From the WNAV Office • Miscellaneous • Technology and Internet of Things

Speed up your response time with text message alerts

2 Comments
by Elizabeth Weedon
Written by Elizabeth Weedon
5/5 - (5 votes)

textmessagepicAdvancements in technology continue to accelerate the entire process of identifying and booking a vacation home, lickety-split. To prevent delays and to avoid having to check your email frequently, enable text message alerts on your listing. That way, every time you receive an email inquiry, you will also receive a text message alerting you that you have received a vacationer inquiry.

Success in converting an inquiry into a booking starts with your responding to the inquiry just as quickly as possible. To be frank, vacationers are impatient and expect instant responses. Text messaging can facilitate a fast and easy booking process. And documents and funds can be sent electronically to seal the deal in a matter of days, if not hours!

Most of us homeowners, too, are anxious to fill any last-minute vacancies and are therefore pretty good about responding promptly when we check our email and see the inquiry. But the text alerts enable us to respond that much more quickly.

A text message alert contains a link enabling you to directly access your listing. This way, you can read the full inquiry (in the “Email inquiry history” link in your Homeowner Center) and also double check your calendar to confirm your pricing and availability before responding.

To enable your WeNeedaVacation.com listing to receive text alerts, go to the “Contact Info” tab near the top of your Homeowner Center, and scroll down to the “Phone” section.

Keep in mind that you undoubtedly have a lot of competition and the vacationer has probably inquired about other homes in addition to yours. A swift response can make or break the deal!

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About the author

Elizabeth Weedon

Elizabeth Weedon - Although I’ve worked for WeNeedaVacation.com since 2008, I’ve been a loyal homeowner on the site since early 1998, just a few months after the website was launched by the Talmadges. I grew up summering on the Vineyard and managed my family's rental home there since the mid-1980’s. I’m passionately devoted to the Vineyard – and to WeNeedaVacation, which I credit with enabling me to hold onto the special property that has been in our family for nearly a century. An enthusiastic member of the WNAV Homeowner Support Team, I endeavor to keep my finger on the pulse of the Cape and Islands vacation rental industry so that I can provide homeowners advice about how to ensure their booking success with us. With owner Joan Talmadge, I am also responsible for editing and writing much of the text on our website, our monthly newsletters, and Homeowner Blog posts.

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2 Comments

  • This is awesome! I use a separate email for my rental business and, until all the weeks are rented, I worry is I am missing inquiries. Now I know I will get a text message to tell me when I need to check that email account. BIG relief. Thanks. I can’t believe I missed this before.

    • Glad to hear you’re excited about it, Anne! Just so you know, you do have to enable the text messaging in order to put it to work. Let us know if we can help!