There is a difference between an optional item and a surcharge. Both need to be handled properly, and at the moment, OwnerRez doesn't do this.
We need to be able to present optional items WITHIN quotes, and have the guest able to select that item be included with their reservation or not, at time of booking. Simply showing an optional item as selectable by the guest at time of booking does not meet these requirements.
In the Orlando area, optional pool heating during winter months is the norm. It is essentially a 'standard' item, but it is still up to the guest whether they want to include it with their booking or not.
However, it is so common that guests routinely request that it be included in their quote when they ask for one; "Please send me a quote including pool heating and BBQ rental," is a common example. This means that they want to know how much the booking will cost with the items included. It doesn't guarantee that they want these OPTIONAL items are not. At present, there is no way to send the guest a quote with the optional items included in the pricing (so the guest can see the total they may be paying), where those optional items remain optional for the guest to include in the booking or not.
It should be a user selectable setting for OwnerRez users, that an optional item is automatically included in all quotes created for a particular season. But that item must remain optional so that the guest can choose to include it with their booking or not.
As things are, including an optional item automatically in quotes means that it is no longer optional. The guest no longer has the ability to accept or reject the option. This means that the 'optional' item is no longer optional, it has become a surcharge.
It is a gigantic waste of time to constantly edit every quote prior to sending it out to include optional seasonal items. But this is separately problematic, as doing so makes them a surcharge, and no longer optional for the guest. This makes no sense, and is a hassle and time waster for both guests and owner/managers.
There is a difference between an optional item, and a surcharge. A surcharge, if included by the owner/manager, is not changeable by the guest. An optional item SHOULD BE.
This is incredibly basic quote functionality. Can we please have OPTIONAL items that can be included in quotes?
Thank you!
