How to Improve Your Small Bed and Breakfast

in Business

Running a B&B can be difficult at the best of times, but there are plenty of ways for you to improve it and to keep your guests happy. This article contains a few simple things you can implement at your B&B to keep it going.

Offer Unforgettable Experiences and Services

One way to entice potential guests is to promote unique services and tailored experiences, such as room service, afternoon tea, BBQs in the summer and roast dinners in the winter. If you have the space, then offer catering services for parties and events such as birthdays, weddings, conferences, charity functions, and corporate events.

Try offering packaged experiences and services and partnering with local businesses, for example, buying locally-sourced ingredients, partnering with a local taxi service so you can offer your guests rides to and from the airport, selling keepsakes and trinkets made by locals.

You could also offer a loyalty programme, such as giving people points for sharing and liking your posts on social media which can then be used to receive special services, repeat guests can earn luxury gifts like Naked Winery wine bundles, and guests can receive one free breakfast when they leave a review. Try to give your B&B that personal touch.

Keep your website up to date so that it looks modern and

Keep your website up to date so that it looks modern and inviting. Add some hi-res images of your B&B to entice potential visitors to stay and fill the site with SEO-friendly content so you will rank higher on search engines, making easier for people to find you. Make sure you have consistent branding throughout the site.

Keep the layout clear and simple. You want your site to be easy to navigate and user-friendly so people don’t get frustrated with using it. Your site should scale to fit on all screens so people can check out the website on different devices (phones, tablets, laptops and PCs).

It’s a good idea to have a booking engine on your site so that people can easily make reservations, rather than having to call up to book a room. Include your contact details on the site so people can call or email you if they have any questions, and a include a map and the address of your B&B too.

Update Your Payment System

Keeping your payment system updated is integral to your business. You need a secure payment system, the ability to keep track of payments and the ability to offer your customers receipts once they’ve paid.

You should offer several payment methods to your clients so that they have options, for example, you should be able to accept credit cards and debit cards, contactless payments, mobile payments, bank transfers, cash, and other payment methods like Stripe and PayPal.

There are plenty of payment processors out there for businesses of all size to utilize, such as North American Bancard. You should look into them carefully and decide on the best one for your business.

You should also be able to offer your customers discounts and refunds.

Keep Up Maintenance

If your furnishings are a little old and haven’t been maintained in a while, then you should consider doing a bit of up-keep on them. Some things will need to be fixed or refurbished, but if they’re beyond repair, then you may be faced with having to purchase some new furniture.

FF&E (furniture, fixtures, and equipment) repairs and installations are very important, because you’ll also want to keep your guests safe. Having them sleep in a wobbly bed that hasn’t been put together properly or if they’re hurt from a wall-hanging mirror that wasn’t secured can cause damage to your business’s reputation. It’s important to keep everything looking good as new to keep your customers satisfied and to attract new guests.

Listen to your customers

It’s important that you listen to what your guests have to say. Customer feedback can help you to understand what your guests want and what they need. Listening to your guest’s suggestions allows you to build a rapport with them and to tailor your service to them. Keeping what they say in mind will make your customers feel valued and can improve customer loyalty.

No service is initially perfect, and this will allow you to refine and improve your services. It can help you to grow your business and identify potential upselling opportunities. You should encourage people to leave reviews on 3rd party sites and you should see what people have to say on them.


Image Credits: PhotoMIX Ltd.

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