Just had a telling off!

[LaLuz]

Received an enquiry in Spanish through Niumba. I replied immediately to say that I was sorry but the dates requested were already booked.

Almost immediately I received an email telling me off for not keeping my availability calendar up to date and 'causing confusion'!!!

Funny thing is that I am meticulous about updating my calendars but had totally forgotten about Niumba as this is the only enquiry I've had through the site in the year I've been listed!

I know some people don't use the availability calendars on listing sites at all - so have you ever been told off?

[brenda]

We were ´told off´several times from people contacting us via Niumba. Everytime this was because they wanted the whole house for the price quoted, not just 1 room B+B! Despite being listed under the correct heading everyone expected us to be renting the whole house so in the end we just asked for our listing to be removed - just wasn´t worth the hassle.

[roxytoo]

I have been told off by Abritel!

[pambon]

Yes, indeed! I was told off 2 years ago by a VERY irate Scot who had found me thru' HL and I had made an error of one day on my calendar! I got hell from him and he said he was emailing HL to inform them and that he was never going to trust booking on the net now.... I had ruined his holiday plans etc

Maybe I was better off without him.........

[la vache!]

I got really told off for not having an availability calendar on my site by an irate teacher several years ago. He explained how long it took him to go through looking for suitable properties for the dates he required and was quite rude, but got the point across. I added an availability calendar shortly after to my site.

[Mountain Goat]

Our availability calendars (13 at last count) are a complete mess and not a chance of getting them all synchronised and updated.

But it's led to another business - passing on punters at 10% commission to other local owners, and if you think 10% is high, a year ago I would have totally agreed. Having been doing it for 4 months we earn every penny (they're pre-screened before passing them on).

We've never been told off.

[la vache!]

Having been doing it for 4 months we earn every penny (they're pre-screened before passing them on).

How do you screen them, MG? Personal visit, chat to owners, questionnaire, guest comments? I think the 10% is a good idea, I'm going to do that with AngloInfo next time, doing all referring for not even a thankyou is a waste of my time.

[Mountain Goat]

I'm still refining it, LV. I've visited the properties, extracted pics and their info, then initial email exchange with punters, sending them info on the village/area etc., sending them info on the other property, judge their reaction.

I copy in the owners with the email exchange. If all looks OK then over to owners to have a dialogue.

If that goes OK, then back to me to send rental agreement (in name of owner) and financial details (to owner).

I stay in or drop out with owner whenever they want.

So far this is seriously low volume stuff, but it's working. We have a lot of local owners, working in schools, who go off for the summer.

MG

[TTP mk2]

I'm going to do that with AngloInfo next time, doing all referring for not even a thankyou is a waste of my time.

If it was you who passed on an inquiry from Niki Haywood last year, can I apologise & say Thank You.

I lost your e-mail & AngloInfo pulled your posting.

[la vache!]

If it was you who passed on an inquiry from Niki Haywood last year, can I apologise & say Thank You.
I lost your e-mail & AngloInfo pulled your posting.

It was, and thankyou for your thankyou. You aren't the only one I've never heard back from but then given the general stupidity of the administrators of the AI Brittany forum maybe I know why, now.

[kteee]

I don't update availability calendars until at least the deposit has arrived (full payment if the booking is within 8 weeks), so it is perfectly possible for someone to enquire about certain dates, to find that I am holding them waiting for payment (I usually give clients 7 days in which to pay)

[TTP mk2]

It was,

You should have sent me a sarcastic message, I would have done you if the roles were reversed.

[la vache!]

It was,

You should have sent me a sarcastic message, I would have done you if the roles were reversed.

You don't say

[Tizfata]

I just wish someone visit my Niumba pages. I update the calendar almost every day but still ZERO visits

[Big Sis..]

know some people don't use the availability calendars on listing sites at all - so have you ever been told off?

Just got this Laluz....Im on Niumba and have had bookings.
I dont do availability calenders on any website[apart from my own as Windy asked soooo nicely]

and have never, ever, been told off by anybody...... well as if theyd dare tee hee.....