How do some owners get a booking?

OTA = Online Travel Agency, which means those sites that sell the booking and take the payment for you.
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Mountain Goat
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How do some owners get a booking?

Post by Mountain Goat »

24 hours ago I contacted via HR (and other sites) 14 owners of properties in and around Cape Town. All were showing available. Nothing devious - just looking for 7-10 days hols. next month.

Not one response so far.

Earlier this year I did the same thing to owners in Switzerland within 25kms of us, looking for availability for some punters we couldn't help. This time it was 40 owners - and I got 8 replies.

Do you think this is common?

MG
Margaret
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Post by Margaret »

Absolutely! We have the same experience every time we try to book somewhere. Would be nice if the lettings sites would throw off the owners who don't actually reply to enquiries. I'm not going to hold my breath though.
(We have experience in both France and Germany - mainly hotels admittedly - where the response when we have chased for a reply was 'If I had had availability, I would have responded to you' - is this some kind of national trait?)
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apexblue
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Post by apexblue »

Same here in Conwy - I'm looking for b&b for 4 golfers and although replies were received eventually I was a little miffed as I jump on the computer as soon as I get a SMS.

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brenda
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Post by brenda »

Same here too. Contacted 10 B+Bs for a couple of nights accommodation in the Autumn.

6 didn't reply, 3 replied but at least 48 hours later (2n after we had already gone away) and 1 replied within a couple of hours.

Obvious which I booked.
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Do you think this is common?
Absolutely. I've also had poor replies (got the dates wrong, too terse or disinterested)

I'm convinced that respondingly quickly, in a friendly manner and with enough detail get's results.

Add to that poor care and attention (we've been left waiting for hours to get into a place, had our last night in the accommodation sold, had mix up on dates, had to chase for payment receipt confirmation etc :roll: )
In fact I have a testimonial from a guest where she's thanked me for dealing efficiently with everything...that's quite common.

It's not rocket science is it?

Mouse
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Post by Giddy Goat »

We fired off enquirires to a series of B&Bs in NW Spain last year, all paying big bucks for inclusion in Alistair Sawday, and three of them didn't reply! This wasn't even for a particularly busy time of year!

Those we booked (over the phone) were also a little laid back I thought as we only had an emailed confirmation of one booking out of 5, and were travelling with a couple of friends.

I had visions of arriving and finding that they had no record of our reservation! :roll: All was well but it made us feel unnecessarily uneasy.
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cambalala
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Post by cambalala »

yeah... I hate it when owners dont reply to me. I just booked 13 nights in Zurich... with guess who? The owners that responded first ;-)

I emailed about 10 to 12 places and only about 5 got back. Only 1 got back on the same day.

Thats why when I get enquiries I ALWAYS respond. Availability or no. - Some enquirers have flexible dates and may stay with you a day or 2 either side of the origional query.

Thank goodness for blackberry else I'd never leave home.

PS: On a side note re: responses from South Africa. Internet and internet access in South Africa is a LOT less widespread and generally much slower than the EU. A lot of people in SA still use 56k dial-up and therefore may only log-in to check emails once or twice a week.
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Normandy Cow
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Post by Normandy Cow »

cambalala wrote: Thats why when I get enquiries I ALWAYS respond. Availability or no. - Some enquirers have flexible dates
Even if they don't have flexible dates, and even if they are very unlikely to ever enquire again (once in a lifetime trip to Europe from australia for example) I will ALWAYS respond, it's just common courtesy, like saying "thank you".

In fact, I often help them find other accommodation (eg recently sent one of my enquirers to my biggest competitor!! :lol:
(Thomas take note! :wink: :D ) (i.e. take note that I now acknowledge that you are my biggest competitor, thanks to GG2's work on your new website :D :lol: )
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Post by e-richard »

I'm totally amazed by the experiences related above. I presume that you're all talking about private owners not responding and that they weren't agencies ?

Looking on the bright side: The more owners who fail to respond, the higher YOUR probability of filling your calendar.

Looking on the dark side: This is giving the private rental business a very poor image.

Light or dark ?
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Chianti
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Post by Chianti »

I'm shocked by what I've read. I thought everyone responded ASAP, but it seems not. I respond to everyone whether we can help or not.
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Post by Martha »

Last time I wanted to rent a place I ended up going through an agency because I was so p'd off with the lack of response.
Which reminds me, I'm going to add something to my bookings page now about fast replies...
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Mountain Goat
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Post by Mountain Goat »

It's even more odd as our criteria included WiFi broadband (pool and toaster of course) so the owners wouldn't be likely to be once-a-weekers on their email.

We're reasonably tame, non-smokers and no ankle-biters, so not sure what the problem is.

Still not a beep from anyone.

MG
Martha
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Post by Martha »

How odd....

I just added a skype button to show when I'm online (practically all the time I'm awake, what a saddo). We'll see if this just results in crank calls/lagos clergy/general timewasting - but I think it might also encourage genuine enquirers...thoughts? Experiences?

http://www.chaletlaforet.com/booking/index.html
Chalet la Foret, Chamonix
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Mountain Goat
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Post by Mountain Goat »

Mmm, well, you'll get to know Natasha from Vladivostok quite well, in my experience, looking for "the man of her dreams - honest, powerful, handsome etc.", if you leave Skype live. :lol:

MG
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Rocket Rab
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Post by Rocket Rab »

Hi Martha,

I really like your idea of adding a line like "We aim to answer all enquiries within....", as you have done, and I think I'll do likewise. Not too sure about advertising you're actually online. It might add to the frustration if you can't respond immediately, for whatever reason? Emptying the washing machine, stuffing courgettes, twittering...
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