Comments on: Time for hotels to catch up with booking technology http://www.travel-rants.com/2010/02/16/lost-hotel-bookings-technology/ Sun, 29 Jan 2012 01:52:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Carol Bryant http://www.travel-rants.com/2010/02/16/lost-hotel-bookings-technology/#comment-161656 Carol Bryant Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:11:59 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=5830#comment-161656 We had the unfortunate experience of booking through Expedia only to be double charged. When we called about the double charge we were put on hold and they acted like it was not a big deal that they had run our credit card twice. When we spoke to the hotel about our experience we were told by their staff that this happens all the time and that they have many guests trying to check in who do not have a valid reservation. I would hate to think that this type of action is intentional. We had the unfortunate experience of booking through Expedia only to be double charged. When we called about the double charge we were put on hold and they acted like it was not a big deal that they had run our credit card twice. When we spoke to the hotel about our experience we were told by their staff that this happens all the time and that they have many guests trying to check in who do not have a valid reservation. I would hate to think that this type of action is intentional.

Report this comment

]]> By: Giulia http://www.travel-rants.com/2010/02/16/lost-hotel-bookings-technology/#comment-160998 Giulia Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:18:11 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=5830#comment-160998 In my opinion, what makes the difference in such cases is the behaviour of the hoteliers. Last year my friends and I booked 2 rooms in Corsica (with Booking.com, if I’m not wrong); when we arrived, they didn’t have our reservation. The reason? They had a problem with the fax machine at the moment of our booking (of course it can happen, but why haven’t you asked Booking.com to resend you the faxes??) What made me nervous was that they didn’t admit their fault, on the contrary: they tried to sell us two rooms at a (much) higher price, even if we had a copy of the confirmation! By choosing automated reservation systems, checking your booking is definitely the best solution. In my opinion, what makes the difference in such cases is the behaviour of the hoteliers.

Last year my friends and I booked 2 rooms in Corsica (with Booking.com, if I’m not wrong); when we arrived, they didn’t have our reservation. The reason? They had a problem with the fax machine at the moment of our booking (of course it can happen, but why haven’t you asked Booking.com to resend you the faxes??)

What made me nervous was that they didn’t admit their fault, on the contrary: they tried to sell us two rooms at a (much) higher price, even if we had a copy of the confirmation! By choosing automated reservation systems, checking your booking is definitely the best solution.

Report this comment

]]> By: Guido http://www.travel-rants.com/2010/02/16/lost-hotel-bookings-technology/#comment-160699 Guido Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:57:12 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=5830#comment-160699 I do operate a small hotel. I have a fax, but the fax can be out of order, even without me noticing it, because of software or hardware failures, because of a non functioning telephone line, or simply because it stores faxes in its memory because there is no paper in the machine and the fax doesn't indicate its paper hunger by screaming loud.. I have an e-mail, but I've experienced an ISP that hosts my websites and e-mail accounts that went flat out during 4 whole days during the past 3 months. I've had guests who booked on wrong dates. I've had guests who booked by telephone for the correct dates while I jotted down the wrong dates, even at one instance the wrong year..... Before the days I kept my inventory in a central place there were OTA's who opened rooms that I had closed without me noticing it. When guests arrived the rooms were occupied, or not ready for use. I've had guests making reservations and simply forgetting about them. I've had guests held up by planes, by storms by illness, by family or otherwise, for instance just unorganized and simply late ( a day or a week sometimes). It's not only the technology or the lack of technology. Hotels and Airlines that are overbooked are reacting to travelers and guests who don't plan decently and cancel at the last moment or don't cancel at all, but simply don't show... Seen that been there. Sometimes even if you double check with the hotel it goes wrong, becaus the guy or girl simply forgot to make a note or misplaced the note.. and so on and so fort. Maybe it is an idea to quote percentages for the instances all went good. Probably that is 99 and something percent. Cheers! I do operate a small hotel. I have a fax, but the fax can be out of order, even without me noticing it, because of software or hardware failures, because of a non functioning telephone line, or simply because it stores faxes in its memory because there is no paper in the machine and the fax doesn’t indicate its paper hunger by screaming loud..

