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9 hotel booking mistakes to avoid

9 hotel booking mistakes to avoid

When you decide to travel, you shouldn’t simply pack your bags and hit the road. You will require at least some level of planning to ensure that no matter where you go, you have accessibility to essentials, including a hotel room to spend a night or two. But there are several mistakes one may make when reserving a hotel room. And avoiding these nine terrible booking errors may help them find a stay suitable to their taste.

Not comparing prices
Hotels usually have their website and list themselves on third-party platforms for bookings. So when you decide to make a reservation, it is imperative to compare the rates displayed on each website. Sometimes you may find a huge margin difference, which may help you save a significant sum during your stay.

Paying for individual services
Irrespective of the purpose of your trip, paying for services like a car rental, airfare, and hotel rooms, individually might dig into your budget. Instead, look for package deals on booking websites that cover your travel, stay, and meals, as these will help you save money.

Opting for non-refundable rates
People tend to pick non-refundable payment options when booking a hotel room because of the reduced cost. However, several variables might affect your travel plans, resulting in you losing money on the booking. So pay a bit more for the refundable booking option. It will give you the flexibility of getting your money back if you need to cancel.

Avoiding a credit card
Using a credit card isn’t a bad idea, especially when one pays dues on time. Banks usually tie up with hotels and offer customers significant discounts and other deals when they use the card for a booking.

Neglecting the location
You might find a gorgeous hotel room at an attractive rate online. However, getting to the place might be challenging due to the lack of public transport. So look for means to get to a hotel before finalizing a booking.

Overlooking resort fees
Though the hotel rate at the time of booking might seem alright, you must always check for hidden charges, including cleaning spa charges, resort, processing fees, and additional taxes. Furthermore, calling ahead to check how much you could expect to pay for such services helps keep costs in check.

Forgetting to check the set currency
Sometimes people make a hotel booking and forget to check the set currency rate. If the currency is set incorrectly to another one, for example, in Euros, you might pay a hefty foreign currency fee. Therefore, set your search to the right currency before finalizing a stay.

Booking early or late
Booking a hotel room early won’t always help save on travel costs. You might be able to secure a good hotel deal even a day or two before you need to travel. Considering seasonality during booking could give you a decent idea of the ideal hotel rate.

Not reading reviews
While you look for hotels, avoid overlooking the reviews. Here’s where past customers write about their experience at the hotel during their stay. And reading these reviews will help you make a better decision before you pay for the room.

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5 mistakes to avoid while booking concert tickets

Booking concert tickets requires careful planning. However, the buying process has become easier with the availability of tickets online. But one can still end up making errors while booking tickets online, making them lose money or their favorite seats. One should avoid overlooking the booking details or losing their patience when trying to get tickets. Here are some other crucial mistakes one can make when buying concert tickets and how to avoid them: Overlooking key detailsBefore one tries to book concert tickets online or offline, they must get all the important information on the concert. This includes the date of the concert, the venue, and the arrangements one can expect. If one misses out on such details, they may end up booking the ticket and realizing they can’t make it on that day. This may either lead to the ticket being wasted or being resold on other websites. So, one must always check the concert details thoroughly and consider their own schedule and budget before buying tickets.Not creating an account beforehandSome websites prompt the user to create an account to buy the tickets. However, because of the fear of scams, people usually avoid creating accounts on such platforms till the last minute. Further, when the ticket sale is announced, the users lose valuable time in creating the account and are often disappointed at the unavailability of the preferred seats. So, one should check the legitimacy of the particular website, create an account before the tickets go live (preferably a couple of days prior), and then quickly book the tickets as per their preferences. Not verifying the platform’s credibilityToday, one can choose from multiple platforms to get concert tickets. However, the chances of all websites being legitimate are scarce. Some websites are often designed to scam people and take their money. So, when one does not verify that the website is genuine and legitimate before placing an order, they are exposed to the risk of losing a lot of money. So, one should look up customer reviews of the websites and even seek recommendations from friends and family for reliable booking platforms. This can help one save their hard-earned money from scammers and also make their ticket-buying experience hassle-free. Not using multiple devicesWhen one tries to buy concert tickets online, they use just one device and end up disappointed. This happens because the concert tickets sell out incredibly fast once announced. However, one can double their chances of booking tickets if they ask a friend to log on to the platform at the same time on a different computer or phone. This could help one ensure that if they are unable to get seats on one device, they could try the other one. Missing great offersWhen one’s favorite artist comes to town, they may jump at the chance to book the pre-sale tickets. However, booking tickets without checking for offers and discounts leads to overspending. So, to avoid making this mistake, one should check out offers on social media, booking platforms, and the organizer’s page beforehand to save money on the purchase.

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7 common business plan mistakes to avoid

Starting or expanding a business is exciting. Many elements go into formulating a company’s successful business plan, such as market analysis, strategy, operating plan, sales, etc. With proper research, focus, and guidance, you can create a successful business plan that allows quick decision-making, provides structure, generates funding support, and optimizes management. As a new business, some planning mistakes can also be detrimental to growth and success. Here are seven of them: Not defining a target market One single business has rarely had an appeal for everyone. More often than not, successful businesses operate within a niche market. When starting a business, it is important for a new business plan to clearly define the demographic market they intend to target or cater to. Those struggling to find their target focus area must seek professional help from market research experts or agencies. Having unrealistic financial projections Of course, it is important to have confidence in one’s business. However, grossly overestimating one’s financial projections can lead to a downfall, especially when securing third-party funding. Try to maintain a realistic financial picture on record instead of inflating profit projections. Lacking research Do not start creating a business plan without conducting adequate market research. Double-check the research, and use recent sources to corroborate the same. This will also create a useful bank of information about possible neglected areas in the market that a new business could tap into. Not focusing on competitor analysis Instead of focusing on the money-led developments of a business, focus on the product, quality, and services that a competitor offers. Focus on your niche, highlight what separates you from the competition, and the solutions your new business offers to cover exposed market pain points. Ignoring cash flow Another common business pitfall that new entrepreneurs make is ignoring cash flow. With the focus on profitability, it is easy to forget to account for daily bills, as money is often tied up in debt and stocks. Factor these into any new business plan to ensure the business continues to function optimally. Being inflexible Being inflexible and not leaving enough scope for plan modifications is a big reason plans fail. While a business plan is meant to guide the venture’s future, it is impossible to predict market and society changes. Even though all of these contingencies cannot be accounted for in a new business plan, it is important to remain flexible and open to changes due to any unforeseen circumstances that may arise. Being inconsistent If your plan has been an amalgamation of team efforts, different sections may use varying strategies or conflicting statistics. Before pitching for capital, check the plan for any inconsistencies, as they may deter investors. Set up a committee and review each section of the plan together to highlight any inconsistencies or overlaps to activate your business plan seamlessly. Business planning is time-consuming and laborious but does not need to be tackled single-handedly. If you are working on a solo venture, consider attending workshops that can equip you with the right tools or look into business counseling services to help you take your next steps.

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