27 Jun
Booking error is one of the biggest contributors to disgruntled customers, poor reviews, and loss of brand reputation. Your customers will always have many choices, therefore it’s up to you to retain your customers and get new ones. Customers do not tolerate inconvenience; a booking error usually means no more business for you from them. Besides, word of mouth travels faster with the existence of social media. In short, booking errors are bad news for the business.
One of the worst experiences a customer could go through is when they are denied a room or their reservation isn’t available in the system. Your customers are tired after their journey, the last thing they need is to be stranded without accommodation. There are many reasons for booking mismatches. One of the contributors to such booking errors is ‘Payment Issues’.
What is a ‘Payment Issue’?
Customers are often denied check-in due to payment issues. This happens when the payment is not reflected in the hotel system. Sometimes the customer is asked to present a receipt of the payment. In the meantime, the customer has to wait for a long duration. This can be a frustrating experience. What causes payment issues? Let’s take a look at a few scenarios to explain payment issues better.
Scenario 1
When the customer books a room, they make the payment to the travel agent or the travel company. There is a reconciliation period between the travel agency and supplier from where the booking is made. There is another reconciliation window between the supplier and the wholesaler or supplier and the DMC. There is also a reconciliation window between the channel manager and the hotel. Since there are so many layers involved and the reconciliation windows are different, there is a chance that the payment does not get through before the check-in date. Especially when the check-in date is closer to the booking date.
Scenario 2
The hotel industry works on virtual credit cards. Let’s say a booking was made 30 days in advance. The wholesalers issue a virtual credit card (VCC) to the hotel. On the day of the check-in, the hotel is supposed to charge the VCC. Sometimes the VCC expires or the hotel is unable to charge it. In such cases, customers are often asked to pay at the hotel directly. The customer is told that they will be reimbursed later.
In both these cases, the customer will be left with no room as the record of their payment does not exist. Such issues may seem like a hassle from the operating point of view, but customers are left with a poor experience.
That is why rePUSHTI, re-verifies payment information along with other parameters for every booking. This payment re-verification is reported back to travel companies so that by the time the customer reaches the hotel, any issues with payments are already handled expertly. They can enjoy a hassle-free hotel stay.
This is just one of the many issues that can cause booking errors. Multiple scenarios cause booking errors. All of our learning on various booking errors is published in a well-researched report ‘The State of Re-verification’. You can access this report for absolutely no charge.
And to experience how booking re-verification can help your business, Sign-up for rePUSHTI and get 20 Credits Free.
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