My 5 Top Tips To Ensure A Successful Holiday Home Changeover!

The Dreaded Changeover!

The changeover process between guests can be the most stressful and hectic time for any holiday home owner. I have done many myself over the years and have concluded that a time rehearsed, full-proof system is the only way to guarantee that all is perfect for the new guests arriving. I have listed below some helpful tips that I hope you will find useful in helping to perfect your changeover.

1. Preparation

It really is essential to make sure that you are completely prepared to begin working as soon as you set foot into the property. Nothing wastes more time than aimlessly walking round collecting items that weren’t thought of prior to beginning the changeover. Prepare your own personal Changeover Kit containing all your fresh linen, cleaning products (making sure they are topped up and will not run out mid-way through), cloths and equipment and put them all together in a holdall, large container or trolley – basically whatever works for you. Your changeover kit should contain all the replenishment items that will need checking and replacing during the changeover.

2. Organisation

An organised, methodical approach to the changeover will ensure that everything is completed within the time available and to the highest standard. Working to a Schedule of Tasks is a great way of eliminating the worry of mistakes. The schedule needs to be put in priority order and timed, which will help maximise the quality and efficiency of each changeover. In my experience, by sticking to a strict routine you will not only get faster and more efficient at working your way through the list, there will be less chance of leaving things out or forgetting anything.

Please feel free to download the Schedule of Tasks.

3. Inventory

As a guest, there is nothing more frustrating than not having everything you need when cooking or enjoying your time in the accommodation. Over the years I have used several routines to quickly help me know if there are items missing. If your accommodation caters for 4 people then as a rule I would suggest providing enough cutlery and china for 6 people and so on. A comprehensive list will help you to quickly check and count all kitchen items to ensure nothing is missing or broken.

Please feel free to download the Inventory List.

4. Use your Senses

A guest will very often decide what their opinion is of your accommodation within the first few minutes of entering it. How the property smells when walking through that door is possibly the most crucial point to remember. Creating the right ambiance is essential to creating a perfect first impression. Literally using your 5 senses can help you to judge if you have got it right. Can you answer yes to the following?

Does your accommodation ....

i. Smell fresh and aired?

ii. Look pristine and smart?

iii. Feel clean, are all surfaces polished and sparkling?

iv. Provide a peaceful and relaxing space?

v. Provide at least a basic welcome pack?

Once you have put all your effort into cleaning and refreshing the accommodation, it is essential that you dress and finish it in a manner that showcases all your efforts. Always aiming for that ‘wow factor’ when the new guests arrive is the ultimate goal. Attention to detail and providing the extra little finishing touches can make all the difference and need to become part of the changeover routine. Most of these finishing touches can be prepared in advance and should only take a few minutes at the end.

Please feel free to download the Finishing Touches List.

5. The Welcome

There is a certain amount of preparation needed for welcoming each guest that