Julia Cox

Introduction

I’ve just finished watching a Channel 4 programme that probably should have been ignored (like the infamous Four in a Bed) as it brings together the worst kind of host with the worst kind of guest; “they deserve each other” was my thought after only five minutes. I do think that these hosts don’t seem to understand the business they’re running – and that this is a long article in its own right – but I’m sticking to the sticky problem of negative reviews. And keeping it brief!

Are you good?

It’s pretty simple really:

If you have a good, clean and comfortable B&B which is correctly priced, you WILL get good reviews. Then, if “professional” guests come along who don’t understand the needs of fire systems, eco friendly laundry practises (I don’t change sheets every day for longer stays) and give you a bad review, it won’t matter so much.

If you have a good customer attitude, and never show any resentment at guests’ foibles, they will overlook yours! If you are consistently friendly and are genuinely interested in guests qua guests, and not occupational hazards, the vast majority will feel too mean to be picky.

You also must understand the type of customers your place attracts. If it’s groups of lads throwing up on a Saturday night – either change the type of place you are or provide good vomiting facilities! You can’t complain about the guests you attract – you created the business! Anyway (I’m digressing), if you have a good customer attitude you WILL get good reviews.

(The reverse of this situation is the B&Bs which, it is alleged, write their own reviews. This may be true. BUT, if they aren’t any good – they will get BAD reviews.)

It’s not rocket science…

The bottom line is this: there are plenty of places with consistently good reviews, so how do they do it?

Julia Cox

PS. You may like a look at our Trip Advisor reviews…

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Hotel_Review-g187055-d1217077-Reviews-South_Lodge-Milton_Keynes_Buckinghamshire_England.html

Background

Last week I was the contented user of the Q-Book on-line booking system. It seemed to work just as well as a commission based system, and was much cheaper. I also like the way it worked and the data I was able to capture, especially guests’ card details. Unfortunately on Thursday all the users received an email explaining that from Monday 22 Aug, data capture options would be changing, and no longer could card details be taken by me and stored on the site Read the rest of this entry »

There aren’t many good quality b&bs around the UK whose main customer is the business traveller. For probably obvious reasons the main location of attractive and well run establishments is tourist areas, possibly with the benefit of a captive audience. For places like myself, on the edge of a thriving and growing city (Milton Keynes) the business person is bread and butter custom, filling the rooms Monday to Thursday nights.

This is because businesspeople are crying out for decent b&bs. they don’t like the indifferent hotel chains and, just like leisure travellers, they turn to Sawdays and Wolsey Lodges for help finding somewhere more friendly and comfortable with a home cooked breakfast.  So, if you run a b&b and feel that business travellers could add to your custom, I thought you’d like to hear the complaints from my regular customers about other places they’ve tried. Here are the five most common:

1. Noise. Created by thin walls, creaky floors or activity downstairs.
2. Mattress. Often lumpy or just downright old. A good night’s sleep is more critical for someone who has to get up for work the next day.
3. Little pots of UHT milk on the tea tray and packet biscuits – are we still doing this?
4. Carpets in bathrooms! Considered to be unhygienic and just quite weird.
5. Chintz and too many frills. You may have to lose some of the girlie elements as most business travellers are still men.

That’s it really. These things have all been discussed before but perhaps not from this point of view. I can strongly recommend the business customer too – but for reasons that are for another blog day…

Julia Cox

A comment by a fellow B&B tweeter about a TA review sent me to Trip Advisor to look at their review history. I noticed that none of the recent reviews had been responded to by the owner. (I confess I didn’t look beyond the first three, but if I didn’t then potential customers might not either.) This surprised me – if they care about their reviews why don’t they do this? You should always respond to a review – good, bad or indifferent! Why? Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve got a lot of photos on my website. Probably more than any other b&b I know or whose website I’ve perused. I’ve been lucky: a combination of reasonably charging professionals, skilled friends and magazine features have meant an abundance of pics to choose from. However… Read the rest of this entry »

Introduction

It seems that we all worry about the potential actions of strangers more now than we have ever done. Violent crime and burglaries are on the increase, or at least the threat of them is. As even the most trusted members of society Read the rest of this entry »

Today in his message to his empire, Alastair Sawday praises himself for becoming ‘zippy and modern’. Read the rest of this entry »

In his opening speech the charismatic Alastair Sawday spoke lovingly of the variety of experiences on offer throughout the Sawday catalogue. Whilst in a geographical, or aesthetic sense this is certainly true, the one thing we all have in common Read the rest of this entry »

As the proud owner of a luxury boutique b&b good enough to qualify as one of Alastair Sawday’s ‘special places to stay’, (see sawdays.co.uk), I’m just returning from the first two day conference, held on the Harbourside at Bristol.

Was it good? Yes I think so – especially as a first attempt. As I think they all knew it would be, networking was the outright winner, whether over dinner (fabulous pork!) or in workshops. And I can’t wait to get back to get on Twitter and start building on these new connections…

The ASP staff were universally friendly and helpful as were the other b&b/hotel/self catering owners. So it should be of course, with a room full of people dedicated to hospitality! We are so isolated from others in the same business it was a wonderful opportunity.

On the downside the room was cold and the chairs were too hard for a whole day. Some of the arrangements need reviewing for a repeat – imagine queuing for the loo if we’d had bouncing rain! The workshops needed to be longer as they were the most useful element – for me, anyway. Though I think everyone found Sally Shalam’s talk interesting and useful – a clear professional!

Plus the beat was up and the atmosphere universally good, so an all round thumbs up!

But please Sawdays, get more Internet savvy! The online guide with good SEO can save its owners hundreds of pounds in Google Adwords – and others are already doing it. Let’s have the mobile phone application and the social media presence – you already have the network! I hope you will take up some of the ideas put forward by lots of owners over the two days.

But would I go again? Yes please.

My friend Alan has bought two painted, fibreglass kangaroos. Read the rest of this entry »