It can be a daunting experience running your own hotel especially if your new to the business However if you have just moved into a new hotel or you are refurbishing your premises you could take this opportunity to start as you mean to go on.One of the best ways to get business is to make your hotel stand out from the crowd and offer an excellent experience along with great service. Hotel furniture is a very good way to get a great impression and by decorating tastefully you can achieve a fabulous look.

Boutique hotels are so popular as their focus is predominately on the d?cor and the whole atmosphere of the hotel and this encourages people to enjoy and remember their stay.

First choose a theme for your hotel to create the right look If you have a large hotel then a single interesting theme would be easier, if your running a small exclusive hotel you may well be able to afford to have a different theme for each room.A good tip is to choose something that sets you apart from your competition.If all the other hotels in your area are traditional country houses for example, something more modern and stylish will make you appeal to an audience that isn’t yet catered for.

When you have decided on your theme you can start to source the furniture. There are some great deals to be had at local auction houses, but if you need a large amount of furniture your best bet is a wholesaler.

Many have warehouses or websites you can view in person to see the furniture.Make sure they’re a reputable company whoever you buy from, check they are a member of the bfm(british furniture manufacturer’s association. Inquire about their policies ie servicing,repairs and payment. When choosing your furniture ensure it is comfortable and practical and is also in-keeping with your theme A chair make look nice but may be very uncomfortable to sit in for example! Bedroom furniture should be more comfortable than the furniture in your restaurant so make sure you plan accordingly Any chairs and tables you use in your bar should be wipe-clean as these areas are more prone to spillages.

Customizing your furniture with either your own choice of fabrics or that of the manufacturer’s could be a good idea many contract furniture suppliers allow you to do this. Choosing one particular furniture set and customizing how it looks can save you money rather than choosing something which is wholly unique because if it breaks it would be easier to replace.It also means that you can use different fabrics for different areas of your hotel, to create a different atmosphere in each – easy-clean fabrics for the bar and soft, comfortable fabrics for the reception area for example.

Think about the spaces the furniture will fill. Remember the furniture needs to be sturdy enough to withstand the usage from the many customers coming through the door but not to be too big or bulky

If you’re considering purchasing a gas station, great idea! Now the important question is whether you should purchase a franchise or an independent. To ensure you’re making the best choice, take a bit of time thinking about comprehensive answers to questions similar to these . . .

Question #1: Who’s responsible for environmental problems?

Environmental compliance situations are the most significant issues in buying a station. If you run into problems with environmental laws, and have to pay out for expensive clean-ups or brand new equipment, it could mean closing your business. I’m not exaggerating! Here are a few instances that you may not have considered . . .

• Underground leaks. If one of your tanks leaks, who pays for the cleanup – you, or the gas company who sold you the franchise?

• New equipment. If every station across your state is immediately required by law to hook up a new kind of vent for underground tanks, you’ll have to pay out for that new equipment if you’re an independent station.

• Site remediation. If you sell your station, who pays for removing the underground tanks, cleaning up the soil and getting the certification that states your property’s remediation (clean up) has been approved by the state?

Question #2: If you buy a franchise, can you stop worrying about environmental problems?

In general, the answer to this question is yes. Your parent organization (Exxon, Mobil, etc.) will provide and install any new equipment that the state demands, and will come in to do the clean-up if one of your tanks starts leaking underground.

However, you should never make any assumptions in this area. You and your attorney have to comb through your franchising agreement to understand exactly what’s covered, and what’s not!

Question #3: If I’m buying an independent, what do I really own?

If you buy a small independent station with no ties to a major brand of gasoline, the answer to that question is relatively straightforward. You’re most likely purchasing the business as an entity, in addition to the real estate where the business is situated, along with the tanks, pumps and other equipment that you will have to utilize to sell gasoline. However, the picture can become complicated somewhat if you are buying the business, but not the real estate (land, buildings). You and your attorney should really pin every detail down.

Question #4: If I am buying a franchise station, what do I really own?

