AI Magazine Issue 9 2018

Acquisition International - Issue 9 2018 37 Yvonne Halling runs Bed and Breakfast Coach.com, a consulting, coaching and mentoring business where they work with Bed and Breakfasts, Guest Houses, Inns and Small Hotels worldwide. We recently profiled and spoke to Yvonne to discover more about the extraordinary success that she has accumulated over the years. stablished in 2013, Yvonne Halling started the business after she had already grown her own four room B&B in France from zero to over 100k in less than two years, without any assistance from online travel agents. What Yvonne had realised when participating in industry forums, was that she had discovered something that other owners didn’t seem to know. Specifically, that running a B&B is a business and needs to be treated as such. Alongside this, she realised that the internet is for everyone, not just big online travel agents with deep advertising pockets. And that positioning yourself, having fundamental systems in place and building a community around yourself are the keys to not just surviving, but thriving in today’s changing environment. Yvonne Halling Consultancy Limited’s clients are worldwide, with three to 20 rooms, who are fed up with their mediocre results and know there’s more potential in their business, however they don’t know how to unlock it. The firm has created a world-class online resource for the industry, and they have helped hundreds of clients over the past five years. The team at Yvonne Halling Consultancy Limited work remotely, and they communicate regularly using online tools. Yvonne begins by detailing the approach the firm uses when enrolling a new client, and how they ensure that the outcome meets the needs of everyone involved. “When enrolling new clients, I first make sure that they have both the capacity and the appetite to grow their business. New thinking patterns and a new focus must be established. We begin with a 1:1 business evaluation, where their opportunities Company: Yvonne Halling Consultancy Limited 37 St Julians Crescent Shrewsbury SY1 1UD Telephone: 07847 096212 Web Address: www. bedandbreakfastcoach.com Unlocking Potential E 1808AI11 for growth will be revealed to them by the answers they give to the questions. Then we map out their best course of action, using my online courses consisting of a library of video tutorials, PDF workbooks, templates and examples. They will follow the system to reach their goals, with twice weekly coaching calls, private forum and weekly accountability.” The attributes which are essential to achieving success within the small hospitality sector is a willingness to change. Yvonne believes that what worked in the days before the internet, will not work now, as she further explains. “Currently, we are in the digital age and there is no going back. As such, we need to be visible online, share content and engage in conversations. We are unable to hide behind the curtains anymore. Guests want to know who you are and what you represent before they’ll book with you.” In addition to reflecting on the current state of the industry, Yvonne also envisions what the future holds for the sector, detailing some of the developments that she foresees. “Over the years, the main challenges I have noticed have been mainly down to the unwillingness of owners to change. Many are resigned to working with the online travel agents, whereas I’ve had to develop my own communication skills much more deeply so they understand what I do and how I do it. This means I’ve invested a lot of time and money in myself to find new ways to explain what’s required. “As for the small hospitality industry, this is changing rapidly. I believe this will pave the way for the most creative and imaginative owners to stand out and thrive. Unfortunately, a whole raft of amateurs have entered the market, which only means that the professionals will need to up their game. This is where we come in.” Moving forward, Yvonne’s plans for the firm include impacting a larger client base,a film series, where she will be working with a small group of owners with a before/after scenario that will showcase her work and will promote them. “Yvonne’s plans for the firm include impacting a larger client base,a film series, where she will be working with a small group of owners with a before/after scenario that will showcase her work and will promote them.”