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05 May 2012 | As Tony Allsop waits for confirmation of a van park email booking, he wonders about the alternatives...

MANY CARAVAN PARKS these days state that their preferred method of booking accommodation or a powered site is by email.

Obviously this is good from their point of view as they can check their emails when it is convenient for them. But what if they don’t reply?

Recently I have emailed two parks requesting a powered site for our forthcoming trip. Two days have gone past and I have not had a reply. On other occasions I have emailed during the day to reserve a powered site for the following night, but when I have arrived late the following morning, management have not read the email, let alone replied to it. Fortunately for me, a site was available, but what if they had been booked out? 

On the other hand, we have had great service from some van parks who replied straight back with a pleasant and welcoming email.

As we check our emails several times a day, it is pretty easy for us to email a van park rather than spend dollars phoning. These days, many popular van parks are booked out during the tourist season, so we prefer to book at least one day ahead. We almost always know where we are going to stay the following night, be it in a free camp, a national park or a caravan park.

Most national parks in Qld now require you to book a site, either by email or phone, rather than just turn up and register. This isn't always convenient, with the vagaries of mobile phone and broadband reception. I remember paying $13 for the mobile phone call to book a $6.60 site at Tinaroo a few years ago when I was unable to log onto the internet.  

How have email and phone bookings worked for you on your travels? Have your say below.

WORDS AND PICS Tony Allsop
Written exclusively for Caravan World online

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Comments (19)
Comment by Unknown
posted 11 months ago
I admit I like the Big 4 website that tells you there is a site/cabin available for the dates you want to book. That tells me there is room for me or not. Other places I think give the park owners/managers time to get back to you at least 24 hours. After that then maybe get a bit annoyed. If you can not decide on when you are going to stay then at the last minute you decide then call the park on the phone. Too many impatient poeple around these days!
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
Hey Frank,
I'm not an advertising agency.
I still have not heard from those same two parks, even though I have sent another email. Will have to revert to phone.
Tony Allsop
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
The proof of the pudding is in the eating!

Anyone can only do what is humanly possible. If my time is required to work in my park like cutting grass, maintenance, repairs etc, that's what I will be doing. If you expect instant answers by email, hhmmm, I don't carry my laptop with me :-), only my mobile. I answer my emails in the evening, full stop.
To Pammy.
Why don't you email me and make a booking 24 hours BEFORE your ETA? Surely, anyone can look 24 hours ahead?
To Perchty:
Yes we live in the world of electronic communication and I use it extensively. Hence my great web site and comments on here. But there is a limit and once this limit has been reached instant communication becomes the master, not the slave.
I will answer my emails in the evening, if that is too late for a potential customer, I can quite frankly, do without him/her.

My best advertising comes from the fact that I care for my customers and my well-kept park. My advertising besides my web page is word of mouth recommendations.
Check out Badgers web site or ask Tony Allsop.........................................

Look at my web site and if you intend to come, email or phone me.
But I really don't have the time to engage in "contineous" arguments of the pros and cons of email booking systems.

Regards to all
Frank
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
To Comment by Unknown, no I don't need another job :-), I own my park and I love it.

To check it out, goto:
http://lake-bolac-caravanpark.com.au
Fishing is great, according to Rex Hunt, Lake Bolac offers the BEST TROUT FISHING ANYWHERE IN VICTORIA.

I am in the process of having an automated ordering system installed on my web site (which I incidently designed myself and I maintain and up-date, in particular the fishing reports.)
If you are a OzPark member, you get 10% discount :-)
Check out the website.

