Start & Run a Bed & Breakfast. Richard Taylor

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СКАЧАТЬ Sightseers who spend a few hours only in each location and then move on

      • Day-trippers who spend the day in your area but do not require overnight accommodation

      • Campers who bring their own sleeping quarters so they don’t need your accommodation

      • High rollers who are looking for action and are attracted to luxury hotels with fitness clubs, tennis courts, and other amenities

      Potential customers:

      • Families who are looking for a home environment that can provide safe and friendly accommodation for their children

      • Single parents who are looking for a similar home environment and who welcome the extra support that a friendly host family can provide

      • Business travelers who are looking for a comfortable rest and a good home-cooked meal — usually in a downtown location

      • Women travelers who are looking for safety and security and who appreciate the added protection of a family setting

      • People traveling alone who enjoy the companionship of a B&B

      • Retired people who have plenty of time to travel and to pursue their interests and who often seek the less-hurried atmosphere of a B&B

      • People pursuing a particular sport or hobby who are looking for facilities that can cater to their particular needs

      • People attending cultural attractions who enjoy the study of history, science, or the arts, and who are seeking the company of hosts who appreciate those values

      • Professional people who are looking for clean and comfortable surroundings, friendly hosts, and interesting conversation

      • People visiting local friends or family who need nearby accommodations

      • Personal friends and “friends of friends” who want to visit you

      • People who have heard about your B&B either through word-of-mouth or written advertising

      As well as all those listed above, you should include any other local visitors you think would be potential customers. Each local area has a different mix of visitors and accommodations. Your B&B may attract other types of customers not mentioned here.

      4.2 What facilities and services do your customers want?

      Once you have determined your potential customers, you need to carefully consider what each type of customer is looking for in accommodation. You can do this by completing a customer survey for each type of potential customer you anticipate accommodating.

      Let’s review each section of Carol and Bob's research:

      (a) Beside potential customer, Carol and Bob have indicated they are considering families with young children. They have noted the age range as 1 to 40 because young children could be defined as 1 to 10 years, and parents could be 18 to 40 (approximately). This statistic is useful when thinking about the facilities and services that this type of customer might want.

      (b) Customer availability indicates the monthly visiting pattern normally expected for this type of customer and the reasons for this pattern. You may get this information from existing statistical data or you can give your best estimate based on common sense and a knowledge of your own area. For the sake of simplicity, consider each month to have 30 days (including four weekends).

      (c) Booking days available indicates the total days in any one year that you could reasonably expect to book this type of customer. Add the estimated days for each month to get this figure.

      (d) Actual number shows the number of this type of customer that visit your area in any one year. You may get this figure from existing tourist statistics; however, an actual number is often difficult to obtain. Personal observations of the types and volume of tourists in your local area may provide you with an estimate of the percentage of tourists that fall into this category. If you cannot obtain this figure, leave the space blank. Carol and Bob estimated that there are about 1,200 families with young children visiting the area each year.

      (e) Overnight facilities needed are the furnishings and room arrangements normally required by this type of customer, specifically bedrooms and bathrooms. Imagine that you are a young family who has just arrived at overnight accommodations. What facilities and services would you like to have?

      (f) Food services include the variety of food, serving facilities, equipment, and refreshments required. Bob and Carol have included a bottle warmer and high chair for the convenience of families with infants.

      (g) Other facilities needed is where any extra facilities or services needed for this type of customer should be listed. Bob and Carol’s B&B would probably need a play area and children’s games, for example.

      (h) Preferred attractions can be determined by referring to your tourist attraction survey. Transfer those attractions that would appeal to this type of customer from your tourist survey onto your customer survey form.

      (i) Another service you may consider providing is Internet access, either by a wireless network or by a desktop computer in a common area for your guests to use. Alternatively, you may choose not to provide Internet and market your B&B as a true getaway from the technology-driven nature of day-to-day life.

      Now do your own customer survey.

      It is very important that you gather statistics on all types of potential customers. Don’t restrict your list to those types that you personally prefer. You should survey your total potential customer base so that you will have all the necessary information to make informed decisions in the next chapter.

      Keep all completed copies of your customer surveys for future reference.

      5. Know Your Competition

      One essential market research task is to study your competition. Take a look at existing establishments already offering accommodation and meals to your potential customers. By knowing what your competition is and is not doing, you will be able to design a more competitive B&B.

      5.1 Other B&Bs

      The majority of your direct competition will come from any existing B&Bs close to you. If you are in the countryside, the distance of direct competition will probably be many miles in all directions. If you are in a small town, the town boundaries will mark out your area of direct competition. In very large cities, you need to look at existing B&Bs within your own neighborhood.

      5.2 Small, local inns

      Small, family-run inns or lodges will also compete directly with your B&B because they offer many of the same attractions. For the purpose of your market survey, consider any inn or lodge with ten rooms or less to be small. Larger inns and lodges should be classified as commercial establishments.

      5.3 Local commercial establishments

      Commercial establishments are defined as large blocks of apartment suites or cabins, СКАЧАТЬ