Being frugal with your money is sensible no matter what business you go into, but making sure that you aren’t spending more than you are bringing in is vital when going into the leisure sector.
It can become easy to get wrapped up in finding expensive ways to compete with other hotels in your local area, that often hotel owners forget that they do not have the resources to keep up with larger hotel chains in terms of extravagance.
However, small hotels have the ability to create a unique staying experience which is not available to customers in large chains, so it is important that you find ways to make this work for you.
Below lists several ideas that might help you get ahead while still sticking to a budget.
Give rewards for honest reviews
If you have provided a great experience for the visitors to your hotel, then one of the most important things you can do is incentivize them to leave you a good review online. Having a wide variety of positive reviews under your belt will go a long way with any potential new customers, as there are so many different options for hotels nowadays, that people do not like to take chances on hotels that they can’t find a lot of information on.
Try giving a small discount to returning customers if they leave a review, or provide them with some free drinks during their stay if they leave a review while they are still visiting. These are very small prices to pay for an increase in customers over time.
Shop around for service providers
There are a lot of expenses which naturally come hand in hand with running a hotel, and unfortunately, these are unavoidable. However, making sure to compare prices on different utilities will help you to keep these costs as low as you possibly can.
For example, make sure that you compare business electricity prices per kwh, to ensure that you are going with a company which can provide for your demands at a reasonable cost.
Shop around regularly, and never stick with a company out of loyalty if you aren’t being rewarded for your continued custom, as you might find that there are many other cheaper options available to you.
Create a welcoming atmosphere
There are lots of different things you need to consider from an aesthetics point of view when it comes to creating an enjoyable atmosphere for your clients.
Hotels which are simplistic but clean and tidy are likely to be far better received than those which appear extravagant on the surface, but that are actually cluttered and unkempt. Make sure that thorough daily cleaning is at the top of your list of priorities, as this is one of the main concerns for many clients.
Keep communal areas easy to navigate with clear paths through to different sections. Having large windows will keep the place light and airy, while clever use of lighting will help you to create the desired atmosphere in the evenings.
