Bethnal Bec & Vicky

A column for owners, by owners

Setting out our plans for 2023

We have now spent 6 months as full time cleaners in our business and this is the year we start to look for local, dependent and good people that can support us in our cleaning and operations. Since Chris and I took back all the cleans in July 2022 we've not had 1 complaint, so handing the reins back to cleaners we are going to do slowly, and be completely sure the next ones are right for us!

If you've read my previous columns - you'll know that for a few years now we have grappled with various 'professional' cleaning firms that have competed 2 out of every 3 cleans for us - but hardly ever without incident, illness, tardiness or general apathy towards us, our business and the task in hand. After two of the biggest (and justified) complaints from guests in July we took back the reins and the standards went back to what a guest should rightly expect when paying

£200+ a night..... but then where do you go from there? Chris and I became every business expert's worst example of how you shouldn't work 'in' your business but 'on' your business.... The 'on' bit suffered Big Time! After 40+ hours a week of cleaning, essential admin, guest liaison and then being parents to 4 kids, we were left tired, uninspired and unmotivated. So, we sat down in early January and plotted our return to normality!

Hence we've decided we will try to work with 3 or 4 independent cleaners who will help to clean, and help facilitate guest services we offer. Working a few days a month eachwe're hoping to be able to get them to our very high standards of cleaning - but without them having to rush off to another job, or be late from the previous clean. That if they are unwell we have a few other people we can (hopefully) get help from - plus keeping our cleaning costs a little bit lower (at one point we were being quoted £30/hour by contract cleaning companies).

Thats the theory anyway!

Chris 2023

2023 is the date we will open our first family friendly accommodation on the Suffolk Coast. Just don't ask us when exactly in 2023.

But next week we have a structural engineer booked in to see how our roof can support the solar panels and to give us calculations for when we take away some load bearing walls...yikes.

Of course we've done this 3 times before, actually 4 times if you count our own house too. But this is the first time we are trying to manage such a build remotely, nearly 2 hours away; which is going to unearth a whole raft of challenges I'm sure. To help mitigate some of these issues we are parachuting in our regular trusted handymen who were absolute godsends when during the opening of our last accommodation in 2021 our contracted builders basically "gave-up" with a few weeks to go until our first guests were booked in. Dave & Dean we know will not let us down, we trust them implicitly, and after our previous tribulations with contractors this is THE most important thing for us...TRUST.

Looking to make a splash in your B&B this year?

Look no further than Alliance Online. We have recently received an influx of new restaurant supplies that will turn your B&B into the talk of the town. Let’s go through some of our new products we have stocked for 2023. From Cra’ster, the Fare trolley range is the innovative next chapter for operational efficiency in luxury hospitality. From Dalebrook, the minimalistic and modern Trafalgar tabletop range delivers a fashionable beauty in the form of the natural matte texture that produces an exquisite contemporary finish designed to complement any B&B dining aesthetic. Another magnificent range of products suited to a modern BB would be the GenWare Black Vintage Steel range.

Offering a unique way to present and cook foods whilst remaining uncompromising on quality. To find out more please contact our head office on 01270 252333 or hello@allianceonline.co.uk to find your closest branch or visit allianceonline.co.uk.

Amenitiz

When hoteliers contact us, it's often an emergency. They have generally tried everything to make their hotel a real success... in vain. A lot of effort made for few results obtained, such as: Direct bookings low, High commission fees on Booking / Airbnb, Poor online visibility and Hours wasted performing tasks with low added value. It is impossible to work in these conditions. At Amenitiz, we help independent hoteliers develop their businesses with our all-in-one solution. Thus, our customers benefit from: A new modern website optimised for SEO, A PMS which allows them to simplify their daily life, A Channel Manager to centralize all reservations and avoid overbooking, An integrated booking system to increase direct bookings and A secure payment system. As for all these independent hoteliers, we will be able to offer you the solutions adapted to your needs. www.amenitiz.com

Insignia’s Traditional and Far Infrared Home and Garden Saunas

Introducing Insignia’s Traditional and Far Infrared Home and Garden Saunas. Attract more guests and visitors into your B&B and create an atmosphere like no other that will keep them coming back time after time. Give your guests the ultimate relaxation during their stay with traditional or far infrared saunas with features including digital control, LED mood lighting and high-quality Bluetooth/MP3 audio system. Insignia’s Saunas are easy to install and low maintenance, and available in a wide range of sizes and a selection of saunas include massage chairs for the extra WOW factor! Elevate your property by providing an Insignia Sauna, an addition that will transform any area into an exotic one. Please visit our holiday rental partners website page for more information https://www.insigniashowers.com/holiday-rental-partners. For 30% off RRP discount for all holiday rental, B&B and hotel owners, contact us by calling 01908317512 or email our holiday rental expert at alex@insigniashowers.com.

