B n B & Gites for fun and profit (7)
Keeping our Guests happy…….
Happy guests, or at least satisfied guests are of course paramount for any successful hospitality business. I thought it might be of interest to share some of the things we do which seem to receive a near universal ‘thumbs up’ from our self-catering guests. Bear in mind the mix of our guests over any season are approximately 50% British, 20% Australia/New Zealand, 15% USA/Canada, 10% Other European, and 5% Rest of world.
1. The Bread run. We do not have a boulangerie within walking distance, so we do a ‘bread run’ for our guests each morning. We place a bread sac in each apartment along with a small order form for a range of pastries and bread. The guests make out an order, leave the sac on our front door knob during the evening and we leave it on their door knob complete with their order around 0800 each morning. It makes for a very relaxed start to the day for the guests.
2. Internet/Wireless. We are fortunate to be able to access ADSL (broadband) lines in our small village so we provide a computer in our guest common room which stays online all the time. We also have a wifi (wireless) hotspot in our private office which guests can access sitting in our courtyard. There are very few guests who do not use this facility. Those who have been travelling around make a bee line for it almost immediately.
3. We speak english. Not so much for the experienced British perhaps, but for most others you hear a sigh of relief when you first greet them.
4. Supplies. We provide a standard ’starter’ pack of tea, coffee, sugar, milk and orange juice. But we also try to anticipate the ‘little’ items which travellers wouldn’t normally carry with them and can be an irritant for them to buy. So the kitchen is stocked with rubbish sacs, sponges, brillo pads, detergent, Tea towels, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper. Washing powder for the washing machines, and pegs! In the bathroom there is proper soap, (big cakes for the shower, small cakes for the hand basin) earbuds, tissues and make-up removal pads.
5. Washing machines. There is one in each apartment and they are used extensively - particularly with this years weather!! Again, those who have travelled from afar and/or have been travelling around are delighted. We always make the point the machines are not gender specific!
6. Welcome Notes. While these contain much practical information about the accommodation, various housekeeping matters, directions and the like, the most valued informaton are personal recommendations. These cover restaurants, gems for wine tastings, shopping, things to see and do, attractons for children, and suggested routes for cycling/walking/jogging. They are all contained in a black folder and most guests take it out in the car with them. One lot all the way back to the UK!
7. Bicycles. Burgundy is ready made for cycling, particularly around our area as it is relatively flat terrain. But I think ‘cycling in France’ is seen as another must-do for many visitors. Our bicycles, which we offer without charge, are constantly in use and very often by guests who admit it is over 20 or 30 years since they have been on a bicycle. The lure of vineyards, villages and routes along the canal are just too strong to resist.
8. Wine in la Cave. For our B n B guests, we would offer them the opportunity to lay a bottle of wine in our Cave. It would be left for either a future visit or for family or friends. At the very least it made for good social talk back home! We would write up a little wine board, then take a digital photo for the record and for sending on to whoever the guests pleased.
9. Being flexible. An over used maxim of marketing is to ‘meet the needs’ of your customer. It is nonetheless a good business principle to live by. And very often it is just little things. Want to wash your car? No problem, there’s the hose, and I will fetch you a bucket and rag. Careful about drinking and driving? We’ll drop you off at the restuarant and you can get a taxi home. Would you like a night out without the children? We will be happy to baby sit for you. Need to see a Doctor? We will call our own GP, he can usually see you today or tomorrow. Being alert to your guests requirements will greatly enhance their stay which in turn will often result in future referrals.
There are no doubt many other services that are equally well received by guests, but those are some of the ‘majors’ that have worked for us.
A Bientot, Bruce.
September 3rd, 2007 at 11:21 am
Lots of good ideas. I hate arriving somewhere and there’s NOTHING in the kitchen. OK, one hardly expects a fully stocked larder, it’d have all the wrong stuff in for starters. But things like salt and pepper are useful, and we never think to take it with us!
We stock our gites with a *starter* quantity of teabags, coffee, sugar, etc. and make sure there’s a salt shaker, pepper pot, and if anyone’s left things like dried herbs and spices, we leave those. We don’t leave half-used pots of cream or salad dressing in teh fridge, for example. Find the balace!
We also leave a bottle of wine and a few green stubbies.
I like the bread-run idea - we can’t do that as we’re not near enough. But you can’t beat *today*’s fresh bread for breakfast.
September 5th, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Bruce, you are my hero. What an excellent idea for a bread run! That way, after spending all day running around touring vineyards and breaking the bank at Alan Hess’ fromagerie in Beaune, a guest need not worry about queuing for fresh baguettes the following morning. That is, unless said guest is someone like myself who would wake with the roosters if necessary to take first pick of freshly french baked goods!
September 5th, 2007 at 3:45 pm
[!]…I meant freshly baked french goods!
September 6th, 2007 at 7:47 am
We knew what you meant Rowena! It is interesting when you are dealing in two langauges, you start to think twice about word placement, spelling, and even……….what is the english word for ????. Of course some times it is just a mlatter of having ’senior moments’!!