Credit card payment question for other bed and breakfast innkeepers?

Posted by Jare's Place on January 25, 2011 at 3:42pm

Hello there,

 

Recently I had my website update with a 'book now' feature.  I also set-up the payment solution with my bank.  Now I have gotten my first online booking and I am not sure where I should be charging their credit card when I get the booking or on the day my guest arrives?  Any comments welcome.

 

I would be so grateful to hear from other innkeepers to know what they think is kosher.

 

Thanks,

Jeremy @ www.jaresplace.ca

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Replies

  • Cheryl Hockaday February 19, 2011 at 8:36pm
    It totally depends upon your stated policy. We charge the first nights' stay as a deposit and the remainder upon arrival. For some regional events we charge the whole amount at booking and refund only with 30 days notice, etc. Good luck! Set the policies first, display them on your website, then proceed from there.
  • Keith Bishop February 19, 2011 at 7:02am

    Hi

    Your question is really to do with your payment policy regardless of the means of payment. We charge a 50% deposit at the time the booking is confirmed. This is spelt out at the time the booking request is made.  We aways following up a confirmed booking with a personalised email (in addition to system generated confirmation from our booking system) to which we attach a receipt for the deposit.

     

    If you haven't already got one you should also have and publish a cancellation policy.

     

    Hope this helps.

     

     

    Keith

  • Trevor Lloyd Knight February 8, 2011 at 3:48am

    Hi Jeremy,

    I am a new Tripatini member in New Zealand who with my wife have operated a B& B for the last eleven years.  Our policy with regard to credit cards is to advise our cancellation policy and ask for the card details as a guarantee of a confirmed booking but we do not make any charge on the card till the guest is departing from us at the end of their stay.   Then we ask them to present the card for processing.  This enables us to include any additional charges on the one transaction.  Whilst not the method used by all operators this system is quite common in New Zealand and seems very acceptable to our guests.

    Trevor Knight, Hot Water Beach B&B

    • Daphne Titus-Rees > Trevor Lloyd Knight July 16, 2011 at 2:08am

      Hi Trevor - we have the same system as you and find it works very well. In eleven years we've only had a couple of no-shows who had actually given us false details so we couldn't charge them, otherwise the system has worked almost perfectly for us.

       

      Daphne Titus-Rees, Daintree Valley Haven

  • Susan Poole January 29, 2011 at 7:43pm

    Hi Jared:

     

    Unless you have a written deposit policy, you cannot debit the credit card until the day the guest arrives.  What I would suggest you do is develop a policy for a minimal deposit amount (i.e. $25/night or booking, or whatever your preference is) so that you can test the credit card number.  This information should be included in terms and conditions on your web site and in the confirmation e-mail.

     

    Susan Poole, The B&B Coach

  • Jare's Place January 27, 2011 at 2:00am
    Thank you.
  • Mike Eland January 25, 2011 at 3:53pm

    Jeremy,

    You should state in your policies and procedures how you will run credit cards. I normally run the card the day of check in and have the guest sign during check in.

     

    Mike

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