Vogue Contract Beds

Vogue Contract Beds are a bed and mattress manufacturer based in Leicestershire and are part of the Vogue Beds Group. Formed in 1990 with over 30 years of providing contract mattresses for companies in the UK hospitality market. Vogue Contract Beds manufacture all their own mattresses and have one of the most versatile ranges of contract mattresses on offer across the UK. Suppling contract mattresses to student accomodation as well as many of the UK’s most prestigious hotels and unique boutique hotels from Natural Pocket & Luxury hotel contract beds range. Vogue Contract Beds provide economical contract mattress solutions that suit the needs of our clients and partners from our Academic Collection. To view the range, visit www.voguecontractbeds.co.uk | Tel: 01455841257 | sales@voguebeds.co.uk

MSS Mobile Signal Solutions

Hotels and B&B's are often faced with the problem of having poor mobile signal throughout the building. Building materials including foil-backed insulation and remote locations are the main reasons for poor signals. Whether staying for business or pleasure, people need to be connected at all times. Roaming laws have meant that calls outside your home country are not as expensive as they once were, making business calls and home calls using mobile phones from a hotel a much more frequent occurrence. For this reason, it's imperative for hotels, and guesthouses to have quality mobile signal strength to improve customer satisfaction and thus aid in receiving repeat business. If your property has no reception, you can ensure full coverage throughout by taking steps to install an MSS booster system. Once installed it will improve their overall experience and in turn provide repeat business. Visit: mobilesignalsolutions.co.uk/ hotel/ or contact: sales@mobilesignalsolutions.co.uk

SabeeApp

SabeeApp Hotel Management System’s latest development, an integrated ID Scan is now available! With the help of SabeeApp's built-in ID scanner, hotel guests can upload their travel documents in seconds, even from the comfort of their home through the GuestAdvisor application. This way, check-in only takes seconds which will increase the overall guest experience and simplify the tasks for your reception staff. What if guests don't want to take the opportunity to scan their documents at home or download GuestAdvisor? No problem! SabeeApp’s brand new Front Office Manager was created to solve this problem; the receptionist can scan your guests ID in minutes by using only a smartphone. The system can read national IDs, passports or driving licenses and the data is automatically transferred into SabeeApp’s PMS. By using these solutions, not only can you reduce the time spent with checking in but also you can fulfill the mandatory regulations if there’s any. To learn more, visit SabeeApp’s website: sabeeapp.com/sabeeapp-idscanner | Contact - kenneth@sabeeapp.com

Mattressman

Versatile, supportive and super-comfortable are a few words to describe the Hotel Mattress range at Mattressman. Going above and beyond to provide your guests with a rejuvenating night’s sleep, the Hotel Mattresses include fantastic features that will contribute to a sumptuous stay at your establishment. They incorporate body-moulding pocket springs with a support tension that’s suitable for every sleeping position, high-quality hypoallergenic fillings and breathable cotton covers too. The Hotel Mattresses are in congruence with Source 5 fire regulations and are available in all standard sizes: even adaptable zip and link options to transform a twin room into two singles. Our trade team can provide expert, impartial advice on what mattresses are best suited to your establishment, so don’t hesitate to get in contact with us today on 0800 5677 625 or tradesales@mattressman.co.uk. To view the range, visit mattressman.co.uk/contract

Karen Thorne has ran Hopton House B&B in Shropshire for over 16 years and the Bed and Breakfast Academy for over 14 years.

Through the B&B Academy, Karen trains aspiring B&B owners in how to set up, buy, run and market their own B&Bs.

Karen runs monthly online courses and has recently launched a B&B Marketing membership for existing B&B owners, so she can help them to organically and authentically market their own B&Bs.

Read Karen's blog to discover more about toilet paper origami, how marrying a plumber has been very handy, and more about life as a B&B owner: bandbacademy. co.uk/blog