The importance of a good hand over!

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Joey Camb

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We have had one of our local B&B's changed hands this week and it seems that Dave the previous owner ( a friend of mine) has done virtually no hand over with them. Fortunately they did get handed over how to use the email network so we are all helping where we can but we have had emails like -
"we have taken 2 two night booking for these dates and can see Dave has blocked out these dates on online booking for 5 nights can anyone tell us why?" - answer it is a huge conference then minimum for most people 6 nights which sells itself so you don't pay any commission and reduces your workload as only services! check them in and then 5 days hookey!.
My point being get every scrap of handover information from the PO's even if it turn out not to be useful!
Plus get to really know your local area and events so you know when you are busy ie put up rates or quiet put them down. We did a week handover working with the previous owners but this seems to be exceptional most seem to simply hand over the keys and run!
 
A good hand over is very important! Knowing when to hang onto those rooms and when to book 'em if you can is very important. We were told to take any booking that comes along with no regard to dates or events. We learned after our first year when the late callers all wanted 2-3 nights but we had none because everyone else called early for one night and blocked all future bookings.
 
Totally diff animal to stuff a whole crowd of B&B's vs stuffing the new owners only. Good one PO's! I think too many are so burned out and ready to leggit they do not give a rip about anything or anyone. Pretty bad isn't it, but true.
The other word of advice to aspiring, even if they seem lovely, do not trust anyone in a business transaction, get your facts, get your data, do not take their word for it. Plenty of us were lied to here on this forum by prev owners, desperate to sell.
 
A good hand over is very important! Knowing when to hang onto those rooms and when to book 'em if you can is very important. We were told to take any booking that comes along with no regard to dates or events. We learned after our first year when the late callers all wanted 2-3 nights but we had none because everyone else called early for one night and blocked all future bookings..
Exactly! what you don't want to do here is say its a 4 night conference friday,sat,sunday monday you don't want to block the 4 night booking with 1 jigger who just wants a saturday night for something unrelated ie wedding you would loose a fortune! We get excellent data through our trade association ie when the conferences are how many days and how many delegates are expected. ie 500 small conference 3000 plus big (put your prices up) and so on but none of this had been passed on!
 
I've seen two pretty bad 'hand-overs' here in our area recently. I don't understand why someone who is selling wouldn't want to hand the business over with their blessing (and help). Burning bridges, holding grudges or other selfish behavior have never been my forte. You're handing them your 'baby', why would you NOT want to do everything you can to make sure that the transfer is for the benefit of everyone???
rolleyes.gif
 
I've seen two pretty bad 'hand-overs' here in our area recently. I don't understand why someone who is selling wouldn't want to hand the business over with their blessing (and help). Burning bridges, holding grudges or other selfish behavior have never been my forte. You're handing them your 'baby', why would you NOT want to do everything you can to make sure that the transfer is for the benefit of everyone???
rolleyes.gif
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Thing is as well a lot of us have regulars what about them? I mean I know you arn't necessarily friend with them but the hand over should be good enough that they are expected ie NO's (new owners) understand your booking system especially with all the online stuff we deal with now adays its far more complex than it was even 3 years ago.
 
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