Latest news with #cancellationfee
Skift
23-07-2025
- Business
- Skift
Speakers Bureaus to Planners: Stop Wasting Our Time
Today's uncertain business climate is putting pressure on planners to hold off on making decisions until the last minute. Not only does this put speakers bureaus in a tough spot, it can mean lost income for the speakers. Twice in the past month, Jaki Baskow, CEO of Las Vegas Speakers Bureau, was strung along by planners who couldn't make a final decision about booking a speaker and an entertainer. 'They confirm, tell you to send a contract, then they keep it going for two months. Then, after they have reconfirmed, they send an email: 'Oh sorry, we need to cancel. We're going in a different direction.'' Not only had the speaker and entertainer turned down other jobs, but the client refused to pay a cancellation fee. 'It's not right,' she said. Not only is it bad business, but there's a hard cost for speakers who turn down other gigs, and the closer a cancellation happens to the event date, the less likely the speaker will be able to fill it with another opportunity. 'If there's a delay in payment, that's a big red flag,' said Andrea Gold, president and CEO, Gold Stars Speakers Bureau. 'I will ask when (a specific date) I can expect the payment to arrive. If they can't give me a real answer, that's very telling. Them saying it will be done in the next two weeks once AP works on it is not acceptable. Accountability, commitment, and respect come into play here.' Put It On Hold Baskow, Gold, and other speakers bureau representatives are seeing more companies putting off speaker decisions until the last minute, which then forces everyone to scramble to make things happen. Booking windows are 'as tight as I've ever seen,' said one planner from a major insurance company. It's like the saying, 'Hurry up just to wait.' Then I can't get the go-ahead, and then when I do it's a mad rush.' Lisa Warren, partner at SpeakInc, says her contract calls for a 50% nonrefundable deposit, due within two weeks. The remainder is due if the client cancels within 60 days. 'For many long-term clients, there is definitely flexibility,' she said. 'But usually after a one-week grace period, we check in with the client. If a reasonable ETA on monies is not offered, or if the speaker is high-profile, we let the client know we need to put the date back on hold until the deposit is received.' If the speaker receives another offer in the interim, then the initial client has 24 hours to produce the deposit. 'In all cases, I let the speaker know if the deposit is late and give them the option to extend the deadline.' Professional speaker and author of "Website Wealth: A Business Leader's Guide to Driving Real Value from your Analytics" Philippa Gamse has presented in nine countries and more than 30 U.S. states. She doesn't consider herself booked until there's a signed contract and a deposit. 'Until then, it's a hold. If I'm offered other work, I'd contact the initial company and give them first refusal — but they need to pay.' That doesn't mean she won't try to be flexible with meeting organizers. 'My contract includes clear cancellation terms. If there's a good reason for the cancellation, we can work around it and find a mutually good alternative, but there's an agreement there that needs to be respected.'
CNA
17-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
CNA938 Rewind - #TalkBack: Cancellation fees for you, the passenger, but what about the driver?
ComfortDelGro (CDG) will introduce new cancellation and waiting fees – with customers to face a minimum fee of 3 dollars. The cancellation fee kicks in on 1 September, while the waiting fee takes effect on 15 October. Lance Alexander and Daniel Martin discuss the move with Raven Lee, Executive Secretary, National Private Hire Vehicles Association (NPHVA).
Malay Mail
17-07-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
Singapore's ComfortDelGro to introduce cancellation and waiting fees of at least S$3 from September
SINGAPORE, July 17 — Customers of Singapore's largest taxi operator, ComfortDelGro (CDG), will soon face new cancellation and waiting charges, as the company rolls out a phased fee policy aimed at encouraging more responsible ride bookings. From September 1, cancellation fees of at least S$3 (RM10) will kick in, while waiting fees will be implemented from October 15, Channel News Asia reported. The company described the current period as a 'waiver period' to help riders get familiar with the upcoming changes, adjust their habits and provide feedback. 'Cancellation and waiting fees help compensate drivers fairly for their time and effort,' CDG said. 'This policy also encourages more responsible booking and cancellation habits, improving the overall experience for everyone on the platform and aligning us with prevailing industry practices.' According to CDG's website, riders may cancel up to four rides per month without charge if the driver has not yet arrived at the pickup point. Once that limit is exceeded, a S$4 cancellation fee will apply. If the driver has already arrived, a flat S$4 fee will be charged for any cancellation — regardless of the monthly quota. Riders who do not show up at the pickup point within five minutes after the taxi arrives will incur a S$5 no-show fee. As for the new waiting time charges, the first four minutes are free. After that, a fee of S$3 will be added for every five-minute block, capped at S$9. Only one type of fee — cancellation, no-show, or waiting — will apply for a single booking, depending on whether the ride is completed. Waiting fees apply only if the trip goes ahead, while cancellation or no-show fees apply only if the ride is not taken. For customers paying via cashless methods, fees will be deducted automatically. Those paying by cash will see the fee added to their next fare. Waiting charges will appear at the end of the completed ride. CDG clarified that drivers can only cancel a ride and trigger a cancellation fee if GPS data confirms they were at the pickup location and had waited for more than five minutes. Situations such as the customer exceeding luggage capacity for the chosen vehicle may also lead to a fee. Customers who believe they were charged incorrectly can contact the operator's hotline at 6552 4525 or send a message via the CDG Zig app. As reported by Channel News Asia, ride-hailing platforms like Grab and Gojek already implement similar charges. Grab, for instance, gives a three-minute grace period before imposing a S$4 cancellation fee, and charges S$3 for every five-minute block of waiting time beyond that. Gojek provides a four-minute cancellation grace period, with a similar S$4 fee for late cancellations. Waiting time fees begin at S$3 and can rise to S$9, mirroring CDG's new model.
CNA
16-07-2025
- Business
- CNA
ComfortDelGro to charge new taxi cancellation and waiting fees of at least S$3
SINGAPORE: Customers of Singapore's largest taxi operator ComfortDelGro (CDG) will soon face cancellation and waiting fees of at least S$3 (US$2.33). The new cancellation and waiting fee policy will be rolled out on Jul 31, but there will be a "waiver period", said CDG. The cancellation fee will be implemented from Sep 1 and the waiting fee from Oct 15. According to ComfortDelGro's website, a customer can cancel up to four rides per month if their driver has not arrived at the pickup point. A S$4 fee applies if they have used up this monthly quota. If the taxi has arrived at the pickup point, the customer will have to pay a S$4 fee if they cancel. This is regardless of their monthly quota. If a customer has not shown up at a pickup point for over five minutes after their taxi arrives, they will be subject to a S$5 no-show fee. ComfortDelGro's new waiting fee policy states that customers will not be charged for the first four minutes of waiting. After that time limit, S$3 will be added to their fare for every additional five minutes of waiting, up to a maximum of S$9. Customers using cashless payment methods will have their cancellation fees automatically deducted. For those using cash, the cancellation fee will be added to their next ride's fare. Waiting fees are automatically added to fares at the end of the trip.
