Success in the Bed and Breakfast Arena
Quaint, charming, cozy, and intimate are some of the words one runs across when thinking bed and breakfast. These establishments are common all over the world. But, whether staying at a little bed and breakfast in New England or at a luxury hotel, one thing remains paramount, good customer service. The facilities may not be that of a grand hotel—that is where part of its charm and appeal come from and is actually a non-issue—but the level of service to its guests, how comfortable their stay is, are. A bed and breakfast’s customer service and hospitality is a vital factor in ensuring a guest’s satisfaction. It’s a matter of pride for a bed and breakfast manager to have comparable, if not better, service. In the hotel, inn, or bed and breakfast industry, excellent customer service has been the benchmark for success. However, the best customer service goes beyond just a comfortable room or a gourmet spread at breakfast or whatever other amenities are found in a typical bed and breakfast package. Although the quality of a product or a service is crucial, the best guest experiences revolve around conveyance and technique. Advertising that a stay at a New England bed and breakfast, for example, will entitle them to a boating trip along the coast is easy enough; actually convincing the customer to book a reservation in the first place with the right pitch, is not as easy. The importance of excellent customer service serves two purposes: the first is to entice them in, and the second, to send them off with a happy and satisfying experience. Although both facets of customer service can be difficult, the latter can be a bigger challenge. A guest who signs up to stay in your bed and breakfast should leave more than just satisfied, they should leave pleased, delighted, and happy with the experience. So much so, that they would be your walking ambassadors and pass on the story of their stay at your establishment to their friends, family, associates, et cetera. These people will in turn, want to stay at your bed and breakfast. As a bonus, your original guest might come back as a repeat customer. The following are some hallmarks of the best customer service practices in a bed and breakfast:
•How may I help you? A good business enterprise, be it a luxury, big city hotel or a country inn, should employ someone who answers their phone in a friendly and polite manner. It’s simple enough to understand, nobody likes being put on hold or “talking” to a machine. A business that trades on hospitality, should be hospitable from the get go. This means having the stop snoring capacity to entertain calls from would-be guests. Friendly, accommodating, and knowledgeable is just the right mix.
•Keep your promises. Deliver the goods, so to speak. False advertising is one of the biggest turn-offs. If you advertise that you have a beautiful rose garden, let’s hope you don’t mean a few flowerpots sitting on the windowsill. If you run a promo that promises a half-price discount on gas tankless water heaters anything, word it clearly and honor it when claimed.
•Lend an ear. Feedback, even negative ones, can be good; at the very least, you’re gathering information, at best you’re getting free research into the workings of the customer’s minds. If you receive a complaint, don’t take it personally, concentrate on seo services company how to make things better, at finding a solution. As an innkeeper or a bed and breakfast manager, listening and making conversation is part of the job.
•At your service. Nothing makes a guest feel more welcome than having someone ready to offer a helping hand. This is what it means to be in the service industry. Offering your help, especially when there’s no profit from it, shows your sincerity at being a truly good host. Guests place a higher value on treasure metal detectors this than one would think, and will surely leave a great impression on new guest as well as returning ones. With impeccable service at your bed and breakfast, people will be inclined to develop loyalty and stay with you again next time.
The simple truth underneath all this is, if you provide excellent customer service, your guests will reward you with customer loyalty.