Moved Bookings
Standard Operating Procedure
Team function: Guest Operations / Beyonders Beyond
Description: This SOP will help any team member understand all the steps to be taken when moving a booking.
Goal:Increase the likelihood of a successful move whilst keeping guests happy
Notes: This SOP will require interaction with cross-functional team members.Please add to the FAQ’s as questions arise so we can continue to learn from each other. If you have any questions, please contact Esme.
Document last updated:
Leading Value of this SOP | ||||
Good Vibes | Coming Together | Keeping it Real | Grandma Approved | Doing It Differently |
Moving bookings is a crucial part to our business and ensuring this is done with a clear step by step process is important to make sure we don’t lose bookings whilst at the same time keeping guests as happy as possible. This process has been considered both the from a financial and guest experience/operational perspective to make sure all bases are covered | ||||
Before you start…
You must only message the guest once you have blocked the home the guest is being moved too. . This is because if not, when the guest is sent the link to the new home, they will be able to see the price for their exact dates which may be cheaper and will ask for a refund.
Only offer one home at a time .
You will need to try and ‘up-sell’ the new home.
All guests should be told about the move as soon as it is flagged on Back-Office.
How to communicate the move with the guest.
Step | Action | |
Step 1 | Please refer to the decision tree to find the ‘reason’ for the move. This will then show you which guest comm you should be using when speaking to the guest about the moved. This decision tree also shows if you need to add an additional message based on the for sale status of the old and new home. | |
Step 2 | Find the relevant canned response (listed at the end of this doc) for the reason for the move. You MUST replace the items in brackets e.g. guest name, link to new home. | |
Step 3 | You will need to try and upsell the new home by finding positive features. For example:
Please use this doc here when you do this so we can build a library. | |
Step 4. | You may also need to add an additional part to the message depending on whether they are being moved from one for sale home to another or not. Use the decision tree used earlier to decide. These messages can be found at the end of this SOP. | Example: Guest moving because the home is being offboarded + being moved from for sale home to non for sale home would receive: Offboarded Template + Moved from For-Sale to Non-For Sale |
Step 5. | If the move is under 48 hours in advance - please call the guest and follow up with the email of the above, | |
Step 6. | Check Daily to see if the guest has replied. If it gets to less than 48 hours until check-in - please call them. | |
Step 7: New Home Accepted | If the move is accepted by the guest, remove the ‘need to be moved’ with slide button in the booking. Send the guest the updated check-in information. | |
Step 8: Home Declined | If the move is declined by the guest and they request to cancel first offer a different rental if there is one available. You will need to follow the moved booking steps in back-office again. It is very important that the BO is updated at this poipnt. | |
Step 9: Guest Cancels Booking | Please CANCEL booking in Back Office in the NEW RENTAL (this is the booking which isn’t “locked by bookingsync”). If you need to reach out to the booking platform, you must maintain the reason why the guest was moved. For all bookings cancelled because of a move please contact Esme + Lee. |
Canned Responses Index
Maintenance Email
Hi (Name),
We are reaching out because unfortunately we are no longer able to host you in this home. We have had a major maintenance issue in the home that we have just been notified will take much longer than expected to repair. I’m afraid this does mean that the house will not be habitable for your stay.
The good news is that we have arranged an alternative home for you that has (find a better feature e.g. a garden, bigger bedroom, more bathrooms). Don’t worry this won’t affect the price of your stay will remain the same and there is nothing you have to do except confirm your acceptance of the new home. We’ll coordinate the details on our end and provide you with updated check-in information.
You can view the home here (insert link to home on same platform booked on). Please let us know if you have any questions and we will do our best to answer them promptly so you can make an informed decision.
We do apologies for the inconvenience caused but hope you can understand the situation.
2. Offboarded Template
Hi (Name),
We are reaching out because unfortunately, we are no longer able to host you in this home. The home’s owner has informed us that they wish to have the property back and as such we will no longer be managing the home. I’m afraid this does mean that this specific home will not be available for your stay. This happens rarely, but when it does we must comply with the owner’s wishes.
Fortunately, because we manage multiple properties in (City), we have arranged an alternative home for you that has (find a better feature e.g. a garden, bigger bedroom, more bathrooms). Don’t worry this won’t affect the price of your stay will remain the same and there is nothing you have to do except confirm your acceptance of the new home. We’ll coordinate the details on our end and provide you with updated check-in information.
