Is it from the 1990's?As I move from a weekend RV'er to staying out weeks at a time, I'm discovering that so many RV parks hardly have a clue as to when I arrived, or when I left, when they check their computers. This has happened at many parks across the Southwest. In one case, I was billed for a month, by a park I stayed at one night! When I called, they admitted that they really didn't see me around the park, but their computer automatically sent me a bill. What!?If the above was an isolated incident, I'd figure it was a fluke. Nope! Similar things have happened to me over the last few years. These days, I go to the office to check out, and ask for a statement showing my arrival and departure dates and times. I'm not treated very well, at times, when I do so, even though I'm very polite and friendly. I no longer trust the, "We'll email you a statement," line. Also, I don't get how slips are assigned. I get to a fairly empty park, and I get my slip. A half-hour later, another RV pulls in, right next to me. There are, literally, dozens of empty slips all over the park! Is this just another weakness of some old RV program used by the majority of the parks, out there?

These CGs not having you pay upfront??During our FT Travels we always paid upfront --- be it one night, 3 nights, 1 week, 2 weeks, monthly (which typically was a metered site so we HAD to have electric meter final read.Computer data is only as good as data entered.....junk in/junk out

RVG65 wrote: Also, I don't get how slips are assigned. I get to a fairly empty park, and I get my slip. A half-hour later, another RV pulls in, right next to me. There are, literally, dozens of empty slips all over the park! If you are told to pick your site because the park is empty and one other RV shows up, it will park next to you.It never fails.

You should have paid for 3 sites if you didn't want someone next to you.

gbopp wrote:RVG65 wrote: Also, I don't get how slips are assigned. I get to a fairly empty park, and I get my slip. A half-hour later, another RV pulls in, right next to me. There are, literally, dozens of empty slips all over the park! If you are told to pick your site because the park is empty and one other RV shows up, it will park next to you.It never fails.It's the herd mentality and it also gives another opportunity for sarcastic remarks if you even mention it.

A lot of campgrounds are seasonal and top notch potential employees usually have the option of full time year round work elsewhere. There are exceptions but that makes it hard for campgrounds to capture and keep high quality employees. Also, they often have little or no experience actually camping, so they may put you in an unsuitable site because they don't know any different.Net result is they tend to be less proactive in thinking ahead about what the customer needs. If the last site was 86, odds are they issue 87 as the next site without a second thought.Usually unless it's a month or more, you pay up front (even longer stays, it's only rarely where they ask you to pay at the end), so not really an issue if they don't remember when you came in. Especially with the Rona, everyone is going credit card to avoid physical contact, so I can always pull up the bill for the last campground to document when we left there.If the campground is mostly empty and you want to be away from everyone else, ask nicely if they have any sites that are more isolated. No guarantee but at least you put the idea in their head.

What software are RV parks using to keep track of things?

Old-Biscuit
Explorer III
Sep 08, 2020
These CGs not having you pay upfront??

During our FT Travels we always paid upfront --- be it one night, 3 nights, 1 week, 2 weeks, monthly (which typically was a metered site so we HAD to have electric meter final read.

Computer data is only as good as data entered.....junk in/junk out
gbopp
Explorer
Sep 08, 2020
RVG65 wrote:
Also, I don't get how slips are assigned. I get to a fairly empty park, and I get my slip. A half-hour later, another RV pulls in, right next to me. There are, literally, dozens of empty slips all over the park!

If you are told to pick your site because the park is empty and one other RV shows up, it will park next to you.
It never fails.
wing_zealot
Explorer
Sep 08, 2020
You should have paid for 3 sites if you didn't want someone next to you.
Lynnmor
Explorer
Sep 08, 2020
gbopp wrote:
RVG65 wrote:
Also, I don't get how slips are assigned. I get to a fairly empty park, and I get my slip. A half-hour later, another RV pulls in, right next to me. There are, literally, dozens of empty slips all over the park!

If you are told to pick your site because the park is empty and one other RV shows up, it will park next to you.
It never fails.

It's the herd mentality and it also gives another opportunity for sarcastic remarks if you even mention it.
valhalla360
Navigator
Sep 08, 2020
A lot of campgrounds are seasonal and top notch potential employees usually have the option of full time year round work elsewhere. There are exceptions but that makes it hard for campgrounds to capture and keep high quality employees.

Also, they often have little or no experience actually camping, so they may put you in an unsuitable site because they don't know any different.

Net result is they tend to be less proactive in thinking ahead about what the customer needs. If the last site was 86, odds are they issue 87 as the next site without a second thought.

Usually unless it's a month or more, you pay up front (even longer stays, it's only rarely where they ask you to pay at the end), so not really an issue if they don't remember when you came in. Especially with the Rona, everyone is going credit card to avoid physical contact, so I can always pull up the bill for the last campground to document when we left there.

If the campground is mostly empty and you want to be away from everyone else, ask nicely if they have any sites that are more isolated. No guarantee but at least you put the idea in their head.
azdryheat
Explorer
Sep 09, 2020
My former son-in-law built a small RV park and learned there are many software packages out there for sale. He picked one that lets the camper pick the spot. That's the kind of software I like. Our go-to park in San Diego is Chula Vista. For years you were at the mercy of whoever was working the desk at check-in. Not what you'd expect for a $100 a night park. They have new owners now and have gone to the pick-your-space software, which is absolutely terrific.
CFerguson
Explorer
Sep 09, 2020
We've always asked for a general idea of what sites are available for our intended length of stay and have always had the CG employee be as friendly and helpful as s/he could be. We try to give them an idea of what we prefer and are conscious of how busy they are. Being nice to folks, especially in service positions, almost always pays off.
And we have never had a problem later changing sites if there is a problem with the one we originally got. Again, go when they arent busy and be nice.
magicbus
Explorer II
Sep 09, 2020
We pretty much travel exclusively off-season and therefore encounter a lot of empty parks. Because of this campers are often placed more or less in the same areas and I always figured it was to make maintenance and cleaning much easier for a limited staff. Less bathrooms, trash and traveling around to different parts of the park to service emptied sites.

Dave
ksbowman
Explorer II
Sep 10, 2020
We stayed at a place in Florida that was booked for a week. The last day was shown and we understood it as a thru that night. The park meant you had to be out by 11;00 am that day. Had a knock on the door about noon and a motorhome said we were in their spot. I said no we still had one night. Went to the office and they said our time was up. After a lengthy discussion we ended up moving for one more night in a different spot. Even after reading the reservations we still felt we had the original spot for 24 more hours but we moved anyway as we were leaving the next day and the motorhome had 2 weeks there.
RVG65
Explorer
Sep 10, 2020
I've never seen a reservation where the last date listed is the last night you are staying. I've traveled for decades, as we all have, and the last date listed is always the date you move out.