What Customers Are Looking For in a Bed & Breakfast

[gillumhouse]

This is from the BNBStar Newsletter.
If you don't pay attention to what customers are saying about the Bed & Breakfast [COLOR= blue! important]industry[/COLOR], author, and [URL="http://www.bedandbreakfastprofits.com/industry.htm"]Bed and Breakfast industry enthusiast. Visit the website to discover why most new B&B operators fail to reach their business dreams. This article is available as a unique content article with free reprint rights. [/URL] then you can't expect to be successful in that market. There are too many bed & breakfast locations that have had to close their doors because they didn't make a profit. The owner's were disappointed and dismayed because they worked hard to offer a quality location with excellent food. What they didn't realize though is that customers are looking for much more than that from a bed & breakfast.
Make sure everyone of your guests feels welcome from the second they talk to you. Many people call a bed & breakfast to make a reservation instead of doing it online so that they can talk to a real person. If they don't feel like they are important during that phone conversation then they are likely not going to proceed with booking it. They want their experience at a bed & breakfast to be personal and enjoyable. They aren't going to spend their money in it if they don't think they are going to get it.
It is a good idea to stay at various bed & breakfast locations yourself. Pay attention to what it working well for you and what is missing. This will teach you areas that you need to focus on for your own bed & breakfast [COLOR= blue! important]business[/COLOR]. Interact with other guests and find out what they like or don't like about their experience there as well.
Get first hand experience on your own about bed & breakfast hospitality. Choose a handful of them in various areas and spend a night or two. You will quickly learn what it is like to be the customer instead of the owner of a bed & breakfast. This will give you a first hand experience to observe what works well and what is just not in place like it should be. Talking to other guests at the bed & breakfast locations you visit will give you even further insight into the issue. Of course you don't want to tell the owner's of the bed & breakfasts or the guests why you are really there.
One common complaint that you will find with the blogs and forums from customers is that they feel the human element is missing from many bed & breakfast establishments. The place may be well decorated and in a great location but it is run like a business. They want something very personal and that is why they didn't stay in a hotel. Make sure you warmly greet every customer that comes to your bed & breakfast. Your sincerity is very important and they will feel comfortable staying with you. They want to feel like guests in your home, not just customers that have come to spend the night.
Customers want to be able to get all of their needs met when they go to a bed and breakfast. Make sure you offer them all the possible amenities you can. For example they may need access to a computer but they didn't [COLOR= blue! important]travel[/COLOR] with a laptop. You can make one available for guests to us. Going the extra mile to provide them with a ride somewhere or with ironing their clothing perhaps can really mean a lot to your guests.
Always follow up with those that have stayed at your bed & breakfast. You want to build a quality relationship with them so that they will stay again in the future. You also want them to recommend your location to other people. There is a good chance they will mention your bed & breakfast online too in the forums and blogs. You want that information to be very positive as it is free advertising for you. When you follow up with your guests, thank them for staying at your bed & breakfast. Ask them to evaluate their stay as well so you can find out where you stand with your customers.
Pay close attention to common issues that will affect their choice to stay at your bed and breakfast. Consumers want something that is going to be affordable, clean, friendly staff members, and easy to get to. The location of a bed & breakfast is going to impact the amount of guests you get. Knowing what customers want from a bed & breakfast is one of the best ways you can help ensure the success of your business.
About the Author:
About the Author: Patti Rob - [COLOR= blue! important]entrepreneur[/COLOR]

 

[Morticia]

So, I guess this person has been gleaning info directly from forums and review sites and then writing articles about what we say all the time...I say that because there are no personal anecdotes and because this person signs 'entrepreneur' and not 'innkeeper.'

 

[egoodell]

So, I guess this person has been gleaning info directly from forums and review sites and then writing articles about what we say all the time...I say that because there are no personal anecdotes and because this person signs 'entrepreneur' and not 'innkeeper.'.

Yes, just what we need - another "expert".
RIki

 

[gillumhouse]

My favorite was to stay at another B & B and ask the other guests what they thought about the B & B. This person, in my opinion is writing about something she knows nothing about - like most of you have the time to iron something for the guest (with 3 rooms and since it is rare I do it - but I do not have 6 rooms and up not even 4, that extra room would kill me!) and the idea of offer a ride, just how does she think the guests gort here? They sure do not walk to my place! and had she thought of the insurance liability iinvolved?
To me, just reinforces lack of knowledge of what she is writing about. Thought everyone could use a chuckle this morning.

