Property in Turkey | Managing Rentals

How do you handle enquiries of your property in Turkey?

Once you have set up your advertising, you need to think about how you will handle the enquiries you are going to receive in the coming weeks for renting your property in Turkey. You may get requests for long terms rentals, questions about bringing children, aunties, grandpa and the family dog, queries about the number of pillows on each bed and almost certainly someone who wants to know if there is a shop nearby that stocks a daily paper.

Enquirers may email you about a booking and then call you 20 minutes later as they are so keen to confirm, while others might not respond to you for a week or more when you let them know that the dates are available. Remember as many as possible of these enquiries need to become concrete bookings to bring in the hope for revenue on your property in Turkey. Here are some pointers to help you convert more of your enquiries into bookings.

• 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 a property in Turkey with. Try to reply to all enquiries 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 through Nirvana International be sure to use the 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 on your property in Turkey 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 in Turkey 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 about your property in Turkey 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.

Nirvana and Holiday Lettings also provide monthly newsletters offering help and advice and of course any special offers to encourage those late bookings of your property in Turkey.

Content courtesy of holidaylettings.co.uk