I have an e-mail, but I’ve experienced an ISP that hosts my websites and e-mail accounts that went flat out during 4 whole days during the past 3 months.

I’ve had guests who booked on wrong dates.

I’ve had guests who booked by telephone for the correct dates while I jotted down the wrong dates, even at one instance the wrong year…..

Before the days I kept my inventory in a central place there were OTA’s who opened rooms that I had closed without me noticing it. When guests arrived the rooms were occupied, or not ready for use.

I’ve had guests making reservations and simply forgetting about them.

I’ve had guests held up by planes, by storms by illness, by family or otherwise, for instance just unorganized and simply late ( a day or a week sometimes).

It’s not only the technology or the lack of technology.

Hotels and Airlines that are overbooked are reacting to travelers and guests who don’t plan decently and cancel at the last moment or don’t cancel at all, but simply don’t show… Seen that been there. Sometimes even if you double check with the hotel it goes wrong, becaus the guy or girl simply forgot to make a note or misplaced the note.. and so on and so fort. Maybe it is an idea to quote percentages for the instances all went good. Probably that is 99 and something percent.

Cheers!

Report this comment

]]> By: Payam Minoofar http://www.travel-rants.com/2010/02/16/lost-hotel-bookings-technology/#comment-160612 Payam Minoofar Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:39:59 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=5830#comment-160612 It all depends on the hotel, it seems. The larger chains, of course, went digital with their systems a long time ago. With smaller operators now going digital, the problem could very well be that they don't have the technical know-how to manage the new digital systems. Maybe it's going to require the next generation of tech-savvy operators before these smaller hotels and B&Bs get it right. It all depends on the hotel, it seems. The larger chains, of course, went digital with their systems a long time ago. With smaller operators now going digital, the problem could very well be that they don’t have the technical know-how to manage the new digital systems. Maybe it’s going to require the next generation of tech-savvy operators before these smaller hotels and B&Bs get it right.

Report this comment

]]> By: Nick http://www.travel-rants.com/2010/02/16/lost-hotel-bookings-technology/#comment-160159 Nick Sat, 20 Feb 2010 12:56:29 +0000 http://www.travel-rants.com/?p=5830#comment-160159 The larger hotels use a online system where no matter who books it the room is from the system. Comments here about over booking ring true as even this way there are problems. In fact more often with this way there are problems in my experience. The online direct access system accounts for close on 70% of the market, so that leaves the smaller hotels. Why do they use agents? Because it is far cheaper to pay an agent 5-12 % on a confirmed booking than it is to pay £1000's in marketing. I am not sure that even checking with the hotel helps. We had a customer who was arriving at 5am so was charged as a no-show before they got to the hotel. As it was an overseas hotel the credit card company contacted the customer asking about the charge from the hotel. So he thought, great they taken the money for the room so I have a confirmed reservation. On arrival at the hotel they where informed that it was full, and when he commented he had been charged the hotel said they would refund it, to him and to the next 3 customers. Makes you wonder how much money the hotel makes from double selling no-shows. The larger hotels use a online system where no matter who books it the room is from the system. Comments here about over booking ring true as even this way there are problems. In fact more often with this way there are problems in my experience. The online direct access system accounts for close on 70% of the market, so that leaves the smaller hotels. Why do they use agents? Because it is far cheaper to pay an agent 5-12 % on a confirmed booking than it is to pay £1000′s in marketing.

I am not sure that even checking with the hotel helps. We had a customer who was arriving at 5am so was charged as a no-show before they got to the hotel. As it was an overseas hotel the credit card company contacted the customer asking about the charge from the hotel. So he thought, great they taken the money for the room so I have a confirmed reservation. On arrival at the hotel they where informed that it was full, and when he commented he had been charged the hotel said they would refund it, to him and to the next 3 customers. Makes you wonder how much money the hotel makes from double selling no-shows.

Report this comment

]]>