 

[Morticia]

My favorite was to stay at another B & B and ask the other guests what they thought about the B & B. This person, in my opinion is writing about something she knows nothing about - like most of you have the time to iron something for the guest (with 3 rooms and since it is rare I do it - but I do not have 6 rooms and up not even 4, that extra room would kill me!) and the idea of offer a ride, just how does she think the guests gort here? They sure do not walk to my place! and had she thought of the insurance liability iinvolved?
To me, just reinforces lack of knowledge of what she is writing about. Thought everyone could use a chuckle this morning..

I didn't read the whole thing as it seemed to be written by someone 'cutting and pasting' full sentences from somewhere else. So, I missed the 'give a ride' part. We do have a few guests every year who do not have a car. But there is no way other than emergency I am letting them in my car.
Like you said, obviously not someone who has really walked the walk. Then again, you do get the few innkeepers who have 'staff' to do all the grunt work but make it sound like they do everything themselves when they are interviewed.

 

[Joey Camb]

I know there is a b&b near me with an excellent reputation (well deserved) and they sometimes give their guests a lift into town as they are a abit further out. But when I saw it was in their trip adviser (the guest was saying it was a nice touch etc) I thought you will have to be carefull depending on your insurance and you don't want other guests demanding this as a service because you did it for this other guest. You are opening the door to a world of trouble.

 

[muirford]

And trying to use the phrase 'bed and breakfast' as many times as humanly possible to get that SEO bang for the buck. Oy, the grammar and spelling errors...please, people, step away from the apostrophe if you don't know how to use it!

 

[Samster]

And trying to use the phrase 'bed and breakfast' as many times as humanly possible to get that SEO bang for the buck. Oy, the grammar and spelling errors...please, people, step away from the apostrophe if you don't know how to use it!.

Ain't that the truth!

 

[EmptyNest]

And trying to use the phrase 'bed and breakfast' as many times as humanly possible to get that SEO bang for the buck. Oy, the grammar and spelling errors...please, people, step away from the apostrophe if you don't know how to use it!.

Yeah and I was going to say "tell us something we don't know." I think they are just doing this for SEO. Remember this site????

 

[egoodell]

I know there is a b&b near me with an excellent reputation (well deserved) and they sometimes give their guests a lift into town as they are a abit further out. But when I saw it was in their trip adviser (the guest was saying it was a nice touch etc) I thought you will have to be carefull depending on your insurance and you don't want other guests demanding this as a service because you did it for this other guest. You are opening the door to a world of trouble..

I know there is a b&b near me with an excellent reputation (well deserved) and they sometimes give their guests a lift into town as they are a abit further out. But when I saw it was in their trip adviser (the guest was saying it was a nice touch etc) I thought you will have to be carefull depending on your insurance and you don't want other guests demanding this as a service because you did it for this other guest. You are opening the door to a world of trouble.

That's how you know the "expert" does not know what they are talking about. We have livery (limo) insurance because of our wine tours. So I offer a ride to dinner the day of the wine tour with pickup as late as 9:30.
Without that insurance we could not do it. The B&B insurance says NO.
RIki

 

[Innkeeper To Go]

My favorite was to stay at another B & B and ask the other guests what they thought about the B & B. This person, in my opinion is writing about something she knows nothing about - like most of you have the time to iron something for the guest (with 3 rooms and since it is rare I do it - but I do not have 6 rooms and up not even 4, that extra room would kill me!) and the idea of offer a ride, just how does she think the guests gort here? They sure do not walk to my place! and had she thought of the insurance liability iinvolved?
To me, just reinforces lack of knowledge of what she is writing about. Thought everyone could use a chuckle this morning..

This person, in my opinion is writing about something she knows nothing about - like most of you have the time to iron something for the guest (with 3 rooms and since it is rare I do it - but I do not have 6 rooms and up not even 4, that extra room would kill me!) and the idea of offer a ride, just how does she think the guests gort here? They sure do not walk to my place! and had she thought of the insurance liability iinvolved?
To me, just reinforces lack of knowledge of what she is writing about. Thought everyone could use a chuckle this morning.

Bingo.