New Booking System
Comments
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Knock on the door, does that mean they make house calls JV?😱
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Erm………wasn’t the whole idea of bringing in deposits to ensure that dates would be available? To prevent those pesky thousands of block bookers from ruining everyone’s chances?
Too late now, according to Club, this is what Members wanted. 🤷♀️
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Too many cancellations is what really did it not the minority of complaints which simply helped to highlighted problems. Just in case some have not been observant this is what the Club said:
Why has the Club introduced deposits?
Back in 2018, to improve availability for all members, we changed the way we put pitches on sale to enable you to always book at least a year ahead, all year round. This new system has proven very popular, with over one million nights already booked for stays in 2022!We’ve now introduced deposits coupled with cancellation terms and conditions as the next step to improving availability. This helps address the rise in cancellations, which has been a growing problem that has increased in recent years.
In a normal year, we were seeing over 25% of all bookings being cancelled (that’s over 950,000 cancelled nights...every year!)
Of those cancelled nights, over 25% were made within four days of arrival, so it was very difficult for other members to take advantage of the newly vacant pitches.
And it wasn't just a small minority of 'block bookers' who were cancelling, almost half of all members who made a booking each year made at least one amendment or cancellation too.
As you can imagine, a lot of members all cancelling a few times a year soon added up! After reviewing the market, speaking to members and looking at other campsite providers, the best solution to reduce speculative bookings was to introduce a deposit system. This reduces the number of speculative bookings and creates more availability for members.We know plans sometimes do have to change, so if you cancel or amend your booking at least 21 days before arrival, your deposit will be fully refunded. This will give other members enough time to make a new booking and take advantage of the newly available pitch.Club members and staff have worked together to create this new approach, and we’re all confident it provides all members with more availability and an easier booking experience.
So far it appears to be working because there are plenty of pitches available after May2023 even on the popular sites.
peedee
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I appreciate that straight out of the starting blocks, it going to be a bit difficult. However, surely over time it just requires a revision of budgeting. After all currently when you turn up at site you have to pay 100% of the cost, that will be reduced to 80%.
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So far it appears to be working because there are plenty of pitches available after May2023 even on the popular sites.
peedee
Of course currently a lot of that may be frustration with the new booking process. Plus the fact that some may have booked their summer holidays elsewhere, due to the late release of July and August.
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I would not say I am confidant in CAMC's IT systems ( not that we will be testing any of their payment procedures anytime soon as we now only use CLs) , but a double charge or other problem on a credit card would be of minor inconvenience compared to on a bank account.
I also find that as it is the card provider's funds at risk, rather than mine, they tend to get things sorted out pretty quickly. 👍
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I am not sure there was a noisy minority or majority wanting deposits. What people wanted was availability which was being hampered by a high number of late cancellations as Peedee points out in his post. If you want to clamp down on speculative bookings your options are rather limited and to be really successful a deposit seems the only option. The club is just bringing itself in line with the majority of the mainstream campsite operators.
David
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No problems with paying deposit it will deter people booking unless sure of going.But the new website is not working why change it .
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It wasn't difficult to sort on our bank account KJ, I immediately added a note to the pending payment at the bank. However as the new booking site looked a bit wobbly on the first few days I cancelled the whole lot and started again which left me waiting for a refund. I feel this is quite adequate rather than sorting out credit card debits. The refund was prompt although no doubt the bank holiday intervened.
Either way I'd advise prompt checking of bank accounts and prompt actions if anything is amiss.
I was also pleased the club contacted me after sending them an email.
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Only used it once so far, and it worked like a dream.
The only negative point is that I no longer have the option of pitching on grass if I have booked a hard standing, and the sites say its too difficult to amend at local level.
Before, it was 'Standard Pitch' so I had the option of either
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For many of us the ability to be able to book a hardstanding is probably the best bit of the new system! If you used a private site you would probably have to decide on pitch surface at the time of booking, that has certainly been the case on the non Club sites I have booked this year.
Your desire to be able to swap at time of arrival might now be complicated by the slight price difference? Having said that as site staff get used to the system there might be possibilities to change providing all the grass pitches have not already been booked?
David
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And nowt was done about it!!😖
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Surely the start in the growth in cancellations can be attributed to the introduction of the 12 month ahead booking system the club introduced. So in fact the growth was indirectly one of their own making, for which all member now have to suffer with the deposits and a C**P new booking system.
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The point being missed is-to brush it away as a minor inconvenience flys in the face of your original reaction as I recall🤷🏻♂️
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