Well, I did it.. forgot a guest was checking in

[Eugee]

We shop 30 miles away and there I was bellied up at the Old Country Buffet -just finished my salad bar and the cel rings (I missed the other 2 calls due to no signal) " ...This is Richard and we've been trying to check in..." (yes he was upset and it was our high $$ room for 2 days). Talk about an immediate upset stomach. I mentioned I had it incorrectly that he would be checking in later (nasty white lie) and that I would be home in 40 mins. He said he would go to dinner and then call again in an hour. If I was home he would think of coming back at that time to check in but did not feel comfy checking in without me at home.
It's a terrible feeling but after grabbing some quick groceries and rushing home he called again and checked in.. They ended up being terribly nice and I comp'd a champagne and they talked my ear off every morning.. left happy. I hate that feeling of having disgruntled guests in the house but this worked out fine. Now I can add that foobar to my list along with double booking etc... what next

 

[swirt]

Sorry to hear that, but it sounds like you handled it great and turned the whole stay into a positive one. Well done.

 

[egoodell]

Sorry to hear that, but it sounds like you handled it great and turned the whole stay into a positive one. Well done..

Good for you! I'm sure they remember the good from their stay. I have found that if you take ownership of the error as you did it creates a lot of goodwill. I'm always terrified of doing this myself.
Riki

 

[EmptyNest]

You handled it just fine..good for you. We learn our lessons the hard way sometimes:-(

 

[wendydk]

Sorry to hear that, but it sounds like you handled it great and turned the whole stay into a positive one. Well done..

Good for you! I'm sure they remember the good from their stay. I have found that if you take ownership of the error as you did it creates a lot of goodwill. I'm always terrified of doing this myself.
Riki
.

Our very first year in business, I went downstate to a baby shower overnight, and left D. in charge. When he went to bed, he turned the deadlock on the front door. Come to find out, guests with severe allergies had an episode at dinner and spent most of the night at the hospital. When they got back at 3am, they couldn't get in. They were in the first floor guest room and everyone else was upstairs with the A/C units running. They knocked on every door, rang the old-fashioned doorbells, threw pebbles at the windows, and nothing. Finally gave up, went into town and got a motel room!
They came in the morning at 15 minutes before breakfast, and D. still didn't realize what had happened. When he woke up and saw their car gone, he assumed they left early. He was rightly mortified when they told him what had happened. He called me at the B&B I was staying at (panicky), told me what had happened and asked me what to do. I could not BELIEVE it...to make matter worse, I was four hours away. I told him to comp that night, AND I would send them a GC for another free stay when I got home.
Thankfully, they are the most wonderful people....took us to a wonderful dinner the next year when they used their GC, and were just here this week (checked out Sunday) for their seventh stay. A three day weekend after Labor Day, every year like clockwork. We joke about it now, but it sure wasn't funny at the time.
Moral of the story? D. never touches the deadbolt, and I never leave him here alone overnight with guests.

 

[Eugee]

Wow, what a story Little Blue, from the looks of it though you handled that one just right and made good customers out of it.
My guest called back today to tell me where to get the everblooming Iris she spoke (Michigan bulb co) of and also to say that they would definately be coming back so a good ending after all!

 

[Breakfast Diva]

Wow, what a story Little Blue, from the looks of it though you handled that one just right and made good customers out of it.
My guest called back today to tell me where to get the everblooming Iris she spoke (Michigan bulb co) of and also to say that they would definately be coming back so a good ending after all!.

Wow, what a story Little Blue, from the looks of it though you handled that one just right and made good customers out of it.
My guest called back today to tell me where to get the everblooming Iris she spoke (Michigan bulb co) of and also to say that they would definately be coming back so a good ending after all!

You handled it well Eugee. And welcome to the "I can't believe I did that" Club!! Mine happened the first year I was an innkeeper too. Except I was 2 hours away and they were not willing to wait. I refunded their deposit and sent them a gift certificate for 2 nights. I over compensated because I felt so bad and had to think quickly during our phone conversation. I didn't have much experience at that point but you can be sure I never did it again!

 

[user 26]

sounds good.
best philosophy to have: when we mess up, we make good.

 

[MTLLodge]

You handled it just fine..good for you. We learn our lessons the hard way sometimes:-(.

You handled it just fine..good for you. We learn our lessons the hard way sometimes:-(

Lets not go there! LOL

 

[wendydk]

sounds good.
best philosophy to have: when we mess up, we make good..

When an innkeeper makes a mistake, they often go overboard trying to make it right. When a guest makes a mistake or causes even a small unintended offense, some innkeepers are far less charitable, both in thought and in deed.
It seems guests are much kinder to us after our mistakes than we sometimes are to them after theirs...and they're the ones paying us to be nice.

 

[Proud Texan]

sounds good.
best philosophy to have: when we mess up, we make good..

When an innkeeper makes a mistake, they often go overboard trying to make it right. When a guest makes a mistake or causes even a small unintended offense, some innkeepers are far less charitable, both in thought and in deed.
It seems guests are much kinder to us after our mistakes than we sometimes are to them after theirs...and they're the ones paying us to be nice.
.

...and they're the ones paying us to be nice.

After they beat us down to give them a discount. You get what you give sometimes.

 

[YellowSocks]

Wow Eugee... sounds like you did just right!
Wow LB... LOL... I wouldn't trust my dh after that either!
I've sorta forgotten check-ins (whoops! look at the time!) but nothing like that. Thanks for the reminder to pay attention!
I will put in a plug for our keypad lock. If guests call me on the cell (more often that they're coming way late, rather than that they're there early) I can give the code, tell them where their room is, and ask what time they want breakfast. It really is a wonderful thing.
=)
Kk.

 

[wendydk]

sounds good.
best philosophy to have: when we mess up, we make good..

When an innkeeper makes a mistake, they often go overboard trying to make it right. When a guest makes a mistake or causes even a small unintended offense, some innkeepers are far less charitable, both in thought and in deed.
It seems guests are much kinder to us after our mistakes than we sometimes are to them after theirs...and they're the ones paying us to be nice.
.

...and they're the ones paying us to be nice.

After they beat us down to give them a discount. You get what you give sometimes.
.

You get what you give ALWAYS

 

[Proud Texan]

sounds good.
best philosophy to have: when we mess up, we make good..

When an innkeeper makes a mistake, they often go overboard trying to make it right. When a guest makes a mistake or causes even a small unintended offense, some innkeepers are far less charitable, both in thought and in deed.
It seems guests are much kinder to us after our mistakes than we sometimes are to them after theirs...and they're the ones paying us to be nice.
.

...and they're the ones paying us to be nice.

After they beat us down to give them a discount. You get what you give sometimes.
.

You get what you give ALWAYS
.

You get what you give ALWAYS

Not from the customers perspective. They have the same expectations for you even if they treat you like crap. "You're being paid to be nice"
It's true that I'm nicer to people who are nice to me, but I grit my teeth and try to be nice to those who are not. Ask DW, for me that's a Herculean task.

 

[JBloggs]

Eugee you are a fantastic innkeeper. You did well to rectify the situation (other than the white lie).

I am sure they appreciated it!
Now you will be paranoid for a while...but super duper efficient.