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How is an optional reservation confirmed without credit card?

Ethros
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Am I crazy to think the current SOP for optional reservations in MEWS does not make sense?

 

Currently:

  1. FD: Manually create Optional Reservation
  2. MEWS: Optional Reservation Email sent
  3. GUEST: clicks on email and then “Confirms”
  4. MEWS: Reservation Confirmed
  5. MEWS: “Reservation Confirmation” automatically sent to guest which contains link to “Online check-in”
  6. FD: Requests Guest to check-in online (even though stay date could be months in advance) so that credit card details are taken
  7. GUEST: Checks in Online (hopefully!) and enters CC info
  8. FD: We can charge the reservation
That Step 6 winds up being very confusing and frustrating for guests. As they don’t understand why their reservation is not confirmed after they get a confirmation email.
 
Isn’t it the card information that confirms the reservation?  
Isn’t a reservation without payment information is fundamentally not confirmed?
 
Am I wrong on this?
Thanks!
Ethan
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Best answer by Mick 30 January 2023, 01:04

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Mick
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Hi @Ethros, 

In what scenarios would you take an optional reservation? 

When creating a reservation confirmed or optional, our policy is to take the credit card at the time of reservation, this way we always have the card to rely on.

The online check-in process is good as it has the guest confirm the card which allows the automatic settlement rules kick in, however in the event the guest does not complete the online check-in, we have the card & can charge manually. 

Regards

Mick Vazquez | Let's connect: www.linkedin.com/in/mickvazquez
MatthiasH
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Hi @Ethros ,

I completely agree with you.

If a guest would confirm an optional booking, he/she should be required to provide a credit card to secure the booking.

 

@Mick : it’s indeed possible to store the card manually. However, as you mention, this is an extra manual task. When the guest adds their card via the online check-in or in a perfect world when confirming his optional booking, the autmatic settlement does work. I think mews should investigate to implement the same process here as when they ask the card during the reservation process during in the booking engine.

Tech savvy hospitality enthusiast who is excited about the future of hospitality
Ethros
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Thanks for sanity checking me @MatthiasH 

@Mick your question “n what scenarios would you take an optional reservation?”

 

leads me to believe you are from a big hotel background?  Where you refer people to a website?
 

At our smaller independent hotel, you take an optional reservation anytime you answer an email or telephone request. We try to push to the WBE on our site - however many guests want to go the old fashioned way. 
 

the guest gives their dates and details and you send them a quote - creating the optional reservation. 
 

They then need to secure it with a credit card. 
 

 

MatthiasH
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@Ethros, That is indeed the case for us too as we are small upscale hotel.

Optional reservations are also used at occasions where we have only very limited availability left. So if guests want to book 2 rooms but first want to recheck the prices and dates with their friends or family, we can then use an optional booking to secure those very last rooms for a limited time.

Tech savvy hospitality enthusiast who is excited about the future of hospitality
R
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Am I crazy to think the current SOP for optional reservations in MEWS does not make sense?

 

Currently:

  1. FD: Manually create Optional Reservation
  2. MEWS: Optional Reservation Email sent
  3. GUEST: clicks on email and then “Confirms”
  4. MEWS: Reservation Confirmed
  5. MEWS: “Reservation Confirmation” automatically sent to guest which contains link to “Online check-in”
  6. FD: Requests Guest to check-in online (even though stay date could be months in advance) so that credit card details are taken
  7. GUEST: Checks in Online (hopefully!) and enters CC info
  8. FD: We can charge the reservation
That Step 6 winds up being very confusing and frustrating for guests. As they don’t understand why their reservation is not confirmed after they get a confirmation email.
 
Isn’t it the card information that confirms the reservation?  
Isn’t a reservation without payment information is fundamentally not confirmed?
 
Am I wrong on this?
Thanks!
Ethan

 

Hi, we totale agree! have had the same issue. this should be solved by mews. Our safty workaround is a weekly reservation report with credit card details to see if there are reservations without cc infos. 

Ethros
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How is this marked by MEWS as solved ??

@Mick 

 

it seems we agree it is fundamentally UNSOLVED?

Mick
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Hi @Ethros, 

You’re not far off, I have worked in mid size chains in youth accommodation with 30+ properties for a few years. 

We love when guests book direct on our website, but don’t push people to the website, if we are on the phone we take confirmed reservations, we take their CC at the time of reservation & as long as they book the flexible rate, they can cancel right up until 2pm on the day of arrival. 

I do understand why you create the optional reservations and as part of your business strategy it make sense, I found this feature request asking for the very feature you are asking, it would be worthwhile throwing some votes behind it. 
 

Thanks for sanity checking me @MatthiasH 

@Mick your question “n what scenarios would you take an optional reservation?”

 

leads me to believe you are from a big hotel background?  Where you refer people to a website?
 

At our smaller independent hotel, you take an optional reservation anytime you answer an email or telephone request. We try to push to the WBE on our site - however many guests want to go the old fashioned way. 
 

the guest gives their dates and details and you send them a quote - creating the optional reservation. 
 

They then need to secure it with a credit card. 
 

 

Regards
Mick

Mick Vazquez | Let's connect: www.linkedin.com/in/mickvazquez
Ethros
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Thanks @Mick  

 

Any interested in having credit cards required for guests to confirm their reservations -  PLEASE UPVOTE this feature request

https://feedback.mews.com/forums/918733-mews-guest-journey/suggestions/43010457-an-optional-booking-to-be-confirmed-only-with-a-cr

 

Our culture does not like giving out Credit Card info over the phone, and even less over email for obvious reasons.

This confirmation SOP is definitely on the CRITICAL level for us.

 

Sarah.Masterton-Brown
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How is this marked by MEWS as solved ??

@Mick

 

it seems we agree it is fundamentally UNSOLVED?

Hey @Ethros  Looks like that best answer was marked in error. You’re right, it’s not solved. 
I see that you’ve added your comments to the idea that @Mick  linked to - thanks Mick.
I have marked his response as best answer to close the thread as this discussion moves over to the open feature request.
So you know, we are reviewing the feature request <> community information flow to make this experience run more smoothly. 
Thanks 🙂

If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together
Ethros
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Thanks @Sarah.Masterton-Brown 

 

Question - if this is closed, does it make it harder to find for people?  I’d like to ensure that all the other hotels with the same critical issue can find this thread. 

Wouldn’t the more votes push us up the list?

Thanks!

Sarah.Masterton-Brown
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Userlevel 6
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Thanks @Sarah.Masterton-Brown 

 

Question - if this is closed, does it make it harder to find for people?  I’d like to ensure that all the other hotels with the same critical issue can find this thread. 

Wouldn’t the more votes push us up the list?

Thanks!

Hi @Ethros  This question isn’t closed as such. Mick’s answer has been marked as the best answer to your question, but this thread will still remain open for others to see and add to if they wish. 

If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together

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