BTW, this "herd-instinct" displayed by most so called gray nomads (everyone's got to go north in winter), will increase your costs. Supply and Demand will dictate the costs, so don't be surprised if the costs are higher and availablity is limmited. You are in fact the cause. Why not go against the trends? I would.
Regards to all
Frank
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
I always phone ahead for bookings so relevant information can be clarified and I know definately that the booking has been made. Frank, just a question regarding your e-mail checking time- if someone e-mails through to you at 8am that morning and you don't read the e-mails til that evening, how are the vanners supposed to know that you have a vacancy for them or if you have even received their e-mail. If I didn't receive a reply by early afternoon, I would be looking for other accommodation, too. After all isn't 2pm book in time for most places! I personally would check for bookings before 2pm. Not everyone books weeks ahead of time!
Pammy
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
Bruce, maybe they don't reply because they struggled too hard with all those apostrophes.
Frank, we live in the world of electronic communication, and that's now your principal marketing tool. Every business must market itself, and caravan parks are not exempt from this. Quite honestly, Frank, my experience is that a lot of park operators seem to spend more time putting up notices telling customers what they can't do than marketing their business.
For a long trip next month I sent e-mail enquiries about price and availability to four caravan parks in one town. Three replied promptly, and I made my selection from amongst these and paid a deposit. The fourth didn't respond for a full week, then wrote to tell me which number site was now reserved for me! I told them they'd had their chance and they blew it (but in more polite words).
I think my enquiry would be typical. So how many seconds does it take for an operator to click 'reply' and write "Yes, we have sites available for the dates indicated, and the price is $XX per night"? Click 'send' and it's done, sorted. Check e-mail early morning, lunch time and last thing at night, and respond with one-liners like that. This is showing respect towards your potential customers, and should be very good for business.
Perchty - Fremantle
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
To Frank at Lolac Park, total agreement from your side of the fence, hint for those who don't have email, we try and use 1800 booking phone or 1300 from public phone, always give rego number and size of van. We've not yet travelled with email yet, but will probably still like to confirm by voice.
Newby RVer
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
If caravan parks and other businesses aren't willing to regularly check and respond to email enquiries, I would suggest that they don't offer it as an option.
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
I have have been organising a trip to Nth Qld in June-Aug and as we all know this is a very busy time. To make bookings well ahead of time to ensure that we get our preferred accommodation I emailed some van parks and also contacted some via their website. Most of them have been very good and prompt in their response, however in some instances when I had not heard after a few day I rang and in two instances was advised that they do not check their website contacts or that the contact information was incorrect. Yes it is very frustrating, and in my case it was just as well that I rang. I appreciate that parks can often be quite busy, but if they are not going to respond to these queries (email or website contacts) then why have them.
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
Interesting thread but we must remember as RV travellers that we are the consumers as we pay for these sites in Caravan Parks. I have had to wait up to a week for an answer to a email and now I ring the park and make a booking the night before or on the day and find that this is a much better idea. If the park is full then its not to far to the next stop.
Brian Kelleher
Motouring Australia inc
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
We are currently traveling around Australia an in WA at the moment, so far I have had no problems with e-mails although some have asked me to phone them as well. I have also used the booking on-line method and recently have noticed there is an extra fee of 1.50 taken for on-line bookings. Also some of the parks, don't give the park discount and then it is a matter of checking your receipt when booking in to make sure you have received it.
B&H Capalaba QLD
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
We have emailed c'van parks for a site and been very satisfied, but by phoning and talking to the park owner/manager it is often better as they ask all the particulars they need to know. Either way we have found both good
Jan - Echuca Village.
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
Frank,
Sounds like you need another job
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
Tony,
Sounds like you need another job.
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
Being a traveler and having worked in parks reception I have seen both sides of the story. The most important thing to include in your email reservation is the size of the site you require. Having arrived at a park only to find the sites available would not fit a 21' van. Working in reception we tried to clear emails as they came in responding with availability and requesting sizes if not already given. Some park reservation software packages have a size check if you are booking through their website.
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
Recently my son & I travelled from Gladstone Qld to Darwin N.T. With a German Shepherd & did all our bookings by e-mail &we were thoroughly satisfied with way of booking. Lauri
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
Hello Tony,

Frank from Lake Bolac Caravan & Tourist Park here.
Just some comments from the "other side of the fence", so to speak.

Most if not all, will answer their email ASAP, BUT running a caravan park is a often thankless job from the caravanners community, who want "instant gratification" for every whim.

Most park operators would work more then 60 hours per week for very little financial reward. The compensating factors for working long hours is being your own boss and most times, meeting great people, though there are exceptions to this rule.

We of course are also having problems with the caravanning community, when individuals order a site (via email or phone) and then don't bother to turn up, nor bother to advise that they changed their mind. This is unfortunately a quite common occurrence.

We, the small caravan parks, do not have the luxury to check our email several time per day, but I found that once per day (usually evenings) is quite sufficient.

In any case, Tony you are welcome to turn up at Lake Bolac Caravan & Tourist Park any time, I'll always find a powered site for you. :-)

Best regards
to all
Frank
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
Tony I have been waiting for two month's for reply's from park's up through the centre and down the west coast only to be ignored or find out that they don't take booking's.
bruce lilydale vic
Comment by Unknown
posted 1 year ago
I ring the 1300# (if available)from a public phone, 2-3 days before.

In the case of QLD NPs, I book online a few days prior, or as soon as I have an idea of when.

It's always easier to change or cxl a booking after you've made it, then leaving it to the last second to try to book something.

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