The answers to this question can be more complicated than you’d expect. After you purchase, for instance, you may find that you own the building – but not the land and equipment, which are still owned entirely by the parent organization. Or you could lease the building and the land, but have the canopies, pumps and other equipment owned by the parent company.

Remember, different franchising organizations set up their ownership packages in entirely different ways. To find out if the deal is right for you, you’ll need to go over all franchise plans and documents closely with your attorney.

Question #5: If it’s a franchise, who pays for what?

If you purchase a franchise, you will likely be more than surprised to discover all the things that your parent organization expects you to pay out for. A few or even all of these points may not be covered, so remember to ask before you make any decisions:

1. Insurance and Repairs – You may have to pay to insure and maintain the parent company’s pumps, signs and canopies.

2. Rent Increases – If the parent company leases you the premises, be prepared to get socked with large rent increases every two or three years. Try to get these terms spelled out in the franchise agreement.

3. Promotional Items – When the parent company decides to sell a new kind of coffee in your convenience store, or to offer special gas discounts on Tuesdays, and decides to advertise those offerings with special signs – will you be required to pay for them?

4. Payroll and Benefits – Don’t expect the parent company to pay salaries or provide benefits for your employees. It’s the one area where you’ll find that you’re suddenly operating like an independent business.

Richard Parker is the author of the How to Buy a Good Business at a Great Price series. As President and founder of Diomo Corporation – The Business Buyer Resource Center, his materials, seminars and consulting have helped thousands of business buyers realize their dream of buying a business.

A few decades ago, a gas station was simply a gas station, and a convenience store was simply a convenience store. If someone had predicted back then that these two very different businesses would join in holy matrimony and become a fixture on America’s highways and byways, I wouldn’t have believed them.

But when you stop to think about it, it’s a marriage that makes a lot of sense. When people stop for gas, why not offer them a chance to spend even more money on the things that they might also want – coffee, soft drinks, snacks, and other inexpensive items? Maybe even a pair of sunglasses to cut the glare of the road?

So, why not jump at purchasing a convenience store when you purchase a gas station?

Well, perhaps… But before you choose what you’re going to do, you should answer these two fundamental questions:

• Question #1. If a convenience store is already part of the gas station business, is it profitable? If it isn’t, can you turn it into a money-maker?

• Question #2. If a convenience store isn’t currently part of the business you’re thinking about buying, is it worth your while to add it? Bear in mind that you need not hurry to add one, if none is present. You can add one at your convenience, when it’s financially worth your while.

Estimating Potential Costs and Profits.

Whether or not a convenience store is currently part of the business you’re thinking about buying, here is a checklist of expenses that can assist you with evaluating the additional costs. Compare these expenses to the profits (or potential profits) and you will be able to roughly estimate a convenience store’s possible profit potential. Never take at face value the Seller’s figures dealing with these expenses. You’ll have to dig deep and come up with cost estimates that you can actually verify.

Insurance – If there is already a convenience store, how much does insurance cost? Remember, the coverage that’s already in place might not be enough. Talk to an insurance broker to find out what kind of coverage you really should have along with the total cost involved. You’ll quickly learn that if a convenience store is part of the package, you’re going to require a lot of additional coverage for liability, workers compensation for staff, and more…

Payroll – You’ll have to hire and pay employees to staff your convenience store. You may also have to pay out for benefits. Ask the Seller of the business about who staffs the store. If he or she is using underpaid relatives to staff it, it can be difficult to arrive at an accurate picture of what your payroll will be once you are the owner.

Utilities – Convenience stores need to be well lit. They also need to be heated in winter and cooled in summer. Those costs can really add up.

Retail Payment Systems – These include accounts to process credit cards, cash registers and more. If up-to-date systems aren’t in place, you will need to upgrade all of them.

Lottery Terminals – Many shoppers buy lottery tickets when they buy gasoline. Installing a lottery terminal may seem like a fantastic way to increase your income, but before you begin counting on this additional income, contact your local state lottery authority to find out about the expenses involved with utilizing a terminal.

Signage – To maximize profits, you’ll need high-visibility signage to show customers that a top quality convenience store is part of your business. If signs aren’t there, you’ll need to purchase them and put them up yourself.

