If you are running an independent small hotel you are faced with a unique set of challenges. The managers at larger hotels have the advantage of being able to direct a full staff that includes maintenance workers, housekeepers, and front desk staff. Because of your small staff, you might find it’s necessary for you to take on many of those duties and roles yourself! It’s a lot of hard work, but fortunately, there are some things you can do to keep your hotel running smoothly!
Upgrade Your Digital Tools – If you are still running your hotel from a notebook and a spreadsheet you are behind the times and doing a lot more work than you need to! Those old methods have been replaced with comprehensive software tools, and today’s all-in-one property management systems can take on a variety of tasks like hospitality Inventory that will reduce your workload significantly. You can use it to automate your administrative tasks, reservations system, and check-in/out procedures as well, making things faster and easier for your guests and for you!
Get Better Connected – Make use of the extensive customer outreach that online booking agents can provide you with. These days the Internet is the first place people go to find great deals and recommendations on hotel stays. Get connected to the popular online booking channels so you can have millions of eyes on your property’s offerings, these services do a lot of the marketing heavy lifting for you! When travellers are looking for options and booking trips make sure your hotel shows up on their search!
Carefully Track Your Performance – While this is true in any business, it is of particular use to hotels, helping you to identify trends that will lead to a better understanding about what works well and what doesn’t in your promotions and packages. Having an accurate and detailed record to refer to can take a lot of guesswork out of the equation so you can keep your hotel full and profitable!
Be Mindful Of Housekeeping And Maintenance – While most employees will do their best work because they feel they are being treated and paid fairly, which of course you are doing, there will sometimes be somebody who slips through the cracks and does substandard work. Therefore, it’s important to do frequent inspections and have a checklist of clear requirements that everybody involved understands must be met. The guests are going to notice things like dirty fixtures and missing amenities and it can very negatively affect the rating they give you! Be sure to reward your staff if they achieve a perfect rating at the end of the month!
Market The Experience – there are no two small hotels that are the same and that is a valuable asset to have. What is it about your hotel that is novel and alluring that will give your guests an experience they will remember and recommend? Identify those special somethings and accentuate them to their fullest to make your hotel stand out from the crowd!
Running a successful small hotel is a very satisfying and rewarding career, we hope this helps you get the most out of it!
