“You have a seed, maybe even an acorn, of an idea to start, invest in, or renew a hotel or a restaurant. But what now…?”

Starting-up

Don’t plant it until you have run through every scenario with someone – and that person, perhaps, should be your consultant…

A lot of time, money and goodwill is often used up after an initial “great idea” rolls into frantic planning, the calling in of favours and then action, which often turns out to be misguided and detrimental to future developments.

It’s often better to sleep on an idea and then present it to someone who has no emotional or professional attachment to either the plan, or the person behind it.

“You have an idea how the hotel or restaurant should look...”

Style and Design

But is it practical, how much should it cost, do you need a designer, which suppliers could you use…? Interior design for hotels and restaurants can be expensive, especially if not thought out in advance.

There’s an apocryphal story about a new build hospital – the designer specified some great looking, cutting edge lifts with seriously stylish chrome doors. In they went, and apparently, they looked fantastic. On the opening trial day, the first trollies were wheeled into the hospital, arrived at the lift, and the porter, (even though having never qualified for the Krypton factor), realised very quickly that none of their trollies would ever fit in the lifts. The hospital opened six months late…

Tim has helped with hotel design throughout his projects. He not only offers a practical angle to proceedings but can offer the creative catalyst to start the enjoyable process of making your property instantly noticeable and stylish.

Interior design for hotels and restaurants – it needs to look great, but be practical.

“All that time, effort and money; but now you have to let the world know about it. Who handles the launch…?”

Launch and Marketing

When does the campaign start, how does it start, how does it continue, how does it manifest itself and what does it all cost, in time and cash…?

It doesn’t matter how good the new project is if no-one out there knows about it. And that is not going to happen just by opening the doors.

PR does not have to cost the earth, but it can if the initial choices are incorrect…

A hotel consultant or restaurant consultant can make the right introductions, draw up a short-list and assist with the appointment.

“Are they right for the role, and once you have your team on board, will they learn the ropes…?”

Recruitment and Training

Will you meet and interview every candidate, and have the time to not only brief them on the ethos, but establish that THEY believe and are capable of carrying it out…?

It is often a good idea to have a second opinion from someone who won’t allow you to simply take someone on because you are desperate to fill the role at any cost. It is a false economy and the true price of it surfaces later, always at a time that feels remarkably inopportune… Tim House’s experience and expertise in the field of filling the role with the right person is born out by his strong record of staff retention over the years.

And once they are through door, it is easy to lose sight of them when you have to concentrate on the overall business – having someone who has been briefed and understands the ethos and service levels allows owners and operators to continue the project, safe in the knowledge that their staff and management are doing their part to order.

I also have roles in various establishments that need filling from time to time.

“Can you oversee and complete every aspect of the project on your own?”

Planning and Logistics

When will you need help? Will you need a third-party pair of eyes?

Even if you intend to oversee and carry out every aspect of the project you have in mind, it’s often advisable to have someone fully briefed on the project who can advise, work in tandem with you, or help out should events prove that you do not have time to do everything yourself. With an unofficial partner, you always have the safety net of an extra pair of hands when or if needed.

And of course, when you choose a hotel consultant or a restaurant consultant, you have the freedom to make the decision when to go it alone or to keep them on, but in the background, as a safety net.

“Can the business perform better without compromising the product and the profit…?”

Performance and Optimisation

It’s a lot harder to make a considered assessment of this when you are standing inside the bubble that you have created. A hotel consultant or a restaurant consultant gives you the opportunity to bounce ideas off, hear what you wanted to hear ( or perhaps did not ), or become aware of channels that have not been tapped into that could benefit the company.

If your main focus is on looking after the repayments, and keeping the bank and investors happy, it’s often tricky to look into the workings of the business to see what would make it tick even better. Your consultant can do exactly that, and have the answers on your desk, ready for the next decision making moment.