Inquiry Management

The Kenya Estates platform provides robust tools for managing inquiries related to properties. This system facilitates communication between potential buyers/renters and property listers (agents or owners).

1. Purpose of Inquiry Management

The inquiry management system aims to:

  • Connect Parties: Enable interested users to easily contact property listers for more information or to arrange viewings.
  • Track Communication: Provide a centralized place for listers to manage and respond to incoming inquiries.
  • Streamline Workflow: Offer tools to organize, prioritize, and follow up on inquiries efficiently.
  • Enhance User Experience: Ensure timely responses and clear communication, improving satisfaction for both seekers and listers.

2. Making an Inquiry (Seeker's Perspective)

  • Property Contact Form: Typically found on each property details page, allowing users to send a message to the lister. (See components/property-contact-form.tsx).
  • Required Information: Forms usually require the seeker's name, email, phone number (optional), and a message.
  • Submission: Upon submission, the inquiry is recorded in the system and the lister is notified.

3. Receiving and Managing Inquiries (Lister's Perspective)

Property listers (agents/owners) have a dedicated section in their dashboard to manage inquiries.

  • Dashboard Access: Inquiries are typically listed in a dedicated "Inquiries" section of the user dashboard. (e.g., app/dashboard/inquiries/page.tsx - path assumed based on common structure).
  • Notification of New Inquiries: Listers receive notifications (in-app and/or email) for new inquiries. (Related to app/actions/notification-actions.ts).
  • Inquiry Details: Listers can view the seeker's contact information, message, and the specific property in question.
  • Status Management: Inquiries can often be assigned statuses (e.g., "New," "Contacted," "Viewing Scheduled," "Closed"). (See components/dashboard/inquiry-status-button.tsx).
  • Responding to Inquiries: Listers can respond directly through the platform (if direct messaging is integrated) or use the provided contact information to reply via email or phone.
  • History and Tracking: The system keeps a record of all inquiries received for each property and by each lister.

4. Key Features

  • Centralized Dashboard: A single place for listers to view and manage all their property inquiries.
  • Automated Notifications: Ensures both parties are informed promptly.
  • Filtering and Sorting: Listers can often filter inquiries by property, date, status, etc., to better organize their workflow.
  • Direct Contact Information: Provides necessary details for listers to follow up with interested parties.

5. Technical Implementation

  • Database Schema: An inquiries table stores all inquiry data, linking to users (both sender and recipient/lister) and properties. It would include fields for the message, submission date, status, etc. (Related to fix-inquiries-rls.sql which suggests RLS policies on an inquiries table).
  • Server Actions: Functions like those in app/actions/inquiry-actions.ts handle the creation, updating, and fetching of inquiries.
  • Row Level Security (RLS): Ensures that users can only access inquiries relevant to them (e.g., listers see inquiries for their properties, seekers see their sent inquiries). (Indicated by fix-inquiries-rls.sql).
  • User Interface Components:
    • components/property-contact-form.tsx: For submitting inquiries.
    • Dashboard components for listing and managing inquiries (e.g., components/dashboard/recent-inquiries.tsx, components/dashboard/inquiry-status-button.tsx).

A well-designed inquiry management system is crucial for converting interest into potential leads and sales, forming a core part of the platform's value proposition for property listers.