cl owner-bookings fail to turn up?

I'm not a CL owner but it seems to me that there are software systems available to control bookings and take deposits.

Since you should be taking full payment before or on arrival early leavers should not be a problem. 

Hello allcsm.  As you will see from another discussion within the CL's section of Club Together, you are not alone.

If you are not already a member of the CL Owners Group, I urge you to become a member (we are now 350+ in number) and this is a very hot topic.   We are currently collating statistics on this very topic, with the hope that Club Management will help us address this issue with Members.  Please email me (tedhj@btinternet.com) with your details and I will join you to the group and show you how to record your cancellations and early departures for the report.

I assume you take the membership no. of the bookings. Have a rant at the Club and see if they can intervene or even want to intervene - simply not turning up or calling off at last minute isn't acceptable. 

You have my support for a pre-payment system since each empty pitch represents a loss of 20% of your income. I think CL users would be more amenable to a pre-payment system than would those using the large impersonal and regimented sites.

CLs are the sole raison d'être for my membership.

Sadly, it seems that there are evidently inconsiderate and selfish caravanners and motorhomers too.

Sad people with too much time on their hands book every weekend away early season for the rest of the Year, never intending to turn up to half of them " but it's there if we wish to get away ", believe me I've heard it !

Happy caravanning.

I would be quite happy to pay in full for a CL booking. You certainly have my support and sympathy for your loss of income.

Join the CL owners group, they will have lots of advice and help about all issues, including taking bookings, deposits, payments, refunds. Customers come in different disguises, some are genuine, do a lot of research about where to stay, what to expect. Others, hopefully are in the minority! What is your CL called by the way? Good chance to advertise it via the forum and this thread? Al the best....

I agree

You are quite correct, there are a number of booking systems available.  Some a free to use, others cost around £10-£20 a month.  We have implemented one and the number of 'No Shows' certainly declined.  The systems typically allow a member to see availability, book and receive a reminder with directions etc. a few days in advance.  Some take deposits via PayPal etc.    

Aside from the issue that many members don't like booking online, the issue is twofold if one implements such a system (as we have);

Even with a system in place and deposits requested for bookings you still get Members who cancel due to breakdown, illness, etc. this is inevitable with the demographics of the Membership and will never be eliminated. Automated systems and an email record of bookings should (in theory) reduce the number who simply forget where and when they have booked (quite common) and allow the CL owner to go back to these Members and ask for some redress..  

Implementing these systems costs the CL owner in time and money, as even if the system is free, they have to check that Deposits have been received, bank them etc.  This all increases the costs of running a popular CL, should avoid muddles leading to 'overbooking' and delivering a good customer experience for the Member. 

Indoors, Are you referring to club sites?

It would be interesting to see what a CL owner with booking for both 2018 and 2019, and doesn't charge a deposit has to say on the subject.

We never book a site thinking we would cancel it but stuff does happen, which is usually outwith out control.  On that basis alone I would be happy to pay 20% non refundable deposit of the total costs but not any more. Whatever CL owners decide you must ensure its fair and equitable.  

PS I am reluctant to use pay-pal but would happily use BACs.