Highlands John
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2010
- Messages
- 2,070
- Reaction score
- 3
I know we've discussed this before, but I'm in the process of booking our New England trip and I'm appalled at how difficult many businesses make it to book with them. I'm not particularly singling out the US, I know it's the same when I've booked places in the UK.
Complicated web designs, unhelpful email replies and I'm getting to the point of avoiding places that use we ber avti ons.
I emailed a place that we wanted to book, their online calendar says they have a vacancy but also has a footnote saying that the calendar may not be up to date and hasn't been updated since 20th (What's the point of it if even if the room you want looks available you have to email and ask if it really is?). I emailed and said, politely, is it available, how much, how do I book. I had to wait 12 hours for a reply becuase of the time difference which tells me it's available, the price, but doesn't tell me how I book, so I've now got to wait anoher 12 hours, presumably.
I've come across two sites where the room ID in we berv ati ons doesn't match the desciption on the main site, so you've then got try and work out which room is which by clicking on the description of each. I don't like the tiny window it appears in either, but I suspect these are problems with business implementations of the system, rather than the system itself.
I'm sitting here with my credit card ready to book places, but nobody wants my money!!!! If someone with 8 years experience running a B&B and 20 years IT experience finds these sites complicated, what hope is there for your average holidaymaker.
Complicated web designs, unhelpful email replies and I'm getting to the point of avoiding places that use we ber avti ons.
I emailed a place that we wanted to book, their online calendar says they have a vacancy but also has a footnote saying that the calendar may not be up to date and hasn't been updated since 20th (What's the point of it if even if the room you want looks available you have to email and ask if it really is?). I emailed and said, politely, is it available, how much, how do I book. I had to wait 12 hours for a reply becuase of the time difference which tells me it's available, the price, but doesn't tell me how I book, so I've now got to wait anoher 12 hours, presumably.
I've come across two sites where the room ID in we berv ati ons doesn't match the desciption on the main site, so you've then got try and work out which room is which by clicking on the description of each. I don't like the tiny window it appears in either, but I suspect these are problems with business implementations of the system, rather than the system itself.
I'm sitting here with my credit card ready to book places, but nobody wants my money!!!! If someone with 8 years experience running a B&B and 20 years IT experience finds these sites complicated, what hope is there for your average holidaymaker.