When do you ignore enquiries you don't 'like'?

How to communicate with your potential renters - how to turn site visitors into enquiries, and enquiries into bookings.
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Mountain Goat
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When do you ignore enquiries you don't 'like'?

Post by Mountain Goat »

It's rare, but I hate enquiries in block capitals, and usually ignore them, as it's probably some poor Nigerian internet caff scammer who can't afford a new keyboard.

But how about short, sharp exchanges, probably 3 or 4 words:

how much july 4 - july 7

In reply to the makeup of their group:

7

Asking how they're thinking of getting to our village:

dont know

Is it the all-lower-case which turns me off? The lack of anything to start and end the message, not even a Hi or my name?

I know in some circles it's cool to abbreviate and show how busy they are, but I've got no patience with it at all.

MG
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Post by Hells Bells »

I'd send back an equally short reply.
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Post by Margaret »

Until there is evidence that it is a scam, I always send a normal, polite answer. I guess this person is making a number of enquiries around fiercely clashing priorities and will sit down on Sunday and review the replies calmly. Until I'm proved wrong. Maybe he/she doesn't do polite, then there may be a decision to be made.
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pambon
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Post by pambon »

I'd be tempted too to send an equally abbreviated reply but then good manners kick in and I'd send the usual response.

Interesting to see just how abbreviated communication is becoming even in business....
Martha
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Post by Martha »

I usually keep it polite, you never know what's happening at the other end (multiple enquiries, loads to do, emailing on a phone, etc)

The only time I've ignored enquiries are a couple of really ridiculous ones which I didn't think deserved an answer e.g. "We want two weeks and have a budget of 1000 euros max"
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Don Ciccio
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Post by Don Ciccio »

Martha wrote:I usually keep it polite, you never know what's happening at the other end (multiple enquiries, loads to do, emailing on a phone, etc)
This is what i'd say. We get curt enquiries all the time, mainly becuase people enquiring are taking the time to try to write in English, rather than their own language - so we always cut them a lot of slack.

Occasionally there are people who ask silly questions such as 'is the accommodation a villa or a flat' - despite the villas being called villas and referred to and shown as villas all over our site and advert sites. Its about common sense.

You can sometimes tell the people who are really interested as they bother to put in more details.

Ciccio
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kendalcottages
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Re: When do you ignore enquiries you don't 'like'?

Post by kendalcottages »

Mountain Goat wrote:Is it the all-lower-case which turns me off? The lack of anything to start and end the message, not even a Hi or my name?
maybe
Kendal Holiday Cottages Ltd., Kendal, Cumbria - between the Lake District & the Yorkshire Dales.
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kendalcottages
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Post by kendalcottages »

Sorry, I couldn't resist. :twisted:

That kind of thing would irritate me too, MG. It very much gives me the impression that they're simply not bothered, which leaves you wondering why they even bothered enquiring in the first place.
Kendal Holiday Cottages Ltd., Kendal, Cumbria - between the Lake District & the Yorkshire Dales.
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kendalcottages
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Post by kendalcottages »

Thinking about this, though... I wonder if it's getting much more prevalent. I guess we have to understand these people might be replying from mobile devices where typing is less easy. Perhaps that makes it more excusable, I don't know, but as the person receiving the enquiry, you often have no easy way of telling.
Kendal Holiday Cottages Ltd., Kendal, Cumbria - between the Lake District & the Yorkshire Dales.
Marks
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Post by Marks »

No matter how the enquiry is written or worded my replies are always the same - polite.
Some guests just need a sympathetic pat. On the head. With a hammer.
A-two
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Post by A-two »

It's hard not to get irritated sometimes, but instead I send back the standard formula letter, which is a polite reply with complete information.......except yesterday..... :roll:

Plain text email arrived from direct source (not inquiry form), one sentence. "Is it available May 22 to 29 and how much?" No number of guests, no phone number, no signature, no name even. Reply sent: "Yes, it's available, but I need more information. Please call XXX-XXX-XXXX to discuss." I get the call within the hour, she sounds lovely, goes away to discuss with OT, then confirms they want to go ahead 3 hours later.

Lesson learned: Inquiries with incomplete information can be converted by equally short replies with incomplete information.

Just sayin' .... :)
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Post by olive »

Thread creep: when do you not ring an owner a second time?
I rang the owner of a property I was interested in and got his answer machine: "You know what to do. Now do it".
A-two
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Post by A-two »

olive wrote:"You know what to do. Now do it".
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Waves from America
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Moliere
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Post by Moliere »

The only enquiry I haven't replied to (usually politely and in full) was from Rumania - I really didn't want that booking!

They sent about 3 chaser emails, but I didn't reply.

In the end they gave up and went away.

Mols
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Mountain Goat
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Post by Mountain Goat »

Mols, um, what's wrong with Rumanians? We've had a couple of charming families. Not from Transylvania, I admit, but whazza problem?

MG
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