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Quote: Originally posted by rovers11 on 03/6/2008

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So do you really have the right to offend anybody???

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Actually, given that we still have free speech in this country, the OP has a perfect right to open a debate thread on any subject they please, wouldn't you say? Or are you  arguing that  I should not be able to comment on a thread about a certain model of tent, for example, just because I don't own that tent? Or black people in our society, because I'm white? Or just about anything I don't participate in personally?

Do Not Be Daft, as I would say to my six year old.

Quote: Originally posted by Valk_scot on 03/6/2008

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I think it boils down once again to reading the terms and conditions when booking, or asking specifically what their policy is on refunds if asked to pay fully upfront. I don't think anyone would argue against non-refundable deposits except in very extreme circumstances like death. (Yours or the campsite owners.) Deposits secure the contract from both sides.

Most non-camping holday companies won't refund except under certain limited circumstances and also most of them have exclusion clauses for "acts of God" and things like terrorism. That's where holiday insurance comes in. Perhaps the way to go, as camping holidays get more expensive, is domestic holiday insurance for both cancellation and destruction of kit?

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Probably the most sensible input of the thread                    next to mine

re campsite owners insurance due to weather - we are unable to get insurance for loss of business due to weather conditions - it's an act of god at the end of the day and they won't insure for that.  They will insure for 'issues' as a result of the weather eg: if a building getting flooded etc but not for loss of business alas.  Likewise check your house buildings insurance - we had the misfortune when I was a child of our house being struck by a thunder bolt - again insurers don't tend to insure for that caused my father to fight for years to get any sort of pay out for repairs.

Also with regard suns comment - we try and inform of adverse weather conditions however we like you are subject to inaccurate weather reports and thus can only do our best.  Personally I have stopped posting the weather report in reception as in the space of one hour we have had blazing hot sunshine, high winds and snow!!!  You have to see it to believe it.  My standard phrase to customers now is whatever is happening at sea tends to be happening here as well, although that same weather maybe be completely different 2 miles down the road!!  Hoo Hum.

Some strong opinions expressed here!

Cannot quite see how I have offended anybody?

Unless you of course offended by someone who has a different opinion to your own!!

Jakers

Can I ask you a question as a site owner?

IF Frootbat had booked a week at your site, turned up and tried to pitch, broke their tent due to adverse weather etc Would you have offered them a credit note??? bearing in mind Frootbat isn't blaming the owner just the weather and she DID try and stay. wasn't as if there was one drop of rain or she simply didn't turn up because of the weather. (and yes i realise each booking should be looked at seperately on it's own merit)

I ask you becasue we can all speculate what an owner should do, but at the end of the day we're not owners and we're not losing business on our descions.

Hi Shelldean

Personally we would have done one of two things, but she would have had to have come and seen us 'at the time', although we are a small park and don't have opening and closing hours so are slightly different to a 'staffed' park in that someone can always contact us.

Firstly, we would have either refunded the remainder of what was left to pay  - minus the deposit if you see what I mean OR

Secondly we'd have credited the entire amount for another time in the year, subject to avaliability.

We had a customer only last week who busted his tent - not due to weather just clumsyness, he had to go home so he got his money back minus his deposit - he really wanted to stay but had no way of repairing his broken tent and it was bank holiday in the evening with no where open!  Our 'reserve' tent was already in use!!

But as I say we are a small site with no staff, just me and hubby so maybe our outlook is slightly different to most.  Despite popular belief us site owners aren't all greedy monsters!!

Liz

Thanks for that info Jakers, as i said it's interesting hear a point of view from an owners side of the coin.

Would love to be able to visit you, your site looks lovely and if you're even half as nice as you come across on here, then WOW!!! Your customer service to the bloke who broke his tent is amazing. But makes sense as he'll recommend your site, as well as come back. Something Frootbat won't be doing to the other site.

And I know ALL site owners aren't greedy monsters just some. But it's the same in all walks of life, a small minority spoil it for the rest

Quote: Originally posted by Jakers on 03/6/2008

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 Our 'reserve' tent was already in use!!

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Brilliant idea having a reserve tent to loan out in emergencies. I've never heard of that before, but it's an astoundingly good bit of customer service, really.

You know reading that makes me want to come and visit your site Jakers, I clicked on your web link and it does indeed look like a lovely site that together with great customer service is a winner. I'll add it to my virtual brochure.

There's alot to be said for the smaller family run/husband & wife run sites. I know which I'll be booking in the future.

Woooooooo, I'm by no means perfect and can be as gumpy as the rest of em!  All I can say is it's always the minority that spoil it for the majority whether it is site owners, caravanners and/or campers.

Thanks for all the nice comments tho, we do try very hard and put lots of work/money/time/service into our site to make it as pleasurable experience as possible for the customer, all I can say is please please please don't tar us all with the same brush ( which is what i was trying to say on the 'other' thread!)

Look forward to seeing many of you soon.

Liz

Jakers

I think the difference you portray is you try and see things from a customer point of view as well from the business side, makes a world of difference. Must be difficult to get the right balance sometimes. Keep up the good work