''Out of hours'' phone calls.....

[Big Sis..]

What time would you consider appropriate to make a telephone enquiry??

Just recently Ive had a few of them after 10-30pm..
well I say I, but last night I was in bed, so hubby took it

These arent ''last minute must know now!!'' stuff either......

Just really surprised me

[windrush]

On our listings we say we can be contacted by phone from 10am to 8pm, I think those are reasonable hours. Prospective guests don't always share that view though and the latest call I've had was around midnight on a Thursday from someone wanting to arrive on the Saturday, who didn't book after all

[kendalcottages]

I'd say any time up to about 9.30pm (although that's pushing it a little) is acceptable. We get virtually all our enquiries by email and use the telephone only as an answering machine facility (and advise as such on our website).

[vrooje]

Were they in a different time zone?

I used to get the occasional phone inquiry from Europe, usually before dawn, but this has stopped since I added the remark "(we are GMT-8)" to the phone number on all my listing sites.

(Chez Nous obviously didn't read carefully, though; their telemarketers called me at 5 a.m. every other day for a week until I gave them a stern talking-to. )

[Big Sis..]

Were they in a different time zone?

I did think of that Brooke!!
but we tend to get calls from the UK or Spain, and Spain are an hour later than us
The 'lady who phoned last might was 'foreign ' Hubby said and he had trouble understanding her.
[I also think he was probably a bit 'short' with her as it was late ] and I deal with all the enquiries, and he wouldnt have woke me.
Anyhows he asked her to call back this morning and she didnt.....

[Moliere]

Talking about telephone enquiries, we get the huge majority of our enquiries by email. BUT, on each of the three or four occasions this year when I have had a day or so off work I have had a telephone enquiry during the day.

I don't really understand, what's wrong with email, or leaving a message on our answering machine? But they don't, it seems.

It makes me wonder, is it simple coincidence, or have I missed out on bookings because I'm at work during the day?

Mols

[Marks]

I've had a few late ones, past 11pm. One even said "oh, I didn't expect you to answer"

[harcourtv57]

We did have one at 6.00 am who went on to say his baby had got him up so he decided to call us - OH was less than polite

And Mols I have had exactly the same experience with phone calls during the odd day I have been at home - got me wondering too!

[Hells Bells]

There are always a few unexplained numbers on our home phone each week on the caller display.

[pete]

Never being a techo xxxx dont know if I could ever do this in the UK but here, when I am allowed out I divert our house phone to our mobile. All we need is a little credit now and then on the mobile and REMEMBER TO DIVERT THE PHONE !!! sorry for caps - copied note from sticky on car keys !

pete

[Zorro]

I believe nowadays many people prefer to phone, and this is based on personal experience. Many owners are actually too slow at responding to email enquiries, people want an answer quickly, and they will telephone rather than wait for an email response.

So yes, I think enquiries are missed if you are not at home. I have now added my mobile number to adverts. For the same reasons, they won't leave an answerphone message either, they will just try all the owners in their selection and are likely to book with the one that they get the first positive response to.

It never ceases to amaze me when I get an automated response back saying an owner is away for 2 weeks and they'll respond on their return. We always book very late and I want to know if something is available so that I can move on.

Trouble is you can't stay home all the time, and you can't always remember availability if they call you on your obile, but at least they know you are aware of the enquiry and will respond quickly

[Giddy Goat]

I also get occasional telephone inquiries, and am lucky in that respect that I am at home, as it does give you a great opportunity to "convert". People who call are probably checking you're kosher, and it's also a quick way of asking more questions. No matter how comprehensive your website is, there will always be something that isn't mentioned, or that is but which they have missed because they didn't read it thoroughly enough.

I would probably want to speak with the owner too - and to feel that I like them! Silly I know.

TC: what's with this Pete?

when I am allowed out I divert our house phone to our mobile.

[la vache!]

I believe nowadays many people prefer to phone, and this is based on personal experience. Many owners are actually too slow at responding to email enquiries, people want an answer quickly, and they will telephone rather than wait for an email response.

They will if they are desperate, like at the moment, as there are loads of people who have left things until the last minute and are still looking for August. But for people who book well in advance, I'm sure that email is still the preferred option of enquiring.

[Musetta]

I believe nowadays many people prefer to phone, and this is based on personal experience.

really?? this shocks me actually.

I almost NEVER get phone enquires, especially for the USA house. I can only actually think of two in the past three years - both for booked dates and they wanted to double check and see if I knew of another hr I could refer them to and one was way, way over occupancy. Once in a blue moon...again, I think four, in the years I've nee renting, I get calls for Italy. One was from an elderly couple who did not use the internet much, one from a local resident residing abroad who was going home for a visit, and two from Americans with family from the area who were really just excited to hear and chat about the town because they were heading over to research their ancestry. ALL the others come in by email and, with the exception of the elderly couple, all have emailed as well. I always pick up my phone when I don't recognize the number, especially from the UK, but that are almost always silly telemarketers from listing sites, etc. and not bookings at all. Oh - forget, I do get some once in a while from film companies wanting to film on location (dates have never seems to work out) - they always call and want a quick decision and don't email.

I'd chalk it up to people being too cheap to pay for the international call to me...but Americans don't call either. Maybe it's just me

[pepsipuss]

I almost never get phone enquiries either, and when they do it is usually someone looking for something TOMORROW (or in one case TODAY) who think they will try their luck despite the evidence of the calendar.

We have a Skypein number (a UK one) which allows people to call us from UK at UK rates. We did it because we thought it might help but it is only ever used by family and friends. Mind you we get almost no UK enquiries in any form!