Limit on Email Inquiries?

Crazy Things Guests Say and Do: Part 82 of a 737 part series

I just don't have time to get into endless email discussions with prospective guests. I've always answered my emails quickly, but frankly, the sell-through rate on an email is much lower than a phone call. Someone calls, they're likely to book. Someone emails, they're just testing the water. And most of them are for details easily available on the web site, such as prices or amenities. Why do I have to type this stuff up again and again, just because you can't be bothered to click a couple of links after you've found the site?

Seriously, I'm really busy. I've got confirmations to send every day, real reservations to take, current guests to help, breakfasts to serve, all sorts of stuff. If every prospective guest sent me an email and every actual guest sent three, I'd be doing nothing else.

I just got another email from a future guest who has been asking a zillion questions, requiring me to respond. She wants to change her dates, or the number of people, or ask for clarification about what's in the room, etc. Again and again.

And then there's this gem from her latest:

Another question I should have asked, is do you offer the reservation at par value given or Canadian dollar is valued less than your dollar at the moment???

Yeah, well the peso is less than the dollar, too, but you can't pay in pesos, either. Neither do my creditors accept payment in foreign currency. Maybe I should respond:

Thank you for your most recent email. To answer your question, I can't offer the room at par with the Canadian dollar. Any more emails, however, and I will be converting my price to British pounds.