What a direct enquiry is
A direct enquiry is a message, call or form from a guest who contacts you without an intermediary. It is not a reservation: the room is not taken until you and the guest agree. That is why, for a small guest house, an enquiry form is often entirely sufficient and simpler than a booking engine.
The guest's path to the enquiry
The guest goes through four steps: finds you, browses, decides to write and waits for a reply. The enquiry can be lost at any of them, so go through the path as a guest would, from a phone, knowing nothing in advance.
- Finds you: your Google profile and Facebook page have the correct address and phone number and lead to the website.
- Browses: sees real photos of the rooms and a "from" price, without having to ask for the most basic things.
- Decides to write: the phone number and the enquiry form are easy to see, including on a small screen.
- Waits for a reply: gets a specific answer before writing to other places.
Where the enquiry is most often lost
Most often the guest does not see a price or real photos, cannot find where to write, or gets a reply late. Which of these affects you is easiest to find out with a simple diagnosis: it is in the article on low occupancy, where the causes are split into visibility, interest and turning the enquiry into a reservation.
What the website needs so that guests write to you
The website does not need to be big. The essentials are: every room type with real photos and a "from" price, if you decide to show it; clear accommodation terms; an address and landmarks; a phone number, email and enquiry form, visible without searching; a few answers to the questions guests ask most often. The full list by section is in the guide to small hotel website content.
A quick reply
The guest often writes to several places at once and chooses the one that replies clearly. A good first reply says:
- whether the dates are available and what the price is for them;
- what is included and what the terms are;
- what happens next: will you call them, until when you hold the room, how you confirm.
If you are not available, prepare a short automatic reply with a time by which you will respond. How not to miss enquiries in the evening and when you are busy is described in a separate guide.
Booking.com, Facebook and your own website
Booking platforms remain a useful channel, especially for guests who do not know you yet. Your own website is the place for guests who have already found you, on Google, on Facebook, by recommendation or from a previous stay. With a direct enquiry, you and the guest agree the terms and payment between you. For the role of the Facebook page, see the comparison between a website and Facebook.
Do you need a booking engine
Not always: as long as enquiries are easy to handle by hand, an enquiry form is enough. The difference between a form and a booking engine is explained in the direct booking glossary.
What this does not promise
The list does not guarantee enquiries or occupancy: the result depends on the season, the location, the price and the competition. It only removes the most common reasons a guest does not write to you.
How ISKA Website helps
ISKA Website is available by individual quote. It shows the rooms with photos and a "from" price of your choice, the services, the gallery and an enquiry form. The enquiry reaches you, and changes go live only after you publish them. On its own it is not a booking engine and does not accept online payment.