Paving, Snow Removal, Landscaping and Other Associated Costs – Customers need to be able to park in convenient locations and walk safely to your store. Those points make it quite a bit more expensive to run a gas station and convenience store combination than it otherwise would be to run a gas station by itself.

Questions to Ask the Seller If a Convenience Store Is Already Part of the Business You’re Buying:

• What is your current inventory and what is it worth? (Remember not to count perishable items such as dairy products or returnable products such as magazines.)

• How much profit have you been generating from convenience store sales?

• Please provide an approximate breakdown of your revenues between gas sales and retail, and a further breakdown of the retail sales.

• Is your convenience store a franchise that is separate from your fuel operations?

• Do you operate the convenience store as well as the gasoline station part of your operation – or is the business split? If the operations are divided, how is that structured?

• Do you have automated inventory tracking and control systems in place?

• What products are you selling in your convenience store, and how much volume/profit is tied to each of them?

• Who are your suppliers for tobacco, beverages, coffee and all of the other retail offerings?

• Do you sell lottery tickets? What are the costs and profits?

• What hours are you open? Which hours of operation are the most – and least, profitable?

So, should a convenience store be part of the package when you buy a gas station? Should you think about adding one, if none is already there? To find out, you need to take out a sharp pencil and work with the checklist above. You should ensure you’re buying a station that’s profitable not only at the moment, but for many years to come.

Richard Parker is the President and founder of the prestigious Diomo Corporation – The Business Buyer Resource Center. His celebrated materials, seminars and consulting have encouraged thousands of aspiring business buyers from around the World to pursue their dream of buying a business.

One of the best investments you can make in your company is using a web-based Customer Relationship Management application such as Blitz Lead Manager. A web-based Customer Relationship Management provides access to all of your contact information 24/7 from any computer with web access. An application like this helps you keep track of new and existing clients as they traverse the sales process. The key to successfully using an application like Blitz Lead Manager is to have a clear plan and identify key people that will help make the process a success. The implementation plan will ensure that the transition and continued use of a Customer Relationship Management is ultimately successful.

To get started, you must identify the resources that will help make the implementation a success. The Blitz Leader will set the goals and see the final vision for the application. The Blitz Owner will be responsible for designing the business’ work-flow within Blitz. This person’s role is to ensure that the goals and vision are streamlined into everyday workflow. The Blitz Administrator will be responsible for the setup, customization and configuration of the application. The Blitz Administrator will also be responsible for managing configuration needs on a day to day basis. The Blitz Master is a user of the system who understands the usefulness of the application and can help other users fully utilize the system.

Training your users on a system is one of the most important processes of any implementation. Users not only need to know how to use the system, they also should understand the applications place in the work-flow and how management expects them to use the system. With many systems this can be extremely hard to implement. One of the best features of Blitz Lead Manager is the simple user interfaces and multiple work flows that can be designed. Blitz allows for ease of use, flexibility of use, and powerful features for anyone with an internet connection.

User adoption is the most important step in any implementation. If no one utilizes a system then it is inevitably going to fail. In the first stages of adoption you need to take special care of your users. User feedback can be used to ensure the adoption process flows smoothly. Once you receive user feedback it is important to address issues quickly and modify work-flows accordingly. This will allow the users that have provided feedback to become invested in the process and increase their adoption of the system. Another helpful strategy would be to identify additional Blitz Masters. The Blitz Masters can be encouraged to help others and can be used to inspire the adoption for others. Periodically refreshing the users’ knowledge of the Customer Relationship Management software can also be useful in increasing adoption. These less formal training sessions should occur after users have had the chance to become more familiar with the system and should be focused to specific user type. Different users have different concerns and discussing issues that only impact half your audience is not productive.

These tips will make your Customer Relationship Management implementation smoother and increase the overall success rate for your company. If you would like to learn more about Customer Relationship Managements, Blitz Lead Manager and Double A Solutions, please go to our website at www.BlitzLeadManager.com and view our live demo. Or contact us go to sales@BlitzLeadManager.com or call 419.841.8800.