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