Always on Vacation!

OTA = Online Travel Agency, which means those sites that sell the booking and take the payment for you.
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

Brenda wrote:Several phone calls this past couple of weeks despite us very firmly saying No Thanks.
In case it's useful to others to know, we have stopped receiving the nuisance calls from AOV following my post on here (see the 3rd post in the thread) and Tyler's subsequent action. Certainly not an ideal way of handling complaints, but it has worked so others might like to try sending Tyler a pm with their details for removal.
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Chianti
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Post by Chianti »

No owner should have to contact Tyler to stop being pestered with sales calls. Firstly the fact that they pester the same owners shouts of incompetence and desperation, but all cold calls are just that in any case.

If they had decent admin systems they would make note when people have said no more calls and take heed.

Perhaps Tyler would like to tell us why the successful listing companies don't NEED to make sales calls.
Chianti

Tecno twit, but I can tie my shoes !
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

Chianti wrote:No owner should have to contact Tyler to stop being pestered with sales calls.
Agreed; the number of nuisance calls we were receiving had got to the point that pretty much any way to stop them was welcome.

Most cold calls, from any business, are a PITA to a greater or lesser extent, but I'll accept that some businesses find it a useful marketing tool. Some businesses go about cold calling in a professional manner, and accept and understand "No thanks" and move on, having removed your details from their target list. Those businesses are at the "minor inconvenience" end of the PITA scale.
At the other extreme are the businesses employing cold callers on a results basis; your details stay on their list until they've converted you. Invariably the caller hits you with a prepared script in a one-way exchange. Invariably they keep calling back; you recognise the incoming caller ID, or it's withheld, and you don't answer, so they keep trying. Or you do answer, tell them to please stop calling, and they keep calling regardless. These businesses are at the "isn't there a law that protects me from nuisance calls?" end of the scale. It does, of course, raise their profile; we tend to remember, and share, the names of the businesses that employ these tactics........
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Chianti
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Post by Chianti »

Now I understand their tactics, sleazy might be a good description.
Chianti

Tecno twit, but I can tie my shoes !
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pepsipuss
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Post by pepsipuss »

The thing that really gets up my nose is the 'is this the owner of a bed and breakfast in Andalucia?' ALWAYS at meal times, despite the fact that we indicate we do evening meals. When I explain that I am in the middle of preparing dinner for several people and I really do not have time to talk to them they seem completely mystified and persist regardless.
For true domestic harmony it is essential that dogs know their place, which is below all cats

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www.villa-rental-andalucia.com
http://www.fincalaserenidad.com
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greenbarn
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Post by greenbarn »

pepsipuss wrote: When I explain that I am in the middle of preparing dinner for several people and I really do not have time to talk to them they seem completely mystified and persist regardless.
Your response is beyond what their script can cope with, so they press on....... GRRRRRR :evil:

Very occasionally we get cold calls from people who know that cold calls are generally unwelcome. They're the professional types who aren't farming out the cold calls to agencies, and they actually listen to what you have to say.

Very, very occasionally.......
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vrooje
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Post by vrooje »

These businesses are at the "isn't there a law that protects me from nuisance calls?" end of the scale.
In the US, if a company calls you for the purposes of marketing even after you have specifically requested that they remove you from their call lists, they're in violation of federal regulations and can get into serious trouble if they're reported.

I'm not sure how it works if a US company is calling a European number, though. I'm also uncertain as to whether European numbers can be registered on the US Do Not Call list, but it could be worth a try if you're feeling harassed.
Brooke
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pepsipuss
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Post by pepsipuss »

We used to be registered in UK for similar system and I used to take great delight in seeing how quickly the caller rang off when I asked them if they had checked the list! :lol: :lol: :lol:
For true domestic harmony it is essential that dogs know their place, which is below all cats

LMH Accommodation Offers Report
www.villa-rental-andalucia.com
http://www.fincalaserenidad.com
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jaapspreeuwenberg
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Post by jaapspreeuwenberg »

Unfortunately I signed on with AlwaysOnVacation two months ago, I did not read the posts on them on this forum (I think it was around this time I became a member of LMH) for two profiles. Since then I had ZERO bookings and ZERO enquiries. Other listings have the same text / photo's / information / prices, so they really can not get away that my photos should be better, etc... I decided to drop them next year and take my loss.

