Hello some advice on what to do if you are ever over booked. We try not to let this happen but it does happen now and again. A place up the street from us put the wrong dates into their online booking service for example and we forgot we had given some rooms to an accomodation agent. When this happens and it will I strongly advise that you pick the people to go straight away and ring them about it. I always try to head them off before they reach you as there is nothing worce than getting to you only to be told there is no room at the inn. I always find them alternative accomodation and sort it all out before I call because then you can say yes we have made a mistake or had a plumbing problem or whatever but I have found you somewhere else very close by for the same price and you just need to go to the alternative location. We are lucky as we have 4 places within 4 doors of us of an equal standard which placates a lot of people. In some cases you can't get hold of them so its a case of doing your best.

I have also been sorting out to use Booking.com as an agent. It has taken me about 3 weeks to get a straight answer out of them about their service. In case anyone else needs this information They ask for 1 free night for every 100 they sell for you this is for their area reps when they come to your area but you don't have to take them. You only have to give 14 days to terminate the contract and there is no minimum contract. Hope this helps.

A lady asked me this week for any tips on smiling at the customers when you really don't feel like it. I was a bit stumped apart from the fact that sometimes if you don't laugh you'll cry. We tend to try and think of our guests as people we really like to see (even though we havn't met yet) and are pleasantly surprised that they have arrived. Another tip is to actually practice smiling and laughing. (I know this sounds bonkers) but laughing is actually a learned behaviour so you have to get your self into the habit of smiling and being happy. As we all know there are times when you just want to bang your head on the nearest hard surface. (I got over booked by 4 and believe me I was not smiling!) but Ive sorted out all the people and everything is back on an even keal so you get there. I am lucky to have a good relationship with my neighbours. I think one of the most valuable skills to have in customer service is the ability to laugh at yourself.

Also one of the reasons I havn't been blogging as much is I have been trying out direct mailing. Where I am is a conference town so I have been looking at the conference web sites getting a list of exhibitors and then searching them out on the internet and emailing them direct. So far I have been successful. This method cost nothing except your time rescearching and for one conference I did 8 hours rescearch and mailing and filled my entire place and my neighbour up the street as well so I feel the effort as regards the pay back was worth it.

Well have been on a really good course titled Confident Communications. I was a bit gutted because it was supposed to be held in my home town but that session was cancelled so I went to the one in Hawes (a good hour and 1/2 drive away) The main thrust of the course was about using all means of communication to contact your potential customers for example You Tube which is not a form I had ever considered before. Met some really nice people and had a free lunch. The teacher showed us how to make a slide show on Windows Movie Maker and then you can upload it to You Tube. The main thrust is to use every avenue avaliable to you to promote your business and to find ways of using areas which you hadn't even considered would be usefull such as Facebook or Twitter.