How to run a B&B?

There are two types of people who run B&Bs. One type has sentiments but does not know how to do business, so it is easy to lose money when running. Another person thinks that opening an inn will make a lot of money, and that B&Bs are a hugely profitable industry. I advise people who are not mentally prepared not to run a B&B. In fact, a B&B is a normal business.

1. Location selection B&B is a physical business. Although the content is a bit different from that of a hotel, the essence is still a hotel. Think clearly, where are your customers, where do they come from, and is parking convenient in the surrounding area [the proportion of self-driving tours is increasing]? Is it convenient to eat nearby [80/90 are the main consumers, often with their families]? There are also city B&Bs. Is the location of the room in a prosperous area of ??the city or in a remote area? Is the room close to a subway station or bus station?

2. Decoration and decoration positioning The prerequisite for decoration is that you Think clearly, who are your customers, what do they want, and what are your future pricing standards? 1. My idea: Never be an inn with a price of less than 300 yuan per room night. Let me first state that this is just a business idea and is not meant to be disparaging. Guests who spend more than 300 yuan are generally of much higher quality and easier to communicate with. There will be less damage to the inn and there will not be a lot of waste. And more than 300 yuan means that the spending power is good and there are more additional businesses to do. This can produce higher benefits within a limited entity scope.

2. What is the upper limit of price? =Investigate the price system of other B&Bs around your store location, and observe on the road to see where the license plates of the cars are and what the approximate price is. Now that you know the price of the inn, you can then calculate the numerical inn price * number of rooms * number of days * expected occupancy rate of 50% * 12 months, and then calculate the approximate room rate for a year. Calculate your own financial situation and how long it takes to recover the cost, so that you can roughly estimate the total cost of the B&B.

3. Hard decoration and soft decoration. For a hotel with some characteristics, the cost of hard decoration and soft decoration is basically 1:1. In addition, 10-15% of the overspending space is reserved for the decoration cost. The specific decoration matters are compared. It’s complicated, so you have to keep an eye on it yourself and then adjust it constantly.

(1) The drainage in the bathroom should be fast and good, and it should be on a slope to avoid odor and water accumulation. Many people do not do this well. What feelings do you have when the bathroom smells bad? You will be instantly satisfied. The degree is gone. (2) The room is leaking. As inns have been operating for a long time, many inns will have water leaks, because the waterproofing was not done well during decoration. Therefore, our family requires double-layer waterproofing when doing this.

(3) The decoration network facilities should be good. Good TV, good internet wifi.

(4) Houses with wooden structures must be soundproofed, otherwise there will be huge trouble in the future. You will understand if you stay in a wooden house in the ancient city for one night. Sometimes you can hear the snoring next door very clearly. The sound insulation effect of steel and concrete is good. In short, you must pay close attention to the decoration, otherwise you will regret it in the future. We just kept a close eye and found too many details, so we can make timely changes, otherwise there will be many hidden dangers in the future business process. .

(5) Reserve enough power sockets, reserve restrooms in the public area (there are also shower facilities, store staff can take a shower), and reserve several small worker rooms (will I hired a lot of workers to live in the hotel), so I left three small rooms in my inn, and later hired 6 workers, all of whom lived in the inn, with all food and accommodation included.

(6) In terms of soft decoration, you should pay attention to the use of energy-saving lamps for all lamps you choose. Otherwise, you will be too late when the electricity bill is very high after the business opens. Pay attention to cost-effectiveness. There are some optional purchases. Ask your designer if they can remove them. I buy everything, think about everything, and if I give myself a reason: if it’s more expensive, it’s more expensive, I’m doing it for sentimentality, then it will definitely exceed the budget.

3. Management

Dear, don’t think that you have to do everything by yourself in a B&B. Not only will you be busy to death, but the service will not be good, let alone sleep. I feel like waking up naturally and drinking tea. B&B is a business that requires meticulous attention to all aspects. It’s not just about spending some money to open it, it’s just the beginning. Suggestion: If you really want to make a profitable B&B, find a city B&B to operate. You will avoid many detours. My inn was looking for a designer and during the five-month renovation period, I arranged for a partner to intern at someone else's inn and worked there for six months.

Not only do you understand where the customers come from and what their daily needs are, but more importantly, you understand the various problems in the daily operation of the inn. We have avoided many hidden dangers since the renovation. Let’s talk about business matters.

(1) Personnel

My inn, Lijiang Prince Villa Inn, has a total of 10 rooms. I hired 1 aunt to clean, 1 handyman, and 1 chef to cook. , hired three housekeepers to provide one-on-one housekeeping services to help guests arrange itineraries and airport pick-ups. Bedsheets, bedding, etc. are all outsourced to hotel cleaning companies.

Although it is a 10-room inn, it has a normal operating system. (2) Managing 6-7 employees, and there will be employee turnover, involves personnel management and recruitment. Prepare various financial statements and purchase budgets. It's completely a small business. (3) Expand sources of income. If a B&B only provides guest accommodation, it will not be able to improve its services and will basically suffer losses. Our butler service will arrange itineraries for guests, help them shop for goods, and charter cars, all of which are voluntary. And the products provided are all of high quality that we select locally. This not only provides good service but also provides some additional benefits. When the rainy season comes, we also purchase a lot of raincoats and boots for customers to buy directly in the store. We also provide "free" power banks, selfie sticks, etc. for customers to borrow.

4. Online promotion Make good use of the Internet promotion platform and increase cooperation with OTAs. (1) WeChat public account (2) OTA cooperation cannot simply go online and leave it alone. You need to communicate more with the local managers of the OTA and participate in their activities more. For example, some OTAs occasionally organize lottery events to provide free one-night stays. We all actively participate in the lottery. The winning guests will not only help us spread the word, but the guest rooms are free, but the inn is still profitable in other aspects. Generally speaking, it serves multiple purposes.

5. Do a good job in word-of-mouth management (1) This is the key point. From the moment guests get off the plane and pick them up, every detail must be served well to ensure guest satisfaction. The butler must be trained well so that he can handle all the guests' needs in a timely manner so that the guests can quickly become familiar with this strange city. Reviews on OTA platforms such as Ctrip must be followed up in a timely manner. (2) In-store promotion has a butler service. For customers who are satisfied with the service, the butler will remind the guest to help us give a good review on the online platform and forward it to our WeChat Moments. Most guests will be happy to help. Therefore, as long as the service is good, the reputation will become more and more positive

The details of the B&B operation are considered in detail and the execution is in place. Will there be a loss when opening it?

Follow the public account "Laijushang Apartment" and focus on B&B operation. From soft decoration design to photography, all channels of rooms are online, offline operation and reception, one-stop service, liberating the energy of owners