Booking inquiry and next steps

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

Wondering what other hosts do about a booking inquiry that the guest fails to follow up on?  I hate declining because the guest just stops talking.  What do you do? 

[Gerry-And-Rashid0]

@Alice-and-Jeff0

Hi....just decline - they have a number of conversations on the go and have made a booking elsewhere.

You can be polite in doing so...

[Cynthia-and-Chris1]

If it's just an inquiry, hit Dismiss and be done with it.  You can't really do much if the guest is no longer communicating with you.

[Alice-and-Jeff0]

@Cynthia-and-Chris1  I don't seem to have a "dismiss" option.  That's what I should have!  At some point, if memory serves, I think I did have this option but no more..... 

@Gerry-And-Rashid0  We try to be polite when declining, but in this case, it's not really me who's bailed on this relationship, so "declining" doesn't feel right.  But I see your pramatism.  

I mean, if someone called me for a date, and I said let's talk about it and they stopped taking my calls, am I really the one declining?  It would be especially troublesome if I was actually being dinged by declining too. 

[John498]

I just send them a ploite message along the lines of "As there has been no response I will assume you are no longer interested in my place. I thank you for your enquiry and hope perhaps next time you will consider my place again. I get many enquiries and although I feel you would be a good guest, I shall pass my place to the next enquirer." 

I find this engenders a response and even if none if forthcoming you have primed them for anything going wrong so you can step in if free or else they MAY consider you next time.

[Robin4]

@John498.....John, that's brilliant! You have got the ball rolling, you have asked them WTF is going on, in the nicest way, and yes, that final point of yours is really important....you have left the door ajar!

Great reponse John, I love it and thanks for taking the time to post.

Cheers.....Rob

[Robin4]

@John498

John, let me just show you the result of what a post like yours can do, and how it can so help the community!

I received a request for a family to be pre-approved for two nights at the end of this month. I sent the pre-approval and in 24 hours had no reply.....oh, I will let the screenshot do the talking.......

I hope this is still large enought to read!

On the strength of your post John I sent a reminder that the pre-approval was about to expire and they got back to me straight away and said they did not receive my pre-approval, but did indeed still want to stay.

It has now all been sorted out with a specail offer on my part which has been accepted!

So @John498, can you see how what you say can have an impact and can help others! Thank you so much for that post and all the best with your hosting.

Cheers....Rob 

[John498]

Gosh that is very thoughful of you Rob, I really appreciate it! I find sending such a message gives me closure and is subtle enough to get a response if they are still wavering. I have been very fortunate on here with fellows hosts like @Huma0 taking so much time and effort to help me with advice on photography.

I am glad it worked for you Rob as I find it a very useful way of either accepting non-interest or re-igniting conversation. I would also say that if I was going through a quiet period I would be tempted to add in the message that I would give a discount of say 10% (with the caveat for hosts that discountees are not good guests in the main.) There is a Barclays Bank ad here in the UK which dishes out lifestyle advice to save money and it features a lady i her 60s who advises going to sites and registering, browse but not buy anything. She finds they get back to her with offers and vouchers. Food for thought I say.

[Robin4]

@John498........You are partialy right....'Hagglers' do not make good guests, they do not improve when they set foot in your property. There is a psychology relating to interation between characters, and it is most relevant to hosting. Each time the guest has a request or a demand they strengthen their own position and they weaken yours because you keep on giving ground to accommodate them.

We find that Guests who put conditions on a trip will invariable turn out to be difficult, and will reward you poorly in the review department. If I had an enquiry that fell into that category, John, I would very tactfully decline it!!

John, I have had a lifetime of reading others, and I have a post here on how to handle difficult reviews which I do have a lot of success with. But your post was an area I had largely ignored....I guess because I hadn't experienced it but as soon as I read your post your little pearl of wisdom went straight ionto my memory bank...and as you can see got almost immediate results!

Thanks again John.....would like to think you might hang around on the forum for a while...Good comments are always sought after.

Cheers.....Rob

[Huma0]

Hi @John498, I'm really glad you found the advice on photography helpful.

you've also given me a bit of food for thought on this one. With enquiries, I usually just respond to the guest's questions or ask some of my own if this is necessary before pre-approving, then pre-approve if everything seems ok. Then I wait.

With booking requests, I'm a bit more on it as we have to accept or decline, not just respond, within 24 hours, but maybe I should be more proactive with enquiries also. I will take your advice on board!

[Gary-And-Rose0]

I usually send them a nudge message such as:

I have another interested party messaging me about these dates. You messaged first so I want to give the opportunity. Let me know either way. Thanks so much. 

Its worked on a few  occasions to get decisions made. 

[Liv6]

Hi, I am  pretty to new to this and find the posts really helpful. So far I have pre approved and either let it pass once the 24 hours has passed on the basis they have found another place - I have had one person let me know they have found some where else which was great and I was able to do the thanks and maybe another time, or I have followed up with a hope you have found a good spot maybe I can help another time. The only one I had hassle with was one of the haggling people who wanted to book in at 7am, leave his partner at the house all day  then book out at 5pm on the Friday - thankfully I had set the book in for 3pm.

Its so useful hearing about others experience.

[Kelly149]

Yes, Accept/Decline really only applies if a guest is truly making a booking inquiry. Often, I find that guests are actually asking a question, not making an inquiry. So I answer their question and leave it at that. 

[Kelly149]

BUT, I have IB so maybe that is why my inquiries are more like questions-- if someone wanted to book, they could just push the button and do so.