# Inquiries

***

#### What is an Inquiry? <a href="#what-is-an-inquiry" id="what-is-an-inquiry"></a>

An inquiry is a request submitted through a guest application from a [user](https://sites.gitbook.com/preview/site_K1MzH/getting-started/glossary#app-users). Depending on the settings, it must be confirmed, declined, or confirmed automatically.

If not auto-approved, it requires a manual confirmation from the [supplier](https://sites.gitbook.com/preview/site_K1MzH/getting-started/glossary#suppliers) or an [operator](https://sites.gitbook.com/preview/site_K1MzH/getting-started/glossary#operator).

#### Inquiry Statuses <a href="#inquiry-statuses" id="inquiry-statuses"></a>

An inquiry can have various statuses; see a list of the statuses and their meaning below:

| Status             | Meaning                                                                                                       | Action                                   |
| ------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| `Confirmed`        | The inquiry has been confirmed by the supplier or operator.                                                   | No further action required               |
| `Declined`         | The inquiry has been declined by the supplier or operator.                                                    | No further action required.              |
| `New`              | The inquiry is new and requires an action.                                                                    | Confirm or decline the inquiry.          |
| `Pending Approval` | The inquiry has a pending approval. If a payment was attached, the payment has been collected and is on hold. | Confirm or decline the inquiry.          |
| `Pending Payment`  | The inquiry has been created, the guest hasn't completed the payment.                                         | No supplier or operator action required. |

#### Payment Statuses <a href="#payment-statuses" id="payment-statuses"></a>

An inquiry can have a payment attached to it. This payment can have various statuses. See a list of the statuses and their meaning below:

| Status           | Meaning                                                                               | Action                                                                    |
| ---------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `Captured`       | The payment has been collected at the guest, but not yet transferred to your account. | Review the inquiry and once accepted it will be released to your account. |
| `Declined`       | The payment has been declined                                                         | `n/a`                                                                     |
| `Not Applicable` | Other status                                                                          | `n/a`                                                                     |
| `Paid`           | The payment has been paid and released to your account.                               | `n/a`                                                                     |
| `Pending`        | The payment hasn't been finalized by the guest.                                       | Inform the guest that the payment is still pending.                       |
| `Refused`        | The payment has been refused by the payment provider                                  | Ask the guest to retry the payment.                                       |
| `Released`       | The payment has been released                                                         | `n/a`                                                                     |

#### Standalone Inquiries (Without Reservation) <a href="#standalone-inquiries-without-reservation" id="standalone-inquiries-without-reservation"></a>

Inquiries can be created without being linked to a reservation. This happens when an experience has the **Standalone Upsell** setting enabled, allowing guests to purchase products or submit requests without having an active reservation.

Standalone inquiries display a `No Reservation` badge in the inquiry overview and on the inquiry detail page. Instead of showing reservation details, the inquiry shows guest contact information:

* **Guest Name**
* **Email**
* **Phone**
* **Check-in Date** (if provided)
* **Listing** (if provided)

**Assigning a Reservation**

You can assign a standalone inquiry to an existing reservation at any time:

1. Open the standalone inquiry
2. Click **Assign to Reservation**
3. Search for a reservation by number or guest name
4. Select the correct reservation from the results
5. Click **Assign**

Once assigned, the inquiry will behave like a regular reservation-linked inquiry.

#### Suppliers and Inquiries <a href="#suppliers-and-inquiries" id="suppliers-and-inquiries"></a>

With HolidayHero, you can onboard your Suppliers on the platform, allowing you to offload inquiries directly to your suppliers.

A supplier will receive automatic notifications to review the inquiries once they have been created. As an operator, you can keep track of the pending inquiries in the inquiry overview.

#### Emails and Communication <a href="#emails-and-communication" id="emails-and-communication"></a>

To keep you or the supplier informed, we have added various emails. See an overview of all emails and their schedule below:

| Email                    | Timing                                 | Audience            |
| ------------------------ | -------------------------------------- | ------------------- |
| `New Inquiry`            | Directly once an inquiry has been made | Operator / Supplier |
| `First Reminder`         | 6 hours after creation                 | Operator / Supplier |
| `Second Reminder`        | 24 hours after creation                | Operator / Supplier |
| `Third Reminder`         | 72 hours after creation                | Operator / Supplier |
| `Forth / Last Reminder`  | 120 hours after creation               | Operator / Supplier |
| `Declined Notification`  | Directly when inquiry is declined      | Guest               |
| `Confirmed Notification` | Directly at inquiry confirmation       | Guest               |

***

#### Frequently Asked Questions <a href="#frequently-asked-questions" id="frequently-asked-questions"></a>

<details>

<summary>How do you approve an inquiry?</summary>

Once you have received an inquiry, you will need to review it. Follow the steps below to review the inquiry.

1. Go to the inquiry overview
2. Select the inquiry you need to review
3. Review the details of the inquiry:
   1. What did the guest request?
   2. What listing/reservation is the inquiry tied to
4. Once reviewed, click the resolve button, a modal will be shown:
   1. To confirm: Select confirm from the dropdown and fill in the start date/time of when the inquiry is scheduled. (Optionally: you can leave a message for the guest).
   2. To decline: Select decline from the dropdown. (Optionally you can leave a message for the guest).
5. Hit `resolve` to close the inquiry. The guest will receive a [notification](http://localhost:63342/markdownPreview/143137067/markdown-preview-index-q7pclep4vesqrrmjebgimgfnc6.html#emails-and-communication).

</details>

<details>

<summary>How do you automatically approve inquiries?</summary>

There are situations where you automatically want to approve an inquiry, such as, extra baby beds or parking spots.

**Steps:**

1. Go to the desired experience
2. Scroll to the Auto Approval Section
3. Disable the `Requires Approval`

Any future inquiries about this experience will automatically be approved.

</details>

<details>

<summary>How to let a supplier confirm an inquiry?</summary>

To let a supplier manage certain inquiries, you will have to create a supplier and attach him/her to the experience.

If the experience / service is provided by a supplier, you can invite them to their own supplier portal.

For every inquiry, they will receive an email informing them that they have a new inquiry. Through that email they can access their portal to review the inquiry and approve/decline.

</details>

<details>

<summary>As an operator, can I disable inquiry reminders and notifications?</summary>

Yes, this can be done in two ways:

**For yourself:**

1. Click on `My Account` (right top of application).
2. Click on `Notifications preferences`
3. Adjust the notifications you prefer to receive.
4. Hit `Save`

</details>

<details>

<summary>Can I adjust the inquiry a guest has requested?</summary>

At the moment, this is not possible. We are working on an updated version that allows you to alter the inquiry. Stay tuned for updates.

</details>

<details>

<summary>What is a standalone inquiry?</summary>

A standalone inquiry is an inquiry that was submitted without a linked reservation. This occurs when an experience has the **Standalone Upsell** setting enabled, allowing guests to request or purchase without an active reservation. You can later assign a reservation to the inquiry via the **Assign to Reservation** button on the inquiry detail page.

</details>

***

<details>

<summary>Relations</summary>

* A workspace can have many inquiries
* A guest can request one or multiple inquiries
* A supplier can have multiple inquiries
* A reservation can have multiple inquiries
* An inquiry can optionally exist without a reservation (standalone inquiry)

</details>