Response time and ranking

We measure the median time between an enquiry landing on TourDock and the operator setting the status to Contacted. The number shows in your analytics as Median response time.

Why we measure

• It is the strongest single predictor of whether a traveller books with you vs. a competitor.
• Travellers tell us "I went with the operator who replied first" more often than "I went with the cheapest".
• It is the easiest lever for you to pull. You do not need a better product — you need a faster ping.

How it affects ranking

In the public package search, operators with median response time under 60 minutes are surfaced higher within their category. The boost is bigger for first-time enquirers (no prior bookings) and shrinks once a traveller has chosen.

We do not publish exact weights. The takeaway: faster reply → more visible.

How to lower your median

• Enable browser push. Beats email by minutes.
• Mark Contacted immediately after replying — even a 1-minute "received, will respond shortly" reply counts.
• Set up phone-screen visibility. Push works on Android (with PWA on iOS) — set notifications to Banner mode so you see them without unlocking.
• Have a default opening message ready to paste. Speed is less about typing and more about noticing.

What we do not count

• Email auto-replies do not count as Contacted. The enquiry status must be updated manually in the dashboard.
• WhatsApp messages sent outside of TourDock's WhatsApp button do not count automatically. Update the status in the dashboard.

Soft target

Aim for < 60 minutes median. The top quartile of operators sit under 20 minutes. Above 4 hours and conversion drops sharply.