What would you do?

[nijntje]

Hi,
My first problem and I am feeling bad about it!
Got en inquiry beginning of this week (22nd) for 3 weeks in September, got back within the hour with discount price...
did not hear anything back so I send another little email to ask if he received my email ok and that we would be happy to have them with us for 3 weeks etc...I do not normally do this, but I did it this time (it was a 3 week booking!)
got email back same day, sorry for not getting back to you earlier etc hope to give you an answer by tomorrow (24th)
heard nothing back for 3 days! I have accepted another booking for one of those september weeks ...people booked straight away, this was on the 25th. So today, the 27th, I got an email from the first guy and wants to go ahead with the booking and pay deposit! arghhhh.
I am sure this happens a lot to you but this is my first, only been online for 1 month...and I feel so bad for them!
What would you do or say to those people?
So far when I had an enquiry people always booked straight away, the same day, so surely I was right to think they did not want to book!?

[declanja]

It a common problem. Had you said you would hold the dates for them while thet thought about it? If not, you are under no legal or moral obligation in my mind.

[la vache!]

If the first enquirer said that they would give you an answer by 24th then it is their fault they didn't do so. You have to honour the second booking now. Just tell them that when you hadn't heard back by 24th you assumed that they were no longer interested.
Unless someone asks you to hold a provisional booking, or give them an option until a certain date, you have no moral obligation to them at all.

[nijntje]

If the first enquirer said that they would give you an answer by 24th then it is their fault they didn't do so. You have to honour the second booking now. Just tell them that when you hadn't heard back by 24th you assumed that they were no longer interested.

Thanks LV, that is exactly what I was planning on saying, since they did say that they would give an answer (hopefully) by the 24th...
I almost already forgot about them and then there they are!
Email is ready to send now, thanks!

[Marks]

Something similar happened to me yesterday. Two people, more or less same dates. Enquirer one says "yes I want to book but before I give you the info you need I have a few questions" so I reply. Enquirer two then emails to say "I want to book and here are my details". Whilst I'm doing the contract Enquirer one emails to say he's ready to go ahead. Sorry, too late.

[Blanche]

I always get back to enquirer A and tell him that enquirer B also wants that week and to let you know straight away if he wants to book. Meanwhile I tell enquirer B that I am waiting for confirmation from enquirer A and will let him know the next day if the week is still free.

[Moliere]

I always get back to enquirer A and tell him that enquirer B also wants that week and to let you know straight away if he wants to book. Meanwhile I tell enquirer B that I am waiting for confirmation from enquirer A and will let him know the next day if the week is still free.

Couldn't have put it better myself, Blanche, it's not exactly rocket science - it's like Sybil's specialised subject - the bleeding obvious.

Sorry Nijntje, but really . . .

Mols

[Nemo]

Tsk tsk Mols, no need for that. We're here to help, not give the newbies the whip.....

[Moliere]

I'm not meaning to be hurtful by any means, Nemo, but we've all been in that situation and what did we do? We did exactly what Blanche said - it's blindingly obvious.

OK - we've all made mistakes, so a mistake made once is a good lesson learnt - hopefully in due course a few more of our newcomers will benefit from this advice.

Mols

[Beachcondo]

Well, she had almost forgot about A, so I can understand if she gave it to B without a second thought when A all of a sudden materialized again.

Newbie too.....

[kendalcottages]

...I feel so bad for them!

Why?

Sure, it may scupper their plans but - unless you made any assurances to the contrary - that's their fault, not yours.

A standard part of my enquiry response states that "we receive enquiries on a daily basis so this vacancy could 'go' at any time" or words to that effect. Of course, none of us what to disappoint guests or potential guests but, if nothing else, at least we can tell people that they were warned, should they come back to us wanting to book but find it's too late.

[nijntje]

Hi all,
Well I am over it, dont worry
It is just that I already did get back to him as I did not hear anything from them for a couple of days...so to get back another time 2 days later I thought was to pushy! So I left it...and of course then he came back...but its ok, He was very friendly told me it was his own fault for not getting back to me earlier and that he hopes to book with us next year
I am getting better at this (I like to believe so anyway)

[Rocket Rab]

Same thing happened to me, Nijntje. Put myself out to allow a couple to visit the property (on Boxing Day!) and then heard absolutely nothing for several weeks. I wasn't keen on chasing them up, and thought no news meant no booking.

I finished up letting it to another family, and got a lot of abuse from the first chap when his PA finally got back to me and said they'd take it

I'm tougher these days: I'd just say no to turfing my family out on the street on Boxing Day for a visit