Cancellations without arguments

Twenty-five pounds back, or nothing? When a customer cancels, who decides, and how do you explain it?

At most clubs, a cancellation is a phone call and a judgement. Was it enough notice? Do they get it all back? Is the court free again? Whoever answers the phone decides, a little differently each time, and the customer who was told "no" remembers that somebody else was told "yes".

This is how cancellations work at a demonstration three-site leisure business on Parsware. Every picture is the real application, with demonstration data.

The rule, written down once

A cancellation policy says how much notice a cancellation needs, and what comes back with it and without it. Courts and pitches: twenty-four hours' notice for a full refund, and nothing back later than that. Classes have their own, with two hours' notice. Each court and pitch names the policy it follows.

Cancelled with notice

Freya cancels her court for Tuesday morning, days ahead. At the desk that is one choice, Cancelled by the customer, and the booking works out the rest: it had the notice, so the refund is 100%, all £18. The court is let go at the same moment, so somebody else can book it.

Cancelled too late

Tom cancels tomorrow morning's court the night before: less than twenty-four hours. The same choice at the desk, and the rule gives nothing back. Nobody has to argue about it, because the booking shows why: the policy, when it was cancelled, and the refund.

When the club cancels

Sometimes it's the club that cancels: say a court is closed for repairs. Then the choice is Cancelled by the centre, and the refund is all of it, however short the notice. Nina's court on Saturday afternoon, cancelled the day before, comes back in full.

A no-show

And when somebody simply doesn't turn up, it's a No-show: nothing back, and the booking says so.

A member's included court goes back

Amira's Tuesday evening court is one of the four her membership includes, so she paid nothing for it. She cancels in time. There's nothing to refund, but the court goes back to her four: her membership shows none used this month.

Had she cancelled too late, or not turned up, the court would have stayed used. The same rule decides that as decides the money.

What changes for you

Every cancellation is kept, in one list: who cancelled, what the booking cost, and what went back. The desk makes one choice, the rule does the rest, and when a customer asks why, the answer is on the booking.

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