Responding to enquiries question

[Chianti]

Tansy
I was wondering the same. There are plenty of good maps on-line. I wouldn't send anything out, it's all done by email, therefore delays are minimal. Instead of asking enquirers to tick a box saying that they have read the T&Cs I ask for them to write a short statement in their email.

When someone asks to book, we send the Booking Form and T&Cs which are on the same document. When they fill this in and it has all of the info requested, we send out the bank details for them to make a bank transfer which normally takes one day from sending to reaching our bank. When we've confirmation that the money has arrived then a set of useful info and full directions with photos are sent. It's simple, easy and quick.

[Windy]

I always find that as soon as I go away from home, the enquiries start coming in. If I'm looking for accommodation myself, I send off a few enquiries at once. It drives me mad when people don't keep their availability up to date. So I get very cross when they either don't reply or tell me it's booked when it was showing as free. I tend to book with the first one that comes back to me ( I only send off queries to properties I really want to book). In view of this, I always keep my availability up to date and reply immediately. Unfortunately this means I have to take the laptop everywhere and can never really be "away". But I would hate to miss a booking. I just wish people would READ the information provided. I always reply but find it hard not to make sarcastic comments eg booked "as shown on availability calendar". Anyone else feel the same?

Christine - I could have written that - absolutely word for word. (especially the bit at the end about the sarcastic comments)

[tansy]

Christine (and now Chianti) I was answering when a power cut very rudely cut me off in my flow!

My routine is, answer enquiry within 1 hour if poss. Say then if they if would like to book to request booking form - I will then e mail that back (this way I keep control because I have had situation I've sent out loads of booking forms on initial reply hear nothing then sod's law get 2/3 back all for same dates... then what do you do!?), terms of business etc are discussed then.

The return of the booking form (completed) is the confirmation - I e mail back that it is a confirmed booking and show it as booked on the internet.

I then send out the information pack which costs me approx 6 euros per pack as I send tourist information along with map of our Regional Park we are located in. The web sites here are pretty OK but certainly the Regional Park leaves something to be desired - it really does not give the feel of the area.

I have tried it both ways - I've gone back to packs as I do get the feed back that folk do appreciate it. Also if I can't get over to see them in and it is key job than I know they have all the information they need about the house and the area.

I find when I email stuff it doesn't get read - I get loads of e mails from guests just before they are due to come they can't remember if they need to bring sheets, can't remember if there are towels, can't remember about super markets blah blah, they've lost the directions, when I send them a pack I don't get any of this - they seem to keep the pack in a safe place and refer to it.

Old fashioned too I suppose - I think it represents what you have paid for! It's something tangible rather than just an email.

I go on this 'pack mentality' from our holiday we booked a few years ago we were sent a pack with what was there, directions, map of the area and some glossy brochures... I actually read up on the area and we had a great time. This last holiday it was all e mail and up to us to research... didn't get round to researching so really didn't have a great idea of what we wanted to do... we just sort of wandered round Carcasonne - picked up brochures there, got totally confused in the tourist office, got over whelmed with size of place so found somewhere for lunch and left - now I've read up on it we need to go again and do it properly.

Our guests that stay here where we are on site can't get over the advice we give them for going to Mont St Michel - we get a big thank you every time ... we don't always see the guests at the 2 other houses so I try my hardest to give them as much information before they come so they can make informed decisions.

I also found when I had stuff sent to me I was referring to it and day dreaming about my holiday - I had something tangible to look forward to!

[Chianti]

Tansy

I agree that it's nice to send info to guests by post but I would never do so before they have paid.

I agree it's better to wait until they respond saying they wish to book and then send the Booking form with T&Cs. Once they've returned that by email confirming that they have read and agree to them, then the payment info goes out. Only when they have paid their deposit is a booking confirmed. They are told this so there is no confusion. A booking isn't a booking until it's paid. When the money has cleared, then I send useful info and think it might speed your process up if you do it then and not before. We also send photos of focal points to find the house easily and general photos via Flickr if they want to see photos of the area.

