How to set up policies for your guests, how guests sign policies, where to see signed policies, how to let a guest know they need to accept a policy, and how to edit an existing policy.
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How do I send a policy to a guest?
Overview
Firefly offers advanced policies with eSignatures for every reservation booked online and with staff. Multiple policies can be created and assigned individually to various reservation types, unit types, add-ons, or pets.
Reservations booked online through the Reservation Portal require policy acceptance with an electronic signature during checkout. When a reservation is made by staff internally, also known as a front desk reservation, an email notification is sent to the guest stating they have policies to sign on their guest portal. The guest can follow the provided link to sign the required policies.
Staff can confirm a policy's acceptance status and view eSignature documents on a reservation's Policies page.
How To Add A New Policy
To add a new policy, go to Settings > Policies. By default, you will have one “General Policy” that is editable using the three dots on the right-hand side. You will then be inside the specific policy’s setup page to fully customize it to your liking and standard. Like the email templates, placeholders may be sued to auto-populate the guest's information in the custom fields.
Customize the content of your policy with many available optionsTIP: See Sample Policies, Terms, and Conditions for inspiration on crafting your policy.
Below a policies content, you will see settings to customize the application of the policy.
Policy settings allow you to customize it's application.
First, choose if the policy will apply to everything or only a specific reservation type or unit type.
The checkbox for "policy must be accepted individually" will ensure guests acknowledge the policy in it's own crucial policy block before they sign acceptance.
If the box applicable to pets is checked, the policy will only show for guests who specify they have a pet when creating their reservation.
If this policy is only for a specific add-on, choose the add-on from the drop down. This ensures reservations with the associated add-on at the time of booking include the policy. For example, if you have policies for firewood and golf carts, you will make an individual policy for each add-on and use this dropdown to associate the add-on with its policy.
Lastly, this section includes the option to restrict a policy to certain unit classes. If you check the box for a specific unit class, the policy will apply only to the checked classes. You may create unit classes to apply a policy as desired.
NOTE: To apply a policy to all units, leave all classes unchecked.
The Guest's View on Reservation Portal
When a guest makes an online reservation, they will be able to view the policies before inserting their payment information. All policies that apply to their reservation criteria will display on one page with a signature requirement.
Reservation Portal policies pageNotice the two individual policies labeled “Firewood Policy" and "Golf Cart Policy." Since these add-ons were included in the reservation, Firefly pulled in the required policies . Lastly, notice the individual “Acknowledgement Required” box under the “General Policy”. This box appears on each policy you enabled with the option to have a policy accepted individually.
Where can I see accepted policies in Firefly? (Staff View)
Policies are saved and viewable on a reservation's Policies tab. This tab contains the overall status of associated policies, a viewable PDF copy of signed policies, and the ability to email guests a notification they have unsigned policies if applicable.
View of Policies tab in a reservation's details page- The green check mark indicates that the policy is accepted and signed policy documents are available.
- The red X means the policy needs to be signed.
- The orange exclamation point indicates the policy has been edited since the guest accepted it.
Guest Portal Policies
The Reservation Policies section in the Guest Portal, is where guests go to sign or read their policies. If all policies are acknowledged and signed, the guest will see a message stating “All policies for this reservation have been signed.” There will also be a link to view the reservation's policies document. While viewing, they may download or print it if desired.
guest portal policies view
guest portal showing policies signed and saved
Email Template
The email template directing guests to the Guest Portal to complete their policies is fully customizable. This can be found in Settings > Email Templates > Reservation Policies. This email automatically sends to a guest when a reservation is booked internally by staff, from the front desk. The email is also resendable from the “Policies” tab within a reservation.
policies email template
How do I send a policy to a guest?
You have 3 options to send a guest notification they have a policy needing acceptance: send a policy upon check-in or arrival, send mass emails, send an individual email..
Check out this article for more information on each option: How do I send a policy to a guest?
Edit a Policy
A policy may be edited at any time. From the main menu, click the Settings dropdown then select Policies. On a policy, click the circle with 3 dots then select Edit.
CAUTION: If you edit a policy and the guest signs and accepts the updated policy, the original policy documents will be overridden. Be sure to view and download or print any previously signed documents you wish to retain records of.
Previous versions of signed policies cannot be retrieved once overridden.
🙋♀️ Still need help? Email: support@fireflyreservations.com and one of our technicians can help answer your questions.
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