Convert booking requests

Undoubtedly, a key point of your holiday home business success, is the management of booking requests, which requires good timing, efficiency, and professionalism.

In order to help you to convert booking requests into actual bookings, we have listed the following suggestions for you.

When preparing to receive reservation requests:

Fill a list with the most common topics and most frequently requested information by your potential customers. For instance: the distance from the sea, from the town centre, from the airport; if sheets and towels will be provided; what the refundable security deposit is; which rooms are air-conditioned; availability of cots and highchairs and so on.

Prepare standard response e-mails, providing additional details about your holiday home and further information on the booking procedure, for instance: the down payment, the balance settlement, and consignation of keys on the spot. Click here>> to access the English response pro-forma.

Keep your availability calendar on your Wish Sicily home management panel control constantly updated, reserving all booked periods, on a regular basis. The customer tends to look for its ideal holiday home, by searching availability criteria besides features and price. Make sure your personal data listed in the “form” (your Wish Sicily holiday home chart), are accurate and updated.

When receiving booking requests:

Check your email inbox daily and several times a day, making sure the requests you receive do not get rejected by the service provider and sent straight to “junk mail” box. Make sure the phone number you’ve advertised on your Wish Sicily holiday home chart, is always reachable. Alternatively, you might want to set an entry dedicated to booking requests on your answering machine.

When responding reservation requests:

Respond to reservation requests quickly and professionally. Remember, timing plays a crucial role: your potential customer might have already asked for availability of another holiday home, in your same area of interest.

In case your holiday home should not be available for the period requested by the client, it is recommended to respond to the client in any case, informing him/her of the existing reservation, therefore suggesting an alternative period of availability.

If the customer were to prefer a more conventional phone contact instead of an e-mail, by leaving his/her phone number, remember to call him/her back and be prepared to answer all possible questions he/she might be willing to ask.

Make sure you list any extra cost to be paid on he spot, just as the security deposit. The customer usually does not like this kind of surprises upon his/her arrival. This way you’ll avoid possible litigations.

In case the client did not answer your first confirmation of availability, remember to call him back after 3 business days. Your potential customer might still be undecided whether or not to confirm the reservation request.