Start & Run a Bed & Breakfast. Richard Taylor

      There are both advantages and disadvantages to operating a B&B, and if you want to be successful, you need to be aware of both. This chapter explores those advantages and disadvantages as well as the personal qualities and skills that are most desirable in a B&B host. We then provide you with a method of measuring your own skills and show you how to create an “action plan” to improve those skills.

      1. Advantages

      There are many advantages to starting a B&B. Some of them relate to running your own business generally, and some to the unique nature of a B&B.

      (a) Be your own boss: You have complete control over all work-related activities. You can decide when to take a day off, when to go on vacation, or whether to shut down for a season. You also get to set your own working standards and don’t have to answer to anyone else (acknowledging, of course, certain minimum standards set by municipalities and health authorities).

      (b) Earn extra money: The extra revenue earned through a B&B can be a powerful incentive, and it can provide a meaningful contribution to a family’s income.

      (c) Gain a tax advantage: A B&B can produce considerable tax advantages by allowing a wide range of deductions for business expenses, including a portion of your house expenses.

      (d) Work at home: As a B&B host, you work in your home. You eliminate the need to battle heavy traffic or bad weather in order to reach your workplace, which allows you to begin your day in a more relaxed frame of mind.

      (e) More family time: A B&B business allows you to spend more time at home, which can be very important if you have young children or if you are caring for a family member at home.

      (f) Continue other interests: By conducting your business at home, you have the opportunity to pursue other interests during the day. For example, you may have an existing home-based business that can be blended with your B&B business, or you may have a craft or hobby that can be carried on in conjunction with your B&B enterprise.

      (g) Meet new people: B&B hosts meet many diverse and interesting people. This can be a very rewarding experience, particularly for hosts who live alone. Sharing your hospitality with your guests can result in many personal and business benefits.

      (h) Choose your customers: B&B hosts can specify the type of customer that they accept into their home. A host that speaks one particular language may decide to accept only visitors who can speak that language. A female host who lives alone may decide to accept only female guests or family groups.

      2. Disadvantages

      Just as there are many advantages to being a B&B host, there are some disadvantages that should be considered.

      (a) Less family privacy: Conducting business inside your home makes it more difficult to separate family from business. Some guests may require your assistance during family time, so you need to organize your home and business operations to minimize these problems. You also need your family’s full support if you are to be successful.

      (b) Workload: Running a B&B requires extra effort in addition to your regular household duties. You must prepare and serve additional meals, and bed linen needs to be changed and washed after each guest has checked out. All areas that are used by your guests require a higher-than-normal level of housekeeping.

      (c) Repetition: There is a lot of repetition to the work involved in running a B&B. Every morning that you have guests you must rise early to prepare and serve breakfast. Every day you must clean effectively and quickly. Your client and business records will need daily updating. You must be prepared for these daily routines without exception.

      (d) Income fluctuations: Depending on the traffic pattern of visitors to your area, you could experience sporadic or seasonal fluctuations in the income derived from your business. If you are relying on this extra income, keep these variations in mind.

      3. Skills and Qualities That Best Suit the Job

      For the moment, let’s visualize the “perfect” B&B hosts. Below is a list of the most desirable skills and personal qualities that these imaginary hosts would possess. This list is not in order of importance because all these skills are equally important. Don’t get discouraged when you read this list — remember these are “perfect” hosts, and nobody is actually perfect.

      (a) Friendly: Perfect hosts are very friendly and always smiling. They have a natural love of people, and they are relaxed and at ease with strangers. They welcome each and every guest as if they were old friends.

      (b) Tolerant: Perfect hosts show compassion for their guests’ problems. They are tolerant of race and religion, open-minded, and flexible in providing for their guests’ comfort.

      (c) Clean: Perfect hosts exhibit acceptable dress code, good grooming, and excellent personal hygiene. Their house exhibits outstanding standards of cleanliness in all areas, but particularly in guest bedrooms, bathrooms, and dining areas.

      (d) Diplomatic: Perfect hosts are courteous and tactful when talking to guests. They are peacemakers by nature, but if a guest’s behavior needs to be addressed, they are firm but fair.

      (e) Hospitable: When perfect hosts start their day, they are “on stage.” They forget all their own troubles and concentrate on providing the highest level of hospitality possible. They anticipate the needs of their guests and proceed accordingly. They serve meals that feature high quality, variety, and visual appeal.

      (f) Organized: Perfect hosts are very well organized and conduct their business efficiently, using thoughtfully prepared operating procedures. Their client and business records are well organized, accurate, and neat.

      (g) Prepared: Perfect hosts are prepared for all emergencies. They have medical and fire procedures in place, and they are able to carry out those procedures in a calm and orderly manner. In addition, they have back-up plans for operating problems such as power outages, etc.

      (h) Communicators: Perfect hosts have excellent verbal and written communication skills. They have systems in place to encourage good communication between them and their customers. They are good listeners.

      (i) Informative: Perfect hosts are very well informed about local matters including history of the area, local events, tourist attractions, retail shops, and restaurants. They keep available current copies of all train, bus, and plane schedules.

      (j) Motivated: Perfect hosts are self-starters and achievers, and they often set themselves goals and deadlines. They get satisfaction and enjoyment from operating their B&B.

      (k) Hard workers: Perfect hosts have excellent work ethics, and they tackle extra duties and work routines with enthusiasm. They maintain their work ethic through proper diet and adequate rest. Their standards are very high, and they maintain those standards.

      The skills and qualities that perfect hosts possess help them be successful. These are the same skills and qualities that you should aim for as you plan your own B&B. You may not be able to achieve the same level of perfection as our imaginary hosts, but if you use them as a target — something to aim at — you can greatly improve your chances of success.

      4. Skill Assessment

      4.1 Why do a skill assessment?

      Successful