DON ’ TS
DON ’ T start in this business at all if you hate dealing with people , can ’ t cope with early starts or if you are lazy , impatient or have a quick temper . Running a B & B is not as back-breaking as trawler fishing or coal mining , but it can involve hard work at unsociable hours , and often requires diplomatic charm in the face of extreme provocation .
DON ’ T let your negative feelings show , however annoying your guests are ( and some will be , believe us ). An off-hand word or irritated expression from you can spoil your customer ’ s stay and undo all your planning and hard work .
DON ’ T cut corners on things your typical guest regards as important and / or are highly visible : bulk-buying of loo paper is sensible , but serving your guests instant coffee or cheap and nasty sausages at breakfast is a cut too far . ( A good sausage will be long remembered ! Think of the cost difference as marketing money well spent .)
DON ’ T tell your guests how hard you are working or how difficult your day has been – they are paying to relax and enjoy themselves away from domestic tedium , and feeling that they are adding to your burden won ’ t help .
DON ’ T let the audience see behind the set : keep the piles of dirty laundry , stacks of unwashed dishes and your stocks of spare loo paper hidden in your “ private ” areas , leaving the “ public areas ” uncluttered , attractive and welcoming .
DON ’ T re-creosote the shed , strip paint off the dresser , burn rubbish in the garden or cook fish or curry as guests arrive . Smell is a powerful sense , hard-wired in the brain to emotional response – try creating evocative aromas with flowers , beeswax polish , pot pourri , coffee or baking bread . It will make a difference to your guests ’ reactions .
DON ’ T buy duvets with buttons rather than poppers – you ’ ll see why when you have to change several beds in a hurry , every day . Think about the time everything takes . ( While we ’ re about it , don ’ t buy just one pair of matching linen sets for a twin room , as you only want to change one bed after a single-occupancy booking . Sometimes it ’ s all the smallest tips like these you ’ ll be glad you bought this book for .)
DON ’ T fall into the trap of competing on price alone . Hotels with dozens of rooms have to fill them in low season somehow , but with only a few rooms you need good revenue per booking . And if you care for your home , you will not want to fill it with people whose only criterion is cheapness . Life is too short !
DON ’ T accept “ provisional bookings ” – be clear that a booking is either confirmed ( by a deposit ) or may be booked by someone else . And enquiries are coming in every day !
DON ’ T forget to plan your own holidays well ahead – block them out in your reservations book , or you will find you can never get away . You are running a B & B to enhance your quality of life , not to erode it !
© David & Louise Weston , 2010 How to Start & Run a B & B www . howtorunabandb . com