We also re-send the info about a week before arrival and up-date them on the weather etc. All the info about sheets, towels etc is clearly written on our website and I've only had to repeat it once to a guest, thank god

[tansy]

I see what you are saying... in 7 years I think I've possibly lost 15 euros in postage doing it this way... as explained on other thread always sit on my bookings until the new year... so last week I sent out 19 packs... I'll let you know in the next week if my theory is blown out the water or it has held another year. I could be sat here about to have the whole thing blow up in my face...

The Germans are certainly happy with this method - I find they especially don't like parting with money until they see what they are getting.

It is quite trusting of folk to pay for something they see on the internet - who's to know that the property does actually exist... my OH is always saying there is a good scam waiting to happen...

[christinedavid]

I put all my bookings through Rentalsystems. It means I can accept credit/debit cards safely, clients get immediate confirmation of their holiday and pay the deposit straight away. It also provides the client with security that were my property to turn out not to exist (!) they'd get their money back.It only costs me 2% for the credit card fee. It also sends out reminders for the balance and information etc to the client when they pay the balance. It works really well for me. Take a look for yourselves:
http://www.rentalsystems.com/default.as ... m=textlink

[tansy]

this just arrived in my in box a couple of minutes ago... fingers crossed the rest are like this...

Hello Tansy,

we received your letter yesterday and had already a look at the info material - we are really looking forward to our stay in your Cottage!

Today I processed the deposit, so I think it will be on your account within the next week.
Here are the details of the payment so it is easier for you to match it:
Thank you for the maps and brochures due to these we can already plan some excursions

[Giddy Goat]

fingers crossed the rest are like this...

Great! They sound like model guests Tansy, so yes, here's hoping!

[Chianti]

Tansy
Isn't that nice, but of course if it's needed to build confidence then you should continue with your system. I keep saying, it's different when your property is small like ours and the amount of money involved is much smaller than most.

Also as previously mentioned, in Italy it's traditional to have your photo on your website, which probably helps if you've changed out of your gardening clothes

[tansy]

well, I could always publish the one of me & Maisy... my Kune Kune pig

[Partridge]

Well in response to the original question on the thread I have got my grumpy hat firmly back on !

Lady telephoned me on Wednesday morning, spent a fair time answering all her questions, our apt was wanted for her son's family but she wanted a 2 bed apt also for herself. I offered to help (knowing other owners) she was v appreciative and asked if I could 'hold' our own as she would get back to me in a couple of days.

I sent one e-mail with specifics about activities and the lay out of the developement. I sent a second with a quotation for our own apt (it was a 3 week booking, so I gave some options re prices). I spent an hour e-mailing & phoning people I knew on our development and sent her a 3rd mail regarding 2 bedders available and prices of them. This was over Wednesday and Thursday, so I politely asked her to confirm all info had been received on Friday and she did. It is now Sunday and I'm fed up to say the least with people who ask me to hold dates for a couple of days and then don't have the courtesey to update on the position their end at all

[Giddy Goat]

Party - patience! All is not lost I'm hoping. I have Statcounter and it does help reassure me when someone seems to be taking an age to decide - I can look and see if they've visited the site recently!

So I was in the same position as you, but knew a chap I'd been waiting to hear from had been peeking at the website - again! (103 pages viewed in total!!!) So I sat on my hands and got an email yesterday that a cheque and booking form were in the post!

[Normandy Cow]

Tansy, why do you post out paper brochures etc when you have email contact with the client? I email the stuff. It's easier, quicker and cheaper.

There's a very important reason for doing this. If you send it by post (once they have paid the balance), then you can be fairly confident that you do have a proper contact address for them, and that they don't live in Nigeria. (Unless of course, they actually do live in Nigeria and you are posting it there!)

Paranoid? Moi?

[christinedavid]

Hi Normandy Cow. Tansy sends it out before they've even paid the deposit! As I use Rentalsystems and all bookings are by credit card, I feel I'm pretty safe really. Our Nigerian "friends" wouldn't pay by credit card. Well, actually, they wouldn't pay at all....

[tansy]

Party... try working with New Yorkers who are making films for the American War Grave Commission - all have an 'itz' at the end of their surnames... I think it's been 17 e mails messages to do this years booking - and the dates have changed... yet again!!!!!