How do I handle enquiries for my holiday home?

• Be easy to reach. Make sure that you check your emails regularly and answer your phone. Have an answer-phone with a suitable message in place for when you can’t take a call. If you’re going away, have someone else in place to cover your enquiries and bookings for you. Also check the spam filter on your email account – you don’t want it to delete your enquiries because they’re from unknown email addresses.
• Be the first. Put yourself in the place of a Holidaymaker, you’ve spent a few hours looking for places to stay and you’ve sent off several emails. The owner who gets back to you soonest will probably be the one with whom you’ll take things further and end up booking with. Try to reply to all enquires as soon as possible and certainly within 24 hours. Think carefully before using your work email address or phone number, if a Holidaymaker leaves a message on Friday night you might not be able to reply until Monday. If you have registered with Holiday Lettings be sure to use our free SMS alert service that way you’ll be prompted immediately about new enquiries.
• Follow up on the phone. If you’re advertising online, you’ll get a lot of enquiries by email. If they give a number, call those Holidaymakers back on the phone. Speaking to them directly will help answer their questions quickly, it’ll make you stand out in their mind and it will also say to them that you’re efficient and keen to take their booking.
• Manners matter. Always be polite and helpful even if you can’t fit someone in. They might change their dates or come back to you in future if you treat them well at this stage. Answer any questions which enquirers ask, and have plenty of information to hand for them.
• Be enthusiastic. Your attitude will have a great impact on whether enquiries convert into bookings. Always be enthusiastic about your property and area, address people’s questions and give them extra information. Be as helpful as you can – if a family need a cot during their stay, try to source one for them. If you reply to a Holidaymaker and then you don’t hear back from them, follow it up.
• Be flexible. However up to date your advertising, you’re bound to get some enquiries about dates that have already gone. Explain the situation and offer enquirers alternative dates – perhaps give them a discount for choosing those dates instead.
• Ask about your guests. There’s nothing wrong with asking people how old their kids are or how many people will be staying. There also might be some bookings which you don’t want to take, for example stag and hen parties. In this case you’re entirely within your rights to say politely say no.
• Get their signatures. Once you’ve agreed dates and a price with someone, send them your booking contract straight away, you don’t have the booking until they’ve signed on the dotted line. You can send your contract by email or in the post – include a stamped, addressed envelope if you want a speedy return. Ask your guest to sign it and return it to you with their booking deposit.
• Get organised. If you’re dealing with a lot of enquiries, put together some standard email signatures to save time. These should contain all the information people will need and you can then personalise them. Keep a separate folder in your inbox for emails to do with your holiday home.
• Testimonials. Some people will need reassuring that you’re a real property owner, especially those who find your advert on the net. Calling people on the phone and putting them in touch with past guests will really put their minds at ease. Collect former guests’ good comments and ask them if you can give out their email address for this purpose.

Top Tip
Be careful of premium rate numbers given as contact numbers. These numbers typically begin with a '090' and incur very high charges when you call them.