Interesting to see what everyone else is doing!

We haven't had much problems with no show schools (it has happened
occasionally), our problem tends to be the adult tour groups (a couple of
companies in particular) who can NEVER get their scheduling right - we've
had them show up anywhere from 1 1/2 hours early to 2 hours late...  At our
dinky site that can be a major problem, especially if we are opening the
site especially for them during our "closed" season!

Due to that, we did institute a cancellation policy that goes out as a
separate sheet with our confirmation letters and logistical instructions.
It is very short and simple and is meant to catch the attention of the tour
coordinator.  We require the following:

Group tour cancellation - 48 hrs notice, (Charge of $50 if the group doesn't
cancel)

Group "tea and cookies" tour (which includes food) - 72 hrs. notice ($75 fee
if not cancelled)

So far, we do not charge "no show" school groups - but we do truncate the
tour when they come late in order to get them out of the home "on time".

Groups are told of the policy when they schedule their tour, and the sheet
is sent with the confirmation materials.  I have only had to charge the
cancellation fee once in the two years since we instituted the policy.   I
did have one group that should have paid a fee, but wanted to reschedule the
tour (with food) - so I required that they pay the cancellation fee as a
deposit as they had "no showed" before...
I accepted a check that I held, and returned to them upon their completion
of the tour.  It worked well, and you'd better believe they were on time!!!

Melinda Gilpin

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