You can view the home here (insert link to home on same platform booked on). Please let us know if you have any questions and we will do our best to answer them promptly so you can make an informed decision.
We do apologise for the inconvenience caused but hope you can understand the situation.
3. Technical Error Comms
Hi (Name),
We are reaching out because there has been a technical issue with your booking. The platform you booked through failed to sync with our calendar and allowed two bookings to be made for the same dates. This happens rarely, but when it does we honour the first booking made, which in this case, was not yours. We’ve been in touch with the platform to investigate why the issue occurred.
Fortunately, because we manage multiple properties in (City), we have arranged an alternative home for you that has (find a better feature e.g. a garden, bigger bedroom, more bathrooms). The price of your stay will remain the same and there is nothing you have to do except confirm your acceptance of the new home. We’ll coordinate the details on our end and provide you with updated check-in information.
You can view the home here (insert link to home on same platform booked on). Please let us know if you have any questions and we will do our best to answer them promptly so you can make an informed decision.
We do apologise for the inconvenience caused but hope you can understand the situation.
4. Generic Move Template
Hi (Name),
We are reaching out because unfortunately we are no longer able to host you in this home. This happens rarely, but when it does we’re committed to providing an alternative.
Fortunately, because we manage multiple properties in (City), we have arranged an alternative home for you that has (find a better feature e.g. a garden, bigger bedroom, more bathrooms). The price of your stay will remain the same and there is nothing you have to do except confirm your acceptance of the new home. We’ll coordinate the details on our end and provide you with updated check-in information.
You can view the home here (insert link to home on same platform booked on).
We do apologise for the inconvenience caused but hope that this is enough notice for you to adjust your plans
5. For Sale to For Sale Additional Message
Just to let you know that this new home is also for sale and will therefore also have daily cleans as discussed before.
6. Moved from For-Sale to Non-For Sale
Just to let you know that the new home is not for sale. Therefore, there will be no viewings and no daily cleans. However, you still benefit from the discounted price of the for sale homes. If you would still like daily cleans, do let us know.
7. Moved from Non-For Sale home to For Sale home.
Just to let you know, the home is currently for sale. This means that during your stay we may need to accommodate viewings, you are more than welcome to be in or out of the home when viewings take place. You do not need to do anything. we will send a housekeeper to tidy the home at 10am on all days except Sundays and check-out days. All guests must allow this free daily housekeeping service at 10am, at which time they will need to access all rooms.. Daily tidies take place whether there is a viewing booked in or not, to ensure all homes are presentable each day. Plus it means you come back to a tidy home each day!
There is almost never more than three viewings per week, there should be minimal disruptions to your stay. Viewings will require access to all rooms. In some situations there may be an early morning viewing (from 9am). In this unlikely circumstance we will compensate you with a breakfast at £20 per head (please just take a pic of your receipt for reimbursement).
We will give you as much notice as possible about viewings, very rarely there may be last minute viewings (under one hour notice). Notice will be given by message via the booking platform only - please ensure your notifications are enabled.
This is a really stunning home and we are sure you will enjoy it very much.
8. Host In Stay Comms
Hi (Name),
We are reaching out because unfortunately, we are no longer able to host you in this home. This is because the homeowner requires the use of the property due to an urgent family situation.
The good news is that we have arranged an alternative home for you that has (find a better feature e.g. a garden, bigger bedroom, more bathrooms). Don’t worry this won’t affect the price of your stay will remain the same and there is nothing you have to do except confirm your acceptance of the new home. We’ll coordinate the details on our end and provide you with updated check-in information.
You can view the home here (insert link to home on same platform booked on). Please let us know if you have any questions and we will do our best to answer them promptly so you can make an informed decision.
We do apologise for the inconvenience caused but hope you can understand the situation.
FAQ’s:
The new home is cheaper than the old home...can I have a refund?
We price our homes according to demand, just like flights, hotels, or concert tickets. When you book, the price you pay is from within a range of prices that are fair for the home, based on how many others are looking to book it for those dates. If you look at the same dates you booked, but at a time other than exactly when you booked them, the price shown may be cheaper because demand has changed. When we have to move guests for any reason, we only ever upgrade them to nicer homes, so there’s no value lost to them. So, if the home you booked becomes unavailable, the one you’re being moved to would have cost more if you had booked it on the same day as the first one. Because there’s no value lost in this process, we don’t refund moved bookings
I have questions about being in a for sale home…
Please see the for sale home SOP here.