gone.
i think at 10, when breakfast is over, i will just leave the coffee, muffins and toast things in the breakfast room put all the rest away, and start doing what i can with flips.

 

[muirford]

Right there with you. We took two rooms' payment last night but not our group of four rooms. One room down at 8:30 on the dot, already out of here while we've been serving to the group and discussing hiking options with the second couple. No way would I want to have to run a credit card during that time.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Ya know what I actually like as a guest (but not as an innkeeper). I like it when the statement already paid is slid under my door. I think that is nice. But I don't want to manually run all the cards, so i won't do that. I have on ocassion.

 

[Morticia]

But you serve an open ended breakfast time (well not OPEN, but extended). We have three rooms about to leave and all of them will pay when they leave. I prefer to have them pay after their enjoyable stay. Works for us, table is cleared (plates) Dh is in doing dishes! I am here with door open waiting for them to ramble past.
I think whatever groove you get into then that is what works for you. I only charge at check in if they are walk-ins/call ins.
Today is only 3 rooms tho, so not 7 rooms like you have..

Yeah, these folks ate at 8 AM and were gone by 8:25.

 

[EmptyNest]

I think it varies with all of our situations. But for us. Payment at check in is stated in the policies. We do it just like at the hotel.Take the card, run it and be done. No worry about catching them as they go out the door, interrupting breakfast etc. We did have a few exceptions..these were our repeat guests who we knew well and just let them come in and do their thing. Paid at check out.

 

[Morticia]

And now the secondary issue...the OTHER late arrival room is nowhere in sight. They are here, I can hear them. But now, I have to start cleaning rooms. I will NOT be able to hear them leaving when I'm in the guest rooms. So I either have to hope they'll come looking for me or I have to sit and wait for them and be an hour behind in the cleaning.

 

[gillumhouse]

But you serve an open ended breakfast time (well not OPEN, but extended). We have three rooms about to leave and all of them will pay when they leave. I prefer to have them pay after their enjoyable stay. Works for us, table is cleared (plates) Dh is in doing dishes! I am here with door open waiting for them to ramble past.
I think whatever groove you get into then that is what works for you. I only charge at check in if they are walk-ins/call ins.
Today is only 3 rooms tho, so not 7 rooms like you have..

Yeah, these folks ate at 8 AM and were gone by 8:25.
.

I wish. We were supposed to go out to the Welcome Center for a "doings" today and with a 8am breakfast I had hopes. They left about 10:45 so no Welcome Center this month as that is a 90 minute drive to get there. Since we usually stay until about 2 - 2:30 it is not worth it.
Instead, now that I have things put away, we will go to Morgantown and pass out flyers for the City for the car show next month - there is a car show in Morgantown today. Changing gears on the fly......

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Another reason I take payment at check out - $20 tip.

 

[EmptyNest]

Another reason I take payment at check out - $20 tip.

.

You mean they actually handed it to you??? Never had that happen! Most of the tips we got were just left on the bedside table.

 

[muirford]

Another reason I take payment at check out - $20 tip.

.

We have tip envelopes in the rooms, and housekeepers who get all the tips. That's the way we want it to work. Occasionally someone will leave it with me, especially if they need change. Good on you for getting one, though! Didya hug her?

 

[Samster]

Another reason I take payment at check out - $20 tip.

.

We have tip envelopes in the rooms, and housekeepers who get all the tips. That's the way we want it to work. Occasionally someone will leave it with me, especially if they need change. Good on you for getting one, though! Didya hug her?
.

Didya hug her?

No she hugged him....that's why she got the tip

tee hee...

 

[Morticia]

Another reason I take payment at check out - $20 tip.

.

We have tip envelopes in the rooms, and housekeepers who get all the tips. That's the way we want it to work. Occasionally someone will leave it with me, especially if they need change. Good on you for getting one, though! Didya hug her?
.

I've had tips left on the breakfast table...

