Business Support Toolkit

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Customer Service

Good customer service is an integral part of any successful business.  However wonderful your location and property are, unless your customers feel they have been treated well by you and your staff they won’t come back or recommend you to friends and relatives.  Although you may not be as involved with your customers as in a guest house or restaurant the service you provide is still an integral part of the overall holiday experience.

Customer Service has always been important in the hospitality industry but even more so now with the growth of Ratings sites such as Holiday Lettings where guests can instantly comment if service is not good enough – or alternatively praise a business that has gone the extra mile.

To find out how to ensure you and your staff always offer excellent customer service click here.


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Employing People

Not all self-catering businesses employ staff – so this section may not be relevant to you. However, for larger businesses, employees are essential to help with maintaining properties, cleaning rooms or managing and marketing the lettings.

Are you aware of the responsibilities you have as an employer or has the fear of regulations put you off employing anyone?

Have you thought about the advantages of taking on someone to help out in busy periods?

In this section you can find out more about:

The law in relation to employing people

Discrimination in employment

Migrant workers

Advice on recruitment

Training and Staff Development

Click here to learn more about employing people


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Financial Management

You may have the most beautiful property in a perfect location and a really good rapport with customers but without good financial management your business is bound to have difficulties.

Do you know about the tax status of your business?

Do you know the legal requirements?

Do you understand the basics of accounting and cash flow?

Are you registered for VAT?

Whether you choose to employ an accountant or manage the books yourself there are a few basics you must be aware of.  Click here to find out more?


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Legislation and Trading Standards

Most operators are aware that to run a small self-catering business there are some rules and regulations that must be adhered to.  But do you know which laws apply to your business?

Are you aware of health and safety legislation relating to self-catering units? 

Do you have relevant planning permission?

Do you know what records you should keep or how the Consumer Protection Act affects you?

If you are not sure click here to find out more


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Marketing

Do you have enough customers or are you always looking for more?

Do you have customers all year round or is your business more seasonal than you would like?

Do you have your own website?  Is it working as a marketing tool for your business?

Are you unsure which online travel agencies to use?

Do you use social media or is it a stretch too far?

You could do a degree in marketing and still have more to learn but for the basics on how to market your self-catering properties click here.


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Quality of Facilities

Before making a booking for self-catering accommodation one of the first things a potential customer wants to know is – are the facilities good enough for me?  How can customers decide between the various options and how can they be confident that it will live up to expectations?

Standards have risen significantly in recent years.  Customers are no longer prepared to’ make do’ on holiday and expect to have facilities at least as good as they have at home – preferably better.  Provision of a clean bedroom and a basic kitchen is not enough to keep customers satisfied – comfortable furnishings, a well equipped kitchen, TV and Wi-Fi are now considered essential. Do you know what customers want and what other businesses are offering?

Does your business belong to an official star rating scheme such as VisitEngland?  These schemes offer customers confidence in terms of services and facilities, quality of welcome, service and hospitality, food and cleanliness. 

Increasingly customers are looking at review site such as TripAdvisor to check whether the facilities and services offered live up to expectations.

Click here to find out more about the benefits of joining a Star Rating Scheme and the importance of review sites.


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Understanding Tourism Locally

Unless you are offering a completely unique product it is unlikely that all your guests will travel from across the UK or overseas exclusively because of your self-catering accommodation.  It is more likely they will have a reason to visit your area or stay in your town for business, to visit friends or family or they have decided to have a holiday in your destination and need somewhere to stay.

In terms of product development, operations and marketing it is useful to know as much as possible about your potential visitors – i.e.those who visit your locality.

Do you know how many visitors there are annually, why they come, where they come from, what they expect to do? 

Do you know what the competition is in your area?

Do you know how the market for your business is changing?  What are the emerging trends and what does the future look like?  This information is key if you are to make the right decisions in terms of product development and marketing. 

Click here to find out how to get information on your local tourism economy as well as insights into the national picture.


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Vision and Planning

Operating a self catering business covers a huge range of business types from simply letting your second home for holiday lets for a few weeks a year, letting out a number of properties throughout the year to running a rental agency managing a wide portfolio of properties.  The extent to which business planning is required depends on the scale of the operation.

If you are simply letting your house for a few months a year, you may not need a full business plan – but you still need to think about what you hope to achieve.

If you are operating on a larger scale, a clear vision and a good business plan are fundamental to the success of the business.  Not only will the bank require a plan if you want to borrow money but it will help you set out your goals, spot potential problems and measure your progress.

Do you have a mission statement?  Do you share it with customers and staff? Do you have a business plan with measurable objectives and a clear idea of how you will reach them? 

To help we’ve outlined the key essentials for creating a successful business plan .


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Your Customers

Do you know who your customers are, where they are from, what they do while they are staying with you, what they think of you and whether they would come again?  It is a legal requirement for accommodation businesses to keep records on all guests staying with them but these records can also provide a useful marketing tool.

The easiest way to get more business is to persuade an existing customer to come again, stay longer or recommend you to friends and families. 

Feedback from your visitors will help determine whether your customers are satisfied or if it is time to make some changes.

To find out more about why you need to know about your customers and how to collect the information click here.


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