We hear you – canceling and declining trips can be confusing! With our latest update, things will be clearer. You’ll spend less time explaining things to us, leaving you free to focus on fishing.
What’s new?
You know how we ask you to provide a reason if you can’t accept a trip? Well, some of the reasons we used to offer were pretty vague. It wasn’t always clear for you what would happen next. At the same time, it was sometimes hard for us to know when you’d be ready for more bookings.
With our latest update, the process will be much more straightforward. If you need to cancel or decline a trip, you’ll choose from specific reasons that will reduce the back and forth around canceling.
For instance:
- “Other” and “Personal” have been removed as cancellation reasons
- “Fishing season closed” has been simplified to “Requested fish is not available”
- The reasons provided for declining trips are now more similar to those provided when canceling
Which reason should I choose?
Our data shows that, usually, cancellations with the reasons “Other” or “Personal” are due to bad weather conditions, boat issues, or scheduling conflicts. So, we’ve made these reasons more prominent so you can report your trip cancellation accurately.
Can’t take a trip because of a prior engagement?
Whether this is fishing, the dentist, or a graduation, simply choose “Already booked.”
Make sure to log all these events in your calendar so you only get bookings when you’re available!
Did something happen to your boat on the way to the dock, or is it out of the water?
In both these cases, you’d choose “Boat malfunction.”
Provide as much information as possible and we’ll process the cancellation accordingly. Don’t forget to block your calendar until you think your boat will be back in action.
Is your customer set on targeting a fish that is out of season or subject to a seasonal closure?
Then you should choose “Requested fish not available.”
If your trips are set to target specific species, we recommend making them seasonal so they only get booked when the fish is available.
You should also note that most customers will be happy to switch their focus when you explain how good the fishing can be for another species. So always make sure to check this with them before canceling.
Is it something else?
If none of the options match your situation, the most appropriate reason will probably be “Extenuating circumstances.” Situations covered by this policy include, but are not limited to:
- Serious illness
- Government-mandated obligations
- Travel restrictions
- Natural disasters
If you cancel with this reason, please provide as much detail as you can. We’ll review the cancellation manually to make sure it gets processed accurately.
Final Thoughts
We always recommend suggesting alternative dates through the change booking feature rather than canceling outright. This will help you keep your customers, grow your reputation online, and increase your realization rate and reliability score.
But we understand that sometimes, canceling is the only option. We hope this update will make doing so easier for you in the future.
Install the latest version of FishingBooker for Captains to make sure managing your bookings stays hassle-free. And as always, feel free to get in touch if you have any feedback or questions. We look forward to hearing from you!
