Outsourcing Ideas for Small Hotel and Hostel Owners

Being an owner/operator of a small hotel or hostel is no easy feat. At the same time, as someone who has travelled around the globe, I have seen some very successful businesses in my travels. Those who do best are those who outsource the different departments and elements of their hotel and hostel. This article is a look at some examples.

If you are managing, operating, or the owner of a hotel or other paid accommodation, you will have a lot of things to do each day. As with other industries, there has been a trend with outsourcing. Having a large number of employees can be costly and cause you a range of other issues. As an owner/manager, you should focus on managing and probably promoting your business. You also need time to mix with people. I have travelled the globe and have seen some pretty impressive hotels and even high-end hostel accommodation that make serious money and have a huge number of returning customers. Here is a look at some of the options you can consider.

Outsourcing Your Bar/Restaurant. A hotel or hostel bar and restaurant can make a lot of money, and greatly support your hotel income. You can get a lot out of it if you look for people who are willing to take it over and run it as their own. They will bear all the costs, and you take a percentage of the revenue. Those who focus on this will deliver a product to win over your customers. Better operators will take this further, even arranging events and other activities in the bar and restaurant to make even more business. Too many budget hotels and hostels do not take full advantage of this. If marketed right, you will have more than just your guests eating and drinking at your venue.

Tours. Tours are a big part of any hotel or hostel. Outsourcing this is an excellent way to deal with this fiddly but profitable revenue stream. It will only mean a small amount of space in your location, or you could even arrange this in a nearby tour operator and get your commission paid that way.

Cleaning and Laundry. Commercial cleaning might well be more profitable for you in the long run. When you think about all the water and electricity you will be using, and not just thinking about the labour, you will probably find it is much cheaper. You can always calculate the cost of the labour and the utilities, because you will know exactly what you are using, and then compare that to the service costs. Set your budget at much lower than your current bills and find a company that is willing to do it.

Transport. This is an easy one. There is always someone in the business of transporting guests who is looking for a special relationship with busy accommodation. If your bar and restaurant becomes more popular with your outsourcing program in that area, there will be even more reasons for you to arrange some form of deal with reliable transport. Regular business is very important to any one operating their vehicle, and you could be their saving grace.

This is definitely not the limit to what can be done. Looking at your hotel or hostel, as the group management of several smaller businesses, and getting the right people in those businesses to make it happen is what you should be doing. You will have minimal staff issues, and there are many people in each of the areas above that are looking for such an opportunity. You might be surprised on how your business will grow.