Lead calls are defined as any potential guest that has an interest in staying with you at some point in time. This type of caller is a lead up until the time that they book with you. It is important to use lead call results (Booked, Hot Lead, Not-Booked) for these calls so that agents continue to improve their sales skills, and so that essential marketing data is gathered on every lead call.
Often agents do not want to mark potential guests, or leads, as lead type calls when the caller is not yet ready to book. The most common objection is that the caller has multiple questions and may make multiple phone calls about their reservation prior to booking, something that will affect an agent's conversion rate. At other times, the caller's questions may seem abstract and not begin with dates and rates. For example, “What is the temperature of the pool in May?” or “What will the weather be like there in October?” may not seem, at first, to be lead calls. Agents may even choose “Other Inquiry” as a call result for these calls when, in fact, any inquiry about your property, amenities, the weather, and area activities, is a LEAD, especially when the guest called a unique toll-free campaign number to reach you.
Creating a lead form allows you to capture the toll-free campaign number the customer used to call you. It also allows you to gather information on these callers, whether or not they ultimately book. If they do not book, knowing what the resistance was is also important to marketing. It is this business intelligence, gathered over time, which will enable your marketing team to make better, more strategic decisions to help more qualified potential guests call reservations which, in turn, makes them more ready to book on the first call.
Lead Examples
Booked - Potential guest has an interest in staying with you and you were able to secure the reservation and credit card number.
Hot Lead -
- A potential guest has an interest in staying with you and needs to check with other members of their party or needs to check on flights.
- A potential guest is on your website and has questions.
- A potential guest called you previously and has additional questions.
- A potential guest calls you to ask about weather or local events.
- A potential guest is calling with questions about one of your policies (e.g. cancellation policy)).
Not Booked - Not Booked due to Rate Resistance — may not always be clear but if caller is asking about expired specials, expresses budget concerns and then refuses follow up, this is the likely option to choose as a call result.
- A potential guest has interest in staying with you but is not someone you would immediately follow up with - a travel agent or personal assistant may fall into this category unless they are willing to reveal the contact information of the person they represent so that the reservation agent can pursue followup.
Policy Issue [Property Turndown] This call result is described as a rule, a policy or a decision set by you that prevents an agent from making a booking. Examples of policy issues could be minimum length stays that are too long for the guest, you are sold out, or maybe you do not accept pets. Agents should always offer alternatives whenever possible.
Non-Lead Examples
Existing reservation inquiry — a guest may call to make a payment, ask for directions, or to ask a question about a reservation they already have in your property management
Owner inquiry — use when a homeowner calls, even if a non-revenue booking is made.
Misdialed/Disconnect — use if the caller hangs up on you or if they called the wrong number.
Other inquiry/non-lead — use if someone is calling you that is not a potential guest, for example, a vendor, real estate sales call, someone looking for a job, etc.
Group inquiry — only use this call result if it's a group sales call (non-leisure).