![online](/images/nl/37/bookonline.jpg)
The
internet has certainly simplified booking accommodation. Reservations
for rooms, meetings and events can now be made almost anywhere in the
world without the need for human intervention. Booking is quick and straightforward…
but is it always best?
Booking online usually means that you don’t make a site visit.
Whether you actually need to see the venue depends on all sorts of factors:
how far away it is, whether you’re booking overnight accommodation
or arranging an event for several delegates with particular requirements,
how quickly you need to make the reservations and your own (limited)
time, etc.
The Pros...
Some of the advantages of booking online are obvious: you can do everything
from your desk, overseas bookings are faster and simpler and often there’s
a financial incentive. Some advantages of electronic booking are less
obvious but no less useful. Webpages illustrate typical accommodation
by providing still photographs, floor plans and variable capacity charts.
Alternative room lay-outs are accessible online and give an idea of
how many people can sensibly use each arrangement.
Some venues have 360 degree webcam videos for each room, or a "walkround"
interactive tour which clients access via the internet. Once into the
booking process, sophisticated databases handle enquiries about availability
of accommodation, pricing and dates very quickly and some include pick
lists to plan lay outs and allocate rooms, etc.
Booking accommodation within Europe or North America is much simpler
online; the electronic booking form often includes a choice of languages
and frequently also a choice of the currency (£/€/$) in which
to pay the bill. Booking is usually confirmed by e-mail within seconds,
and includes a unique reservation number to be presented when checking
in. Online bookings can also be cancelled or amended electronically;
details are usually provided through the website or when the booking
is confirmed.
Once booking has been received and confirmed online hard copy communication
should follow by fax or post. The paper copy should confirm accommodation
type, price, what was included (e.g. breakfast/dinner for an overnight
stay, room size and equipment for conference bookings, etc.), dates
for which the accommodation is booked, venue address and contact details,
plus cancellation policy.
The Cons...
The main disadvantage with booking online is that it’s difficult
to negotiate anything non standard without at least a phone call. The
size, complexity and importance of the event also makes a difference.
Booking an overnight stay at the other end of the country for a colleague
at short notice is very different from organising a week-long conference
on your doorstep for several hundred delegates, months in advance. The
former is simplicity itself online; the latter almost certainly requires
one or more visits, no matter how flexible the online booking system
is.
Even though encryption programmes are very reliable, the security of
online payment still causes concern particularly as electronic booking
is impossible without including credit card details. Contrary to expectations
the bill can still be settled by cash, cheque or, if agreed in advance,
by invoice. Asking for credit card details is the venue’s way
of guaranteeing payment if the guest fails to turn up.
Hotel groups, dedicated conference centres, etc, usually handle their
own online contact with clients. Some venues, particularly smaller ones,
prefer to use an agency to handle e-bookings. Agencies inevitably have
to work with the information they themselves are supplied by the venue.
This means that there is a risk, however slight, of two different clients
– one direct to the venue by telephone, the other to the agency
online – booking the same accommodation at the same time. Typically,
the agency acknowledges the online booking to the client, but confirmation
of the booking is sent via e-mail, fax or letter from the venue.
Are you protected? |
Online bookings within the UK are covered by the Data Protection
Act 1988, the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations
2000 and the Electronic Commerce (EC Directive) Regulations
2002 – the ‘E-commerce Directive’. If booking
within Europe then you’re covered by the E-commerce
Directive plus whichever laws apply within the country of
destination. Briefly, the directive states that the website
must display the name of the business, terrestrial address,
contact information and clear details of price, terms and
conditions, etc. It should also acknowledge bookings. UK-specific
law adds that clients should be informed about their right
to cancel and insists on a written confirmation of booking. |
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Booking an overnight stay or a repeat conference booking is easy and practical
online. Organising a conference from scratch depends on more than the
size and appointments of the rooms. A productive event requires efficient,
helpful and flexible staff who understand your requirements and do their
best to exceed them. Bricks and mortar you can judge from pictures; people
you need to meet.
A freelance
writer for over twenty years, Sara Goodwins has researched and
written about a multitude of different topics. She specialises
in business and education and her features are regularly published
internationally |