Book Rental Showing Appointments Through Zillow Without Any Conversation?

[Burt L.]

The title covers most of it- I get lots of "electronic interest" but still want to speak to a human before setting an appointment to show a  unit. I also live at the fourplex and want to learn of the person I'm to invite onto the property. I have experienced unknown persons looking in the windows overnight with flashlights and scaring the other residents, etc. 

It seems alot in my area are willing to open their doors to unknown persons simply after a point/click and generating one of the 3 responses Zillow provides them to make, short of something generated by themselves. 

I put at the end of an ad that the best contact method is through calling and maybe 10 percent do this and they are the better candidates. It also tells me  they read all the information instead of just pointing/clicking on dozens of ads. If I put the same statement at the beginning of an ad, the interest falls off a geat deal and I don't get the electronic statement about the number of people and pets, etc. . 

Once I get a tenant I've not had issues, but can lose 1-2 months each time and about to go to month 3 on one, currently.  Do you- or your manager book appointments electronically without any other contact? I want to at least hear what the approximate occupancy date it is, the number of persons, and pets - in their own voice as most anything can walk through the door- so to speak. How do you handle the initial screening before showing?

I do have more options with my standards as an owner/occupant.