If I had a pound for every enquiry for dates already booked

[Chianti]

E-Richard

What creep I'll bet it was also so so delicious

Chianti

[Giddy Goat]

Sorry, bit more TC but couldn't resist when I found the following. Perhaps you used these, Richard! (Commentary in Japanese, but it makes no difference)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Eibydta-34

[Chianti]

GG

How on earth did you find that? Do you think she moved them apart, as that was slight of hand? Can't figure out how the chops sticks came out of the packet if no one else was involved.

Maybe this is a job for the forum's ace investigators Helen and Big Sis?

Chianti

[Giddy Goat]

How on earth did you find that?i

That would be telling Chianti!

I do admit that there's a bit of a letdown after that initial joy of seeing a new inquiry in the mailbox. But that's a different thing.

Yes, me too Brooke, but hope springs eternal ....

[Chianti]

Oddly enough we are getting loads of enquiries and most haven't bothered to view the availability calendar. I think they have left booking their holidays so late that they are beginning to panic.

Sorry for getting back on thread, far more fun to creep.

Chianti

[Big Sis..]

I don't find it irritating or annoying, especially if I can forward people to a property which suits them and may have availability. It's all part of helping people have a great holiday and the 60 seconds it takes me to send a single e-mail don't bother me at all.

I agree with Brooke and Margaret

Im always nice and helpful whether the dates are booked or not.[mind you I dont display and availability calender so I must expect lots of these sorts of Enquiries]
and theres quite a few times. that Ive been able to manouvre them into weeks that Id like them to book...........

Or had people come back because I was soo helpful last year..

Last week ,I received an email from someone who tried to book last year and was unsuccessful......[ both houses 2 weeks each]
and has just come back, and enquired again and is booking[for 2009]
So you never know, when these seemingly, 'waste of time' enquiries turn into REAL bookings,

and how long does it take really!!!

Take Care Rosxx

[Mamacats]

Patience is a virtue.

I have a cattery web site with all the details regarding kitten availability and placement information including the prices yet I still receive many emails requesting information as to whether or not I have kittens available and at what price……..

It can be quite upsetting but it is par for the course.
And when our rental goes on the market, I expect to receive similar enquires.

[eldrep]

Come January next year I shall be emailing all the people who enquired for booked dates to remind them that they need to book early should they want to secure their dates in that lovely apartment they missed out on in 2008....Looked at that way, you could just see them as potential bookers for next year.

But it is still a tad annoying when they ask as it gets you all excited that they'll be asking about that annoying spare week you've still got left and no, they are asking for school hols!

[John Hampton]

Enquiries almost made me give up the rental business altogether. Over the last few years on different properties (now disposed of) I have answered the same questions over and over and over despite adding the answer to each question to my FAQ's that I had at the time.

When I had my phone number on the site I got calls from all over trying to sell me alarms, insurance and thousands of calls that go on for ages about the distance to the shops.

A friend of a friend in the sharp end of the Internet illustrated to me one day how it was more likely the poor design of my website that was leading to all the random enquiries, but when I saw the amount of skilled work needed to overcome that I realised it wasn't for me.

A bit on consolidation later (sold 3 apts and bought 1, deleted website) and I've all but wiped all that stress out and I feel literally like my life is mine again.

Whatever you do, don't be a slave to enquiries. In my experience poor enquiries = bad customers.

[Margaret]

I certainly can't agree that people who ask obvious questions are bad enquirers or that they make bad guests. However, I definitely agree that you were in the wrong business!

I regard every enquiry as a challenge (a pleasant one!) to turn it into a booking and am regularly told that it was my helpful, detailed answer to the first enquiry that persuaded people to book by convincing them that their holiday was in good hands. The people who asked 'obvious' questions are not necessarily more difficult than others, just more concerned to make sure they have a good holiday. Obviously, a small minority are trouble from day one, but that is true of every walk of life.

We are in a service business.

[Giddy Goat]

I agree with Margaret that you can't generalise about who makes a good guest and who doesn't. If one single magic formula were found which successfully predicted whether or not it was a good idea to accept a booking, it would certainly be handy - but things are never that simple. Lots of questions from an enquirer may well be an indicator of potential problems with a guest, but not on every occasion, and it rather depends on the nature of each question too!

There will always be people who only ever skim read, it's just an irritating fact of life unfortunately! That applies as much to those who have booked not reading our guest manual (a copy of which is even sent to them in advance of their arrival) as to those who are still at the deciding phase and are checking out our website.

Without a website John, I'd have imagined your getting more, rather than fewer questions, and am surprised this isn't the case.

Lovely apartment BTW!

[Chianti]

Another reason for questions may well be the lack of computer savy. Several guests have surprised me with their lack of knowledge, only in that I assumed they had more.

What ever the reason for the questions, we're happy to help.

Chianti

[la vache!]

I don't think people generally invest a lot of time or effort in reading the small print before confirming a booking, hence the questions. Most people probably initially book on the basis of the location and price being right, the photographs appealing to them and the fact it sleeps the correct amount of people. They read the detail after.

[harcourtv57]

I too answer every enquiry, as helpfully and thoroughly as possible (though sometimes whilst gritting my teeth!). However, I have to say that both the cancellations for August we had were both customers who asked many, many questions (most of which were already covered in the listings info) procrastinated about sending the money and then cancelled at last minute. Yesterday I got one of those bookings that don't come along v often - customer enquired if dates were still free (having already looked at availability), sent reply yes with info and booking form - booking form came back a couple of hours later - and they had also read the info about deposit and payment terms and included in their e-mail the fact that a cheque had already been posted - hurrah!

[Giddy Goat]

Hurrah!! Frame the email Harcourt, you may not get another like that for a while!