Save this article

Use this article for free on your own website

Republish this article for free on your own website or blog. Or search or browse for more articles that your audience will appreciate. Huge choice available. Ideal for finding quality, free content. Read our publishers guide.

What Really Makes A Good Bed & Breakfast?

If you don't pay attention to what customers are saying about the Bed & Breakfast industry then you can't expect to be successful in that market. There are too many bed & breakfast locations that have had to close their doors because they didn't make a profit. The owner's were disappointed and dismayed because they worked hard to offer a quality location with excellent food. What they didn't realize though is that customers are looking for much more than that from a bed & breakfast.

By Patti Rob

If you don’t pay attention to what customers are saying about the Bed & Breakfast industry then you can’t expect to be successful in that market. There are too many bed & breakfast locations that have had to close their doors because they didn’t make a profit. The owner’s were disappointed and dismayed because they worked hard to offer a quality location with excellent food. What they didn’t realize though is that customers are looking for much more than that from a bed & breakfast.

Make sure everyone of your guests feels welcome from the second they talk to you. Many people call a bed & breakfast to make a reservation instead of doing it online so that they can talk to a real person. If they don’t feel like they are important during that phone conversation then they are likely not going to proceed with booking it. They want their experience at a bed & breakfast to be personal and enjoyable. They aren’t going to spend their money in it if they don’t think they are going to get it.

Take the time to travel to some different bed & breakfast locations yourself. Don’t tell anyone there that you own one or you are thinking of buying one. Instead pay attention to what you really enjoy about the experience and what you don’t. You can use these learning experiences to incorporate the very best possible bed & breakfast business. Being in the shoes of the customer can really make a difference when it comes to your mindset. If you have the opportunity, mingle with other guests at the bed & breakfast. Ask them what they think about the experience as you will find out plenty of great information from them as well.

The internet is a great place to find information about the bed & breakfast business from the customer’s perspective. Read reviews they have written about various ones they have stayed in. Read information on blogs and forums as well. You will find many of the things they want can be applied to just about any bed & breakfast location even if they are talking about a specific one.

Too many times it is the one on one interactions that are lacking from most bed & breakfast locations. You need to warmly greet all of your potential customers when they contact you for information about the location. Offer all you can in the way of service to them. For example if they are riding the train ask them if they need to be picked up and taken to the bed & breakfast. They will appreciate your attention to such details to make their trip more pleasant.

Customers want to be able to get all of their needs met when they go to a bed and breakfast. Make sure you offer them all the possible amenities you can. For example they may need access to a computer but they didn’t travel with a laptop. You can make one available for guests to us. Going the extra mile to provide them with a ride somewhere or with ironing their clothing perhaps can really mean a lot to your guests.

After your customers have stayed with you, take the time to thank them for it. Send them a postcard telling them it was a pleasure to have them stay with you. They will love the personal attention. You may want to attach a postage paid questionnaire too. This is a great way to get feedback about your bed & breakfast from them. You can use this information to find out what your strengths and weaknesses are in the eyes of those that will determine if you have a successful business or not.

Pay close attention to common issues that will affect their choice to stay at your bed and breakfast. Consumers want something that is going to be affordable, clean, friendly staff members, and easy to get to. The location of a bed & breakfast is going to impact the amount of guests you get. Knowing what customers want from a bed & breakfast is one of the best ways you can help ensure the success of your business.

About the Author: Patti Rob - entrepreneur, author, and Bed and Breakfast industry enthusiast. Visit the website to discover why most new B&B enthusiasts fail to reach their business dreams.

Article from Copy & Paste Articles – find quality content for your blog or website

Related tags