least then you can point to the rule , and it will be clear that you have not just invented it . It will be seen to be fair and non-discriminatory . b ) It is not in your interests , however , to make the rules too prominent ( for instance , by including them in adverts or guidebook listings ) – during a very quiet time you may welcome a single Friday night booking , so you would not want to discourage such enquiries before they pick up the phone . c ) You will want to be able to use your discretion in applying the rules , as part of your bookings management discipline – in busy times , you can rigidly apply rules like two-night minimums , whilst in quiet times you can waive them . They are your rules after all , so you can break them !
Payment – watch your bottom line !
All our efforts as B & B owners are directed at attracting , then satisfying , our customers . The vital end result is the money they pay us – but many B & B owners forget to think about payment as much as they do about other aspects of their operation . Don ’ t lose money by failing to plan how you take money !
Firstly , deposits : most of us learn the hard way that we MUST charge a deposit . The first one we waive will be the first one that does not turn up . Nothing is more frustrating than a “ no show ” when you have turned away other customers – and if you have no deposit , it is a total loss . The lesson is : always charge a deposit on booking .
Secondly , payment types : cheques are only now of much use to small businesses ( like B & Bs ), so are rapidly disappearing , and hardly ever used by anyone under 30 . Also , late bookings do not allow time for a deposit cheque to arrive by post ( let alone clear ), so you will be taking a risk or losing business if you do not have some form of credit card payment system .
Here , banks like to extract maximum profits by making set up charges and monthly “ management charges ” ( of at least £ 20 ), plus hefty commission of course , for a credit card merchant account , and you may have to pay equipment rental and other fees too – assuming they even want to “ accept ” your business at all . It can get disproportionate for a small B & B . An easy alternative is PayPal ®, the global email payments system ( see www . paypal . co . uk ). PayPal is part of eBay and used in over 55 countries , and allows you to accept payments by credit or debit card from anyone with an email address and internet connection . Costs are around 3.4 % plus 20p per transaction for small volume users , with no other charges . This is much the cheapest option for the small B & B ( see www . paypal . co . uk ). An alternative to PayPal is Nochex ( www . nochex . com ).
Finally on payments , it is vital to put yourself on a strong footing in case of future disputes by making clear your payment conditions . Spell out in detail on your website and brochures your deposit level ( for example : “£ 25 per room or 20 % of reservation value , whichever is the higher ”); spell out that the deposit is non-refundable ( or specify the conditions for a refund ); state when final payment is due ( eg on arrival or on departure ); state what your prices include ( eg breakfast , taxes ) and what they exclude