a. Booking and Reservations
The booking or reservation system should be logical
and easy. The process should leave customers feeling confident that they
actually booked the car, or reserved the hotel room they wanted, at the
price they intended to pay (confirmation screen and email). For hotel rooms,
there should be clear information regarding room taxes, amenities, and
check-out times. For cruises, there should be clear details about rerouting,
delays, and cancellation of itineraries.
Good web sites:
- List all applicable service fees and taxes on the
booking or reservation page before you commit to the process.
- Provide direct links during the booking or
reservation process to cancellation information and other important policy
pages.
- Offer alternatives if a customer's first choice is
not available.
b. Cancellations
A clear and concise cancellation policy statement
includes all of the details of canceling a reservation or booking. Any web
site that offers online booking or reservations should allow online
cancellations or changes to a reservation. And any site that offers the
functionality of online purchases of a service, such as insurance coverage,
should allow online cancellations or changes to a purchased policy.
Information on cancellations should be easily accessible from the
appropriate pages as well as from the home page, either as a direct link or
as part of a Help/FAQ section. There should be no extra fee or punitive
charge for canceling an online reservation or service. An immediate e-mail
confirmation of a cancellation should be sent.
Good web sites:
- Allow customers to cancel phone reservations
online.
- Make note of a cancellation online, in your online
account (in addition to the e-mail confirmation of a cancelled reservation
or booking).
c. Rental Agreements
A clear and concise rental policy must cover the large
array of details involved when renting a car or anything else that can be
rented. For car rentals, there should be straightforward explanations of the
more complex components, including taxes and service fees, the fuel purchase
choices, and insurance options.
Good web sites:
- Provide visual data on a rental car's carrying
capacity and other important details.
d. Online Quotes
The quote request process should be logical, fast and
easy. Customers should leave feeling confident that they were asked only for
necessary personal information required to make the quote. Some
easy-to-understand instructions in filling out the quote request form should
be available for those who require help. The online quote request process
should take advantage of the interactive nature of the web and provide a
quick response time.
Good web sites:
- Provide a list of competing quotes from other
companies.
- Offer various types of insurance (auto, home, life,
medical, for example)
See also:
