“How The Big Can Learn From The Small”

“How The Big Can Learn From The Small”

by Paul White from the Bed & Breakfast Club, a blog aimed at small hoteliers, explains how large hotels can learn quite a lot from Britain’s B&Bs

The good thing about B&Bs is personal service. Your innkeeper is basically a guide, host, friend, maid and chef all rolled into one.
But without employing a single individual (who owns the hotel) to look after you, how can a big hotel compete with this? The answer is they simply can’t. Not to the same degree that a B&B can. However, with a bit of imagination they can go quite a long way to making sure you feel comfortable and at home.

When I stay in a big hotel the biggest thing I miss is the guide element that a B&B provides. Big hotels could do far more here. It’s no good having a hotel rep that is working on commission, because they have a conflict of interest. Why should I believe him when he says the hotel excursions are best?

The way to go some way to competing with a B&B for local knowledge has to be through media. An entertaining, professional, impartial welcome video of the area – not the hotel. A website address and a list of FAQs. A rolling Trip Advisor slide show in the lobby demonstrating what people recommended about the area.

Another thing that all good B&Bs do is surprise their guests with treats. It has to be something personal and meaningful like a gift of home made jam with the guest’s names wrote on the label. Something that says, ‘They’ve gone to a bit of trouble here’. A local delicacy, personally packaged would be a winner. Or a special keepsake, something that makes guests remember their stay.

Plan this into your budget and reap the rewards of recommendation and repeat stays.

People don’t want to be a number and the more they are made to feel like people the better. The nature of large hotels means they will fail on a personal level, but they can make up for this with just a few touches. It’s the thought that counts.

B&Bs sometimes speak to local businesses and negotiate offers to give to their guests. This saves guests money and helps local business. Win win.

While towels made out of swans are a nice gimmick, perhaps that time would be better spent with a visit asking how people are and helping with any concerns. I know which I would rather have.

I think hotels should employ a lot more older people. Students don’t really care about their job or make you feel at home. A caring, paternal figure is nice to have when you are miles away from home. And they are likely to have much better local knowledge.

The reception desk is last on the list, but probably by far the worst thing about all hotels. Why does it always take so long? I don’t understand why guests have to fill in pointless forms, that they have already filled in online?

To summarize the way that a B&B wins over a hotel is about personality and if hotels want to regain my custom they need to get some.

by Paul White from http://bedandbreakfastclub.co.uk