Contracts and booking forms

How to communicate with your potential renters - how to turn site visitors into enquiries, and enquiries into bookings.
crosslandv1
Posts: 32
Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2012 4:47 pm
Location: Pyrenees Orientales France

Contracts and booking forms

Post by crosslandv1 »

We are putting together our paperwork for next season and were wondering if anyone had examples in pdf or doc. that might help. We are based in France and want to make sure we get this right. Do you think we can do it all online and using bank transfers for deposits etc?

:?
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Jammy
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:41 pm
Location: Picardie and Essex
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Post by Jammy »

We are coming to the end of our first letting season with our house in northern France.

At the moment I send the booking form and Terms and Conditions as email attachments following initial enquiries and then follow with Directions and House Notes, also by email, when the balance is paid.

So far all our clients have been happy with this. I offer 'paper' copies by snail mail for anyone without Internet capability.

I have been thinking about whether to put the booking form online with T & C but would miss that direct first contact with potential clients, which I think gives a great opportunity to 'size' people up.

I would be happy to send you copies of both the booking form and the T & Cs if you pm me.

I ask for either a cheque or bank transfer for the deposit and balance and most clients opt for the bank transfer.

Similarly, I offer the return of the security deposit by cheque or bank transfer and the majority prefer the speed of the bank transfer.

No probs so far and we've had a good season with lots of bookings, I'm pleased to say.

Hope this is helpful.
When you know better, you do better.
e-richard
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Joined: Sun Oct 17, 2004 11:33 am
Location: Algarve, Portugal
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Post by e-richard »

You can have your booking form online and still not lose that personal contact.

1. I do not think its a good idea to send the booking form in response to the first enquiry. The guest may misinterpret this to think you are holding the dates for them, and reply with booking form (say) 5-10 days later, or they may never reply. In the meantime, you may take other enquiries from guests ready to book. Potential for double bookings and awkward moments is high.

2. So, what I suggest is that the first email, simply says "get back to me when ready to book", and THEN you can send a link to an online booking form which is otherwise not visible on your website.

I speak from bitter experience of double bookings :oops: (it was a long time ago, but still hurts when I think of it)
** Richard
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
Jammy
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2012 9:41 pm
Location: Picardie and Essex
Contact:

Post by Jammy »

Hi e-Richard,

yes you are quite right and I didn't properly explain did I?

By 'initial enquiries' I was meaning exactly what you describe.. they get in touch and ask about availability and cost, I email back with said info, invite any further questions and ask them to let me know if they would like a booking form.

If I get a psoitive reply I then send the Booking Form with T&C with a request for its return with deposit within 5 days.

I dread the idea of a double booking and so like most of us on here check and double check everything - it's gotten me by so far for my first season but you never know...

Hope I haven't jinxed myself now!
When you know better, you do better.
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