Untill yesterday. I received the familiar phone call 'Hello I Am Stella from RyainAir'... Don't understand that, they are calling for AlwaysOnVacation aren't they? Anyway, the salespitch did work on me before (don't think I will fall for any of that again, it's just like the other post: any site that is working for me did not need to give me a call.) Not anymore.

I am already listed with them.

So anyone complaining about getting calls from AlwaysOnVacation after telling them 'No'; even when you sign up they will keep calling you:-) Don't know if that is really comforting, but tells you something about the quality of their systems. I wish their effort in getting me booking was as high as their effort in making sales.

Kind regards,

Jaap
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Chianti
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Post by Chianti »

Jaap poor you, have you noticed that Tyler has not responded to the issue of performance, nor has he stopped the pestering of owners who don't wish to receive cold calls.
Chianti

Tecno twit, but I can tie my shoes !
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jaapspreeuwenberg
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Post by jaapspreeuwenberg »

Yes, I did:-) And thank you for your sympathy.

I think I will take this loss and continue on sites like HL and HA that are at least performing for me. It was a lesson learned.

I understand that normally it is a policy on LMH to refer to your profile when you are writing about rental sites, but to not reward them with an incoming link, let me just give me the ID's if that's OK with the other members of this board:

984474
984475

Kind regards,

Jaap
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jaapspreeuwenberg
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Post by jaapspreeuwenberg »

Hi all,

Please allow me to give an update on my experiences with AOV.

After my complaints here on the forum (see my previous post) I received a PM from Tyler:

"Please send me your Listing ID number and I will have our demand team review your market."

I did reply him with my IDs, upon which he wrote:

"I have forwarded the listing id numbers to my search team. We have been in a low season for your market and should be coming in to some better traffic.

We will increase our budgets in your area."

That was 19 June 2011. Now, more than a month later, I have received two enquiries, one from the italian site enquiring for a one month rental in August (mid season in Thailand) and one for a four month rental from December to March (peak season in Thailand). I have been in contact with the two persons making the enquiry and they seem genuine to me (did a Google search on the emails, received replies and spoke with the person enquiring from the Italian site).

Both enquiries did not convert into bookings. The August period was snapped up by someone else from another rental listing site and the December-March booking was not available for 2011-12, but the last enquirers seem to be interested in a booking for 2012-13.

But at least I got two enquiries, and AOV did respond to my complaints and seem to have improved the marketing for my areas.

Thought it would be fair to give you this follow-up as well.

Kind regards,

Jaap
Last edited by jaapspreeuwenberg on Wed Jul 27, 2011 6:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
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964kevin
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Not always, but sometimes

Post by 964kevin »

I've been with them for about 18months, had about 2 dozen enquiries, of which 5 have turned into solid bookings....Not great, but it's paid for the advertising............

If it were a school report, it would definitely enter the can do better box.

Kevin
http://www.encantada-vacation.com

Our little piece of Florida, never get tired of being there. Love it and the people to bits.
limousin-cottage
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Post by limousin-cottage »

By sheer coincidence I have just found this thread AFTER my cold call from AOV. I had a very useful and informative conversation, first in French but when I asked for more details, I was called back in English. I was interested in hearing what they had to offer, because for next year I will have to decide which sites to list with. I was led through (online) the link from Ryanair's website, which was very easy to follow and find the vacation rental listings for my area. The offers, to me, seemed reasonable, but as I explained on the phone, I have no availability until next Spring, so will not decide until then which sites I am going to use. Obviously anyone viewing the ad would look at the availability and not bother to enquire. This explanation was accepted with the utmost grace, and the guy asked if it was ok to contact me next year, which I have no problem with. They were a bit persistant in asking for my landline number - but I understand now that a) It is a lot cheaper of course and b) they needed to actually speak with me to run through the links from the Ryanair website. Time will tell I guess whether they become an annoyance or not!
limousin-cottage
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Re: Not always, but sometimes

Post by limousin-cottage »

964kevin wrote:I've been with them for about 18months, had about 2 dozen enquiries, of which 5 have turned into solid bookings....Not great, but it's paid for the advertising............

If it were a school report, it would definitely enter the can do better box.

Kevin
Forgot - I was offered a 'guarantee' whereby if the ad didn't generate sufficient bookings to cover 9 times the cost of the ad (or something like that) they would re-run the ad for the next period for free. Like 'no win no fee' sort of LoL
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