At DTR Travel Inc., we are always looking for better ways to provide value added services for our customers. Sharing valuable travel information and tips is just another way to keep you informed.
This Month's Tip(s) How to avoid getting bumped at a hotel.
Sometimes my clients inspire my best travel tips. I recently had a couple that were concerned about the possibility of getting bumped at their resort based on some reviews they read on a popular consumer web site. I assured them we do everything we can to minimize that happening. There are things I do behind the scenes that you are not aware of so I thought why not share one of them.
Getting bumped or as we refer to it in the industry as “getting walked” is when a hotel is oversold and upon check-in moves the guest to another hotel. Sometimes they are moved to a better hotel, similar in quality but sometimes it is to a hotel that is not the same level. Whether it is better or not is irrelevant for the perception of the guest is they are not getting what they booked and in the case of a pre paid package, they are not getting what they paid for.
Many times the people that have been walked are the ones who booked online themselves with a mass market website. Many of these sites do not have a “No Walk” clause in their agreement with the resort. This means the hotel or resort is contractually obligated to not walk a guest in an oversold situation if they have booked through that entity. Some of those entities will negotiate a lower rate but the resort will say those people will be the first to get walked if oversold.
Most of the major tour operators have negotiated a “No Walk” clause into their contracts giving us as professionals a better level of confidence our clients will not get walked. But I like to take it a step further. For my leisure clients, I always fax the hotel about 7 days prior to arrival introducing my client and any special request they might have. Even if there is not special request, I still fax the resort just to let them know they are arriving. I also include which tour operator I booked through and their confirmation number.
So why would I send an old fashion fax especially if it is costing me money for long distance charges, which are even more expensive internationally? It is my opinion, faxes get noticed where emails can be hit or miss. I also have a print out confirmation that the fax made it where I never know if an email gets read assuming it makes it at all. The other reason I send a fax is if I had to get an important document to a client staying at a resort for a signature, I would be sending it via fax. Even if they had access to email at the resort I am not sure how easy it would be to print the document. Resorts get important documents faxed to guests all the time so they are more apt to check their faxes. For me it takes more time and costs more money but knock on wood, I have never had one of my clients walked.
My other rationale of the fax is to also build and maintains a good working relationship with the staff at the resort. I know if I have a good business relationship with a resort, my clients have a better chance of not being walked. I can also tell something about the resort for the ones that respond to my faxes, are typically even more on top of things which give me even more confidence my client will have a nice stay.
This is just one of many things I do on behalf of my clients. And you thought my job was done after the booking was made, far from it!
Wishing you and your family safe journeys.
Respectfully,
David Rojahn, CTC
Owner
DTR Travel Inc.
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