With a name like Barefoot and a domain of www.Barefoot.com, you can imagine that the chat initiated off our website can go in a lot of different directions. Here is a short list of my favorites:
Did you know that people run in barely there running shoes, known as the zero or barefoot running shoes? Modeled after the north New Mexican Tarahumara tribe's practice, those that want to run with a barely there, exoskeleton shoes believe that they are flexing more of their foot muscles that allow for less strain and injury. Do these brave souls reach out to us on our chat? Yes, yes, they do.
Much more charming, in my opinion, are the folks reaching out because they want to order something from Barefoot Books, which look to be a wonderful resource for children’s books and toys. Visiting their website today, I was thrilled to see that they have a group of books for young children called the Planet Protector Pack (brb—need to order some of these for the kids in my life).
Finally, and my favorite, are the chats that come in, often late at night, complaining or musing, about the quality and characteristics of Barefoot Wines. Angry chats demanding a refund for a bad bottle, hopeful individuals offering to become a distributor (and primary consumer?) and then others who just seem to want to reach out with effusive thoughts (Wonderful! Yum! and lk:*&#;*).
This week, Barefoot Wines took it over the top. Yesterday, the chat requests were coming in fast and furious – “OREOS” was the first. “What the heck?” I thought. Then, “I want to order the Oreos”. Hmm. A quick Google search revealed that Barefoot Wine and Oreos had announced a new pairing, available December 9, 2021. Announced by Food & Wine, it is obvious from the minor flurry of chats that we got on our website, there is immediate interest in Barefoot’s first cookie inspired wine. The article goes on to state this “is intended to perfectly pair with Oreo Thins thanks to the 13-percent ABV blend's aromas of chocolate and tasting notes that include more chocolate, cookies and crème, and oak, along with the natural flavors of blackberry and dark cherries.” Not for me, but happy for all the folks out there that like cookies and wine (which you should order at https://www.barefootwine.com/oreothins.html and now I feel like an influencer).
I know I like using chat in some support situations where I need help. Hubspot, our website provider does an amazing job with answering chat response. We use chat on our website to allow people who are interested in our product to express interest and then and we normally move quickly into a call to get a customized demo set up for the Barefoot Agent vacation rental management solution. We also find ourselves talking to vendors and clients for quick support answers.
For me, I guess I see chat more as a vehicle for providing support rather than driving leads, but that might not be your experience. Let me know your thoughts about chat as a tool for business.
Vacation rental management companies want to provide the best experiences for their guests and owners. Whether you are an experienced property manager with hundreds of properties or an enterprising startup, Barefoot provides an affordable and tailorable property management system, that includes all the accounting, operations and booking components that you need. And, with direct integrations to platforms, you can drive bookings easily, leaving you free to provide the best rental experiences for guest with concierge services and retain owners with client for life strategies. We are here to help you grow your business your way. Please contact Claiborne@barefoot.com or 804.212.1280.
