Payments No-Shows and Deposits
How do the enforced card/payment rules work for the auto-cancellation process?
Enforced card/payment rules will auto-cancel the booking if the customer does not supply the requirements.
To eliminate no-shows, simpleERB enforces card/payment rules. If a customer fails to meet the requirements within the designated 'due date', the system automatically cancels the booking, ensuring your diary only lists confirmed, secured reservations.
Auto-Cancellation by Booking Type
- Online Widget: Payment/card details are mandatory at the time of booking. If the process is abandoned, the provisional booking is held for 20 minutes before being auto-cancelled.
- Phone & Google Integrated: Customers receive an email with a secure link to provide payment/card details by a specific 'due date'.
- Same-Day (Arrival < 4 hours): Auto-cancellation is disabled due to the short window.
- Same-Day (Arrival < 24 hours): If requirements are not met, the booking is auto-cancelled 2 hours after creation.
- Advance Bookings: Cancellation is governed by your 'due date' settings. Customers receive a reminder email 1 day before the due date if it is set far in advance.
Due Date Rule Logic
For phone and Google integrated bookings, these rules determine the cancellation timing:
| Rule Setting | Cancellation Time |
|---|---|
| Payment due X days before arrival | 1 hour after the booked time |
| Payment due in X days | 1 hour after the booked time |
| Payment due by [Specific Date] | 00:00 on that date |
Important Notes
- Manager Override: You can manually override the card/payment request for phone bookings to bypass auto-cancellation.
- Post-Cancellation: If a customer tries to use the payment link after the booking has been cancelled, the link will be disabled, and they will be prompted to re-book.
- Monitoring: You can view all cancellations in the Payment Reports and the Manager’s Day Book.