Reply within 30 minutes during business hours. Studies show enquiry-to-booking conversion rates drop dramatically after the first hour. Speed is your competitive advantage — a quick, warm reply can win a client over slower competitors.

Use the search bar to find past conversations. If a client calls and says "I emailed you last week about boarding", you can instantly pull up their thread by searching their name or email.

Start your replies with the client's name and a warm greeting. "Hi Sarah! 😊" feels infinitely more personal than "Hello, thank you for your enquiry." People choose boarding based on trust and warmth.

Mention their pet by name if they included it. "We'd love to meet Buddy!" shows you actually read their message and care about their specific pet, not just filling a kennel slot.

Always end with a clear next step. Don't just answer their question — guide them forward: "Shall I book you in for a Meet & Greet this Thursday at 2pm?" reduces friction and increases conversion.

Delete resolved conversations regularly to keep your inbox manageable. A cluttered inbox with 50+ old threads makes it easy to miss new enquiries buried in the noise.

If a complex question needs a phone call, note it in a reply first: "This is easier to chat through — I'll give you a ring on the number you provided." The email confirms you're responsive, and the call seals the deal.

Check your SMTP settings periodically in Settings → Email. If your email provider changes passwords or tokens, replies will fail silently. A quick test email ensures everything is flowing.

Use the unread count chip in the header as a daily health check. If you see "3 unread" when you open the dashboard, make it a priority to clear them before anything else — leads go cold fast.

For after-hours enquiries, set expectations in your website's contact form description like "We reply within 24 hours" so clients aren't anxiously waiting for an immediate response at 11pm.