How To: Manage No Shows with Campspot's Booking Rules

Learn which rules you can leverage to define and automate No Show reservations.

Summary:

Effectively handling No Show reservations is simplified through strategic rule implementation. Instead of guiding you through rule setup, we will highlight the essential rules to utilize, enabling your system to seamlessly respond when a No Show occurs.

What rules can help me structure an effective No Show Policy?

Each park will have a unique No Show policy. Leverage these two essential rules to structure your No Show policy effectively:

1. Payment Policy: Defines required payments for reservation confirmation.
2. Cancellation Policy: Calculates the eligible refund amount, refund fee and which Financial Accounts is designated to record Cancellation revenue.

Payment Policy Rule

Your Payment Policy Rule is a pivotal element of your reservation process. It defines the required payment structure for booking reservations and can be tailored based on:

• Active Date ranges via Date Groups
• Site Types / Add On Types
• Arrival Period
• Length of Stay

By creating a well-defined Payment Policy, you will ensure the payments taken during the booking process are treated based on your preferences. The next rule, Cancellation Policy, enables you to define "How" funds are treated based on reservation cancellations.

Cancellation Policy Rule

Your Cancellation Policy will define how the funds from your Payment Policy are used when a reservation is cancelled and if additional funds are required during the cancellation of a booking. This specialized policy also allows you to handle No Shows differently from other cancellations.

Pro Tip: While your park should have at least one standard Cancellation Policy, you may want to consider creating a separate policy designed exclusively for No Show reservations.

Cancellation Policy Rule Form

Within the Cancellation Policy Rule Form, the "If cancellation occurs after the first night of the reservation" section allows specific definition for No Show scenarios. By leveraging this section, you ensure that "non-refundable" funds do not automatically convert to Camp Credit.

No Show Fee

Do you want to track No Show Fee revenue? Track No Show Fee revenue separately by creating a Custom Financial Account.

In this scenario, you would also want to consider a separate No Show Cancellation Policy as each rule can only be mapped to one Financial and Deferred Financial Account.

Communication and Campground Policies Update:

Make sure to take time to educate your guests on your No Show policy by updating key points of contact within Campground Setup's Properties tab. Ensure that your No Show policy is clearly communicated in the following areas:

• Messaging: Confirmation Email 
• Messaging: Pre-Arrival Email
• Policies: Cancellation Policy
• Policies: Refund Policy