 

[Samster]

We don't have as many rooms as you do & aren't nearly as busy, but payment at check-in works for us too. It's less disruptive to my routine for some reason. While I run the card, they sign the registration form agreeing to the policies and can also pop into the restroom right there. They also have all the brochures to look through plus tapes/DVDs. I think it works because I'm only steps away right inside the door in our office/den & I can still chat with them. It's just what's comfortable for me & helps me to stay organized. (such as it is...haha!)
However, I've had a couple of experienced B&B travelers that seem surprised at that & I play it by ear with them. I'll just say, "You can bring your card back to me to run when it's convenient for you." I haven't had to chase any really. Usually, they bring their card to breakfast on the day of check-out. I think this is because there must be a lot of B&Bs that accept payment at check-out or they've taken a deposit at booking & take the balance at check-out.

 

[Morticia]

We don't have as many rooms as you do & aren't nearly as busy, but payment at check-in works for us too. It's less disruptive to my routine for some reason. While I run the card, they sign the registration form agreeing to the policies and can also pop into the restroom right there. They also have all the brochures to look through plus tapes/DVDs. I think it works because I'm only steps away right inside the door in our office/den & I can still chat with them. It's just what's comfortable for me & helps me to stay organized. (such as it is...haha!)
However, I've had a couple of experienced B&B travelers that seem surprised at that & I play it by ear with them. I'll just say, "You can bring your card back to me to run when it's convenient for you." I haven't had to chase any really. Usually, they bring their card to breakfast on the day of check-out. I think this is because there must be a lot of B&Bs that accept payment at check-out or they've taken a deposit at booking & take the balance at check-out..

However, I've had a couple of experienced B&B travelers that seem surprised at that & I play it by ear with them.

I've had a few be downright nasty when I ask for their card at the door. They insist they paid me already or they never heard of such a thing as paying in advance. And the ones who insist 'you HAVE my card number on file' and then stand there refusing to get the card out of purse or wallet would annoy a saint (which I'm not). Today, after the breakfast check-out said, 'I gave you the card number when I booked online, just use that one,' and stood there, I showed her the registration form and said, 'See, I only get the last 4, I can't do much with that.' Yeesh, you'd think some people had never been out of the house before.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Another reason I take payment at check out - $20 tip.

.

You mean they actually handed it to you??? Never had that happen! Most of the tips we got were just left on the bedside table.
.

You mean they actually handed it to you??? Never had that happen! Most of the tips we got were just left on the bedside table.

I have a line on our cc recpt for gratuity. They write it in. They also leave it in the room.

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Another reason I take payment at check out - $20 tip.

.

We have tip envelopes in the rooms, and housekeepers who get all the tips. That's the way we want it to work. Occasionally someone will leave it with me, especially if they need change. Good on you for getting one, though! Didya hug her?
.

Didya hug her?

No she hugged him....that's why she got the tip

tee hee...
.

Didya hug her?

No she hugged him....that's why she got the tip

tee hee...

She walked into the room on their 22nd anniversary to a little side table with wine bucket with sparkling cider and beautiful etched champagne glasses. On the fireplace sat a lovely mixed and fragrant bouquet of flowers in glass vase.
She said to him "Wow this is quite a bed and breakfast! Then realized he had arranged this for her as a surprise and he pulled it off too! (She told me this story later) altho I did give them a card for their anniv.
So for that, he gave the $20 gratuity. It was not for cleaning their room. I am still of the same mindset as always, cleaning the room is a must, not an extra. I know I know we all talk about maids and low pay and all that. Don't tip the owners...blah blah blah.
WHY NOT!
AND...get ready - it was a self check in! (Prearranged, but still a self check in) HUGS EVERYONE HUGS

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Good job, JBJ! I was just being silling about the hugs, ya know

What everybody else gets to hug but me?

 

[JunieBJones (JBJ)]

Good job, JBJ! I was just being silling about the hugs, ya know

Plus I made $20 on the add on package, double whammy! Paid for my concert last night!