Homeaway issues

OTA = Online Travel Agency, which means those sites that sell the booking and take the payment for you.
sarahk
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Homeaway issues

Post by sarahk »

I'm on a homeaway with a flexi listing (free announcement with commission). I wanted to report what happened to me.
I was contacted by customer service, who wrote to me that my confirmed booking rate is low compared to the requests received, which are many.
they accused me of using other ways to pay off their system, almost threatening to disable my ad if I did not increase bookings or I have to switchit to the subscription formula...
By mistake I had indicated in recent years as reservations the days when the accommodations were not available ..
When I explained my error, and I deleted what they saw as "unpaid" bookings, they told me that the problem is the quality of my ad (maybe their commissions are too high for my potential guests )
Did the same thing happen to any of you? Opinions? Tips?
Thanks
Sarahk
newtimber
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Post by newtimber »

HA's systems are entirely data driven.

Their systems know exactly how many page views on a property in an area result in a booking; how many enquiries result in a booking; if someone looks at your listing then leaves the HA site, how much money they are making from your listing etc etc. If you deviate too much from the average, you get that targeted email. If you give them loads of booking and commissions they put you on page 1 and promote you; if not, you go to page 100.

Remember you are not dealing with a person, you are dealing with a computer that thinks it knows best. It's nothing personal. They send that message automatically so that those who are cheating will think twice and those that aren't will contact them as you have done.
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Rogthedodge
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Post by Rogthedodge »

Bugger newtimber, that was a bit of an eyeopener, wondered why I have never got to the top of the tree?
Deary me am I real.

www.holiday-rentals.com/52179
Nigel Goodwin
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Post by Nigel Goodwin »

This caught my eye just now:

http://www.vrmintel.com/homeaway-raises ... -software/

plus this

http://www.vrmintel.com/wp-content/uplo ... s-2018.png


I left HA last year when they did not honour their promises made to me by email.

I have not renewed my TA subscriptions, so now I am only on airbnb.
sarahk
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Location: Sardinia-Italy
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Post by sarahk »

with these policies and tax increases, I expect that the timing of portals like homeaway are about to end.
in my opinion it's time to go back to simpler sites (even on an annual subscription), less expensive for owners and guests.
it's not possible that all the major portals rentals are finishing incorporated by Homeaway! :(
Sarah
e-richard
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Post by e-richard »

Nigel Goodwin wrote:This caught my eye just now:

http://www.vrmintel.com/homeaway-raises ... -software/.
Expedia bosses are visiting a gun club every week and their favourite practice target is this one:

Image
** Richard
PIMS: Holiday Rental Management system
They say we learn from our mistakes. That makes me a genius !
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Rogthedodge
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Post by Rogthedodge »

Spot on... :roll:
Deary me am I real.

www.holiday-rentals.com/52179
Drax
Posts: 185
Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2016 4:36 pm
Location: Yorkshire Dales

Re: Homeaway issues

Post by Drax »

sarahk wrote:I'm on a homeaway with a flexi listing (free announcement with commission). I wanted to report what happened to me.
I was contacted by customer service, who wrote to me that my confirmed booking rate is low compared to the requests received, which are many.
they accused me of using other ways to pay off their system, almost threatening to disable my ad if I did not increase bookings or I have to switchit to the subscription formula...
By mistake I had indicated in recent years as reservations the days when the accommodations were not available ..
When I explained my error, and I deleted what they saw as "unpaid" bookings, they told me that the problem is the quality of my ad (maybe their commissions are too high for my potential guests )
Did the same thing happen to any of you? Opinions? Tips?
Thanks
Sarahk
Something similar happened to me SarahK.
Until recently I advertised through Owners Direct (sister company), I received an email from them stating they had removed my advert off their site because I had failed to respond to queries from potential guests.(The truth was I had contacted these peoples queries by emailing them with booking details etc. pointing out that if they deallt directly through me they would not have pay the OD Service Fee. At that time contact emails were still being shown on the OD site.)
OD stated they had removed my advert for my benefit because by failing to respond to queries it would affect my 'status' on their system.
They did give me details on how to 'un-hide' (their word not mine) my advert to put it back on display again.
Needless to say for me 'that was the last straw' with regard to OD and shortly after ended my subscription to this awful organisation.
Keep your powder dry.
sazzleevans
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Post by sazzleevans »

The same happened to me over a year ago! I was away and hadn't updated my calendar. I had serval emails and when I saw them I had to refuse. I got the same message and since have been hidden!!! What did they suggest to un hide the advert?
sazzleevans
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Post by sazzleevans »

The same happened to me over a year ago! I was away and hadn't updated my calendar. I had serval emails and when I saw them I had to refuse. I got the same message and since have been hidden!!! What did they suggest to un hide the advert?
Drax
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Joined: Thu Jul 21, 2016 4:36 pm
Location: Yorkshire Dales

Post by Drax »

sazzleevans wrote: What did they suggest to un hide the advert?
Sorry sazzleevans I cannot remember the process, it happened last August and I have deleted their email describing how to do it.
Keep your powder dry.
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