Before we even opened our motel we were able to contact other Bella Vista (BV) operators to get some idea of how their individual businesses were run. In fact we were able to stay with several to learn their operating systems. It was a huge advantage to be able to have a hands-on experience in an almost duplicate motel.
Once we opened our motel the support from the rest of the group was invaluable. As we were new to motelling we initially were very stressed in trying to cope with a number of things, including the computer booking system (G4), invoicing through G4, telephone systems plus the day to day running of the motel. It was reassuring to know we could call any number of other BV operators at any time to get help and advice.
The longer we were open it became clear that belonging to the BV chain was going to have some significant benefits, these being:
The latest BV initiative has been the corporate rate for all BVs , which means that once a company has been accepted for a corporate rate they will stay with the chain all over the country - definitely another big plus for owning a BV motel!
One of the attractions of running a BV is the owner accommodation which, compared to other motels, is very comfortable.
While we belong to MANZ and attend local meetings, these functions aren't nearly as informative/enlightening/productive as the meetings we have for the BV group. This is because other motelliers are usually your direct competition and therefore are unwilling to share too many of their trade secrets, whereas at BV meetings we are not in competition and everyone is very open about how they run their businesses.
We appreciate the support and expertise provided by the Bella Vista management team as we acknowledge they are crucial to our ongoing success.
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