Picture this: it’s the day before an event and you’re doing some last-minute check-ins. Everything is good until it isn’t. You have two events booked for the same time slot and event space!
While double booking is common in the event world, it can be a big hassle when building a brand for your company. Fortunately, there are ways to avoid double bookings.
Today, let’s take a look at double booking: what you can do to avoid double booking scheduling issues, and how to resolve a dreaded double booking and keep your clients happy.
What is Double Booking?
Double booking is the term used to describe multiple reservations for the same event space at the same time. If nothing is done, two parties will show up and expect their reservation to continue as planned, in the same space.
It goes without saying that that’s impossible.
It’s also not possible to manage double booking scheduling issues without letting down at least one client – a big no-no in the event world. Your client has likely been looking forward to their event for weeks if not months. A double booking is devastating.
Double booking is often the result of ineffective event and venue management, like using multiple platforms or relying on outdated booking techniques.
Some events companies will purposely double-book clients to fill possible cancellations. However, purposefully overlapping appointments is more ineffective than effective. If clients don’t cancel, you’ll be liable for the scheduling conflicts. The double booking scheduling scheme is also going to attach itself to your brand.
Fortunately, there are ways to avoid double booking clients.
Practical Steps To Manage Event Bookings & Prevent Double Bookings
Use these practical steps to manage event bookings and prevent double bookings. This way you can treat the cause of the issue instead of managing the symptoms.
Create Booking Input Protocols
The first step to managing double bookings is controlling your events calendar. There should be clear booking input protocols in place to prevent double booking.
Let’s take a look at some effective booking protocols to prevent double booking:
- Control Access: If too many people have access to your scheduling software, you lose control of what gets booked. Limit access to the scheduling software with passwords and verification tools that only allow a select few employees to access the calendar.
- Cut Back On Software: Limit the amount of software you use. The more software you use, the higher the chance that someone will, unknowingly, double book an event space because they can’t see there is already a booking on the same time slot.
- Automatically Sync Software: If you are using multiple software options to manage bookings, ensure they sync up automatically. This will update dates across all platforms. If the software can’t sync or integrate, you’re better off trying a different system. If you have the resources, you can also install a channel manager to manage event space availability.
- One Add/Delete Option: Ensure an event can only be added or deleted from one point. Whether it be specific software or terminal, whoever is adding an event should be forced to see the event’s calendar – and note whether it’s vacant or not.
Use Event Management Software
One way to manage all the above points and your event bookings is to use event management software. Event management works as a centralized calendar, which removes much human error from the booking process. Â
Features to look for in event management software include:
- Central Calendar: A central calendar showcases all future events and leads, which helps you prevent double-booking issues as well as overbooking.
- Team Tasks: Streamline event tasks with task managers and keep all the event management checklists up to date.
- Payment Management: Manage payments from the event management software. It also makes refunding in case of a double booking much easier.
Event management software, like Perfect Venue, has the above features including email templates, analytics, AI reply, etc. All these features will help you manage bookings from one dashboard and avoid any double-booking scheduling.
Setup Booking Notifications
Lastly, in case all the above protocols weren’t enough to avoid double booking, set up booking notifications. The notifications will go off a few days before an event date. This will give you and your team enough time to catch a double booking and warn the attendees about the issues.
From there, resolve the issue with the following steps.
What To Do If You Double Booked
If you accidentally double-booked clients, don’t stress. Use these steps to resolve the double booking and accommodate your customers.
Determine the Priority Customer
One unhappy customer is easier to handle than two. To minimize the damage, determine the priority customer.
Ask yourself:
- Which booking was made first?
- What is the event type? Is it a wedding or a small family get-together?
- How much is the customer spending on the event?
- Which customer is going to bring in more revenue?
- Which one has the potential for a long-term partnership?
These questions will help pinpoint the priority customer. Once you know who it is, you can manage the fallout with the other customer and keep the priority customer’s event on the original date.
Talk To Your Clients
Honesty truly is the best policy with double bookings. Call the second customer as soon as possible and provide a genuine apology. Explain the situation to the customer and let them vent if they need to.
If you can’t get a hold of the customer, send an email and set a reminder to call them later in the day. Repeat the process.
Don’t send just a message. It’s impersonal and can negatively impact your brand image. Rather continue calling and make sure the client knows how sorry you are for the double booking.
Provide A Solution & Incentive
Now that the client is aware of the double booking, it’s up to you to provide a solution and salvage the customer relationship.
First, provide a different date or space for the event. It's important to provide a solution that lets you keep the client. This gives you time to prove your worth and retain the revenue from the client. If they accept moving the event date or location, keep in touch with the client until the day of the event and be extra attentive.
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If they don’t want to continue with your service, offer an incentive like a discount or a free event service. Keeping the client is the only way to repair your reputation with the client and protect profits. If all else fails, issue a refund with another apology.
Conclusion
While double bookings are common in the events market, it shouldn’t be the norm for you – especially when there are ways to avoid double bookings.
Manage your events calendar by creating event booking protocols, setting up notifications, and streamlining event bookings with event management software.
For the best event management software – one guaranteed to prevent double bookings – partner with Perfect Venue. Perfect Venue will help you get organized, save time, and increase sales for all your event spaces. Sign up today!
