You don’t have to be an expert in hospitality to know that the bed and breakfast industry is a staple of many family holidays. Starting up your own bed and breakfast can be an adventure of its own, but it requires dedication and determination.
If you’re looking to start up your own bed and breakfast business, here are some tips to help you get started.
1. Know Your Price Point
Knowing your market is the best way to figure out how to charge your guests, and will vary depending on factors like your location and star rating, for example.
By understanding the right price to charge your customers per night, you will entice people to come back for more by providing them with value for money. You could even encourage guests to re-book at the end of their stay by supplying a discount if guests re-book within a certain time frame of leaving.
2. Make Your Food Offering Unforgettable
Your breakfast offering can make or break your business, so ensuring you provide a breakfast to remember is a great way to get your guests returning again and again.
Most guests will expect a choice of breakfast; some will inevitably fancy their standard cornflakes and semi-skimmed milk, while others will want a full English breakfast. Ensuring that you can cater for everyone’s tastes will gain you higher reviews and word of mouth approval.
If you want to win over your guests’ hearts, you can also provide a welcome pack in each room, with biscuits, tea bags and other novelty sweet treats.
Companies like Out of Eden provide products like the Family Refreshment Box which will comfortably provide a family with everything they need for their stay.
3. Invest in Comfy Beds
This may sound obvious, but comfy beds are the way to a guest’s heart, especially if they’ve had a busy day on their holidays and want to go to sleep in a luxurious and comfortable room.
Sleep specialists like Archers Sleep Centre have a wide range of mattresses to suit every preference and sleeping position. Contact them for expert advice on which mattress will be a crowd pleaser for your guests.
4. Your Customer Service is Essential
Don’t fall into the trap of believing that your customer service isn’t an essential part of your business.
One of the most reviewed elements of a guest’s stay is the customer service they receive, as well as crisis management and consistency. If you treat your guests with respect and handle any enquiries or complaints promptly and professionally, you’re more likely to have returning guests.
If you want to gain an accurate representation of your guests’ impressions of your customer service, you can use anonymous surveys from websites like SurveyMonkey to gain an insight into honest customer feedback.
By actioning these thoughts your guests will feel that their opinions are valued and will be more likely to return to you.
Do you have any tips for creating a successful bed and breakfast business? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
