HomeAway: How to respond to an enquiry.

OTA = Online Travel Agency, which means those sites that sell the booking and take the payment for you.
Quiterio
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HomeAway: How to respond to an enquiry.

Post by Quiterio »

This is going to sound like a dumb question. I've been doing this for years, and can't wait to ditch HomeAway. But, being still unfortunately dependent on them for enquiries, I now find I'm faced with 3 options when replying.

1. Reply and pre-approve. Send quote and allow guest to book.
2. Reply with quote. If a payment is made, approval is still required (I'm not sure I understand the difference: if they pay, surely they've booked?!)
3. Reply to traveller with text only.

My instinct is to go with 3, encourage the enquirer to pay direct and not bother with the service fee, which is included in 1 and 2, and probably makes us less competitive.

But is this allowed?

I pay HA by subscription, so I can take direct payments. Will I be allowed to pass on my details in option 3, or is this nothing but a reply to say whether or not the property is available?

What do others do?
hmy7k
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Post by hmy7k »

You won’t be allowed to exchange contact details until they have booked. That doesn’t stop you trying to subtly direct them towards your own website which is what I do.

My renewal is next month can’t wait to dump them.
newtimber
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Post by newtimber »

It's not worthwhile trying to get people to circumvent the service fee.
If you don't convert enquiries into bookings with HA getting its service fee, then you go to page 100 in the search results.
COYS
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Post by COYS »

Much as it pains me to say it I’m afraid newtimber is about right. It’s a simple enough choice now - either be an HA bi*ch .... or ditch.
D day can’t come soon enough for me either hmy7k, as last renewal has been a complete & utter waste of time & money anyway.
This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires.
Jenster
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Post by Jenster »

+1 with coys and newtimber
sarahk
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Post by sarahk »

If you have a annual subscription, you could answer to your potential guests and suggest them direct booking.
It's not allowed when your ad is flexy- commission based, with no annual payment.
But in any case annual fee it's not cheap for owners and the percentage of commission is considerable discouraging many guest :-(
COYS
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Post by COYS »

sarahk wrote:If you have a annual subscription, you could answer to your potential guests and suggest them direct booking.
It's not allowed when your ad is flexy- commission based, with no annual payment.
But in any case annual fee it's not cheap for owners and the percentage of commission is considerable discouraging many guest :-(
Theoretically you could if a subs listing sarahk. I do on the very rare occasion that they actually generate an enquiry but I think the point is it's just not worth the hassle if you are heavily reliant upon them to fill your calendar. If not, it's surely better to concentrate on alternative advertising & educating guests to come to us direct if that's what they want. That way nobody need play the tiresome HA percentage game nor continue funding their arrogant dominance.
Re: OP - option 3 whilst you still can, it won't be for long anyway & will be heavily censored by the 'system' anyway. See above :?
This time next year Rodney, we'll be millionaires.
vfmfca
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Post by vfmfca »

I am on subscription and I still get contact details so I can email enquirers as well as replying through the dashboard. I reply using option 3 and use my standard text as I did previously giving my fee with a note that booking through OD their fee will be £x, for which they get OD's "book with confidence guarantee". As I require direct payment of a deposit by bank transfer or by invoicing and card payment before I reserve the dates I have found that the 24 hours OD allow before cancelling the booking, usually passes before a booking is agreed and the guest then books direct. I accept that in the long run OD may list my property lower in the search results but it is the guests choice how to book.
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Quiterio
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Post by Quiterio »

Many thanks for everyone's input and suggestions.
sarahk
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Post by sarahk »

hello everybody,
In case of annual subscription is e-mail address and/or phone number of potential guest show in his enquiry?
I'm on commission based now (homeaway and homelidays too) and I'm considering to switch to annual subscription to be allowed to contact directly guests...
Even if online booking it's mandatory, is it possible to write (being not banned- censored):
"payment could be made by bank transfer/paypal directly to owner OR, following instructions in this website, by credit card (debit card, paypal and so on) by securised online payment..."
Thanks
Sarah
Giraffe
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Post by Giraffe »

Be careful Sarah. I'm currently on subscription and can contact my customers directly. The problem is that OD will put you to the bottom of the rankings if you don't let your customers pay through them with their added fees. I haven't had an enquiry since September. Subscription is now just a waste of money - cancelling mine next month, probably go to commission as it won't cost me £400+ annual fee. OD will only get something from me if they get me a booking.
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sarahk
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Post by sarahk »

Just received a message from Homelidays...
ALL contact details (guests and owners) will be "censored" until booking.
I suppose they mean for every owner (including subscription ones)

:cry:
Maybe we could try to make them change their minds before all of us owners escape from their team ...??
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Mouse
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Post by Mouse »

Just had a call form OD about the fact I haven't renewed my subscription advert.
One gem of information he passed on to me was that I would see a dramatic improvement in enquiries if I went pay as you go. :roll:

I'm still undecided on trying that but I'm definately not paying a subscription.

Mousie
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bornintheuk
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Post by bornintheuk »

Mouse wrote:Just had a call form OD about the fact I haven't renewed my subscription advert.
One gem of information he passed on to me was that I would see a dramatic improvement in enquiries if I went pay as you go. :roll:

I'm still undecided on trying that but I'm definately not paying a subscription.

Mousie
x
And you believe them ! Once everyone is on commission then where will you find yourself on searches. Rated by highest price first to maximise commission on a percentage basis ?
Cheaper to shoot yourself in the foot :?
What would Plato do ?
gardenboy
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Post by gardenboy »

Yes i just got the email from ha re censoring email address and phone numbers.

Coincidentally, i just took a 2 week summer booking and saw the clients fee was 200 gbp.

I reckon eventually all my bookings go via ha i will be worth c 1600 gbp to them. Thats the 400 subs plus 1200 client fees.

So do we think we will be listed in value to ha order? Ie, top spot will be the 2000 pa villa, last the 500 say?

Thankfully i ve had many good years in the old environment.
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