An aspect of B&BInnterchange that I have not yet covered is a service we are working on for people with just one or two guest-ready bedrooms who need help getting into the business.
There's no doubt that some professional innkeepers struggling to keep their occupancy levels up and the bill collectors at bay will be horrified at the prospect of competition from mere amateurs, but we do not believe that our idea is a threat to them.
Again, it's all about marketing.
Let's imagine a couple whose comfortable home in a nice neighborhood seems to them a lonely, large and (perhaps worst of all) wasted space with the kids all grown up and gone and the extra bedrooms used for just a handful of nights each year.
Renting out those extra rooms to full time tenants might be one way to go, but John and Jane Doe are nervous about surrendering their privacy to long term roommates however welcome the extra income might be.
A B&B is another option, and since John and Jane both love to visit family-run inns when they are on vacation, the idea has a lot of appeal.
What's not so appealing is the prospect of taking on all the added responsibilities and expense of establishing a bed and breakfast operation: everything from business licenses to getting the word out via local and national marketing through a dedicated website, then being constantly available to answer guests' phone or e-mail inquiries and process reservations.
John and Jane also cherish their regular trips away from home to visit family and friends, and reason that starting a new business will drastically clip their wings, tying them year-round to a house they love but enjoy escaping from whenever they feel like it.
They live in an area that attracts thousands of visitors from elsewhere each year, eager to enjoy local parks and museums, shopping and restaurants, and they are confident that if they were to open a B&B, it would prosper without in any way harming other nearby properties already in business.
The Does had kept the idea on hold for years, resigned to letting it remain a mere dream, until they caught sight of the following in their local newspaper:
They were surprised to discover that they could list their home as a "Neighborhood B&B" with just one nationwide marketing service, avoiding all of the hassles of setting themselves up as an independent business.
They could pick and choose the dates on which they were happy to hang a B&B sign outside their door, and they were guaranteed a minimum of $100 per room per night, in return for their promise that they would provide their guests with top quality service, comfort and cleanliness and great food...an easy bargain because that's what John and Jane always look for when they travel.
B&BInnterchange would handle all the trouble and expense of getting the word out about John and Jane's beautiful home, including reservations and all the associated paperwork, and would cover its costs by taking a small commission on every night sold.
What the deal came down to was a very simple business equation: No sales = zero operating overhead.
John and Jane Doe already had a beautifully appointed and tastefully furnished home to offer their guests, mostly bought and paid for years before.
Extra groceries and supplies would only be needed when guest reservations were confirmed, and the proceeds of room-nights sold were guaranteed to be transferred to their bank account within one business day of its receipt by B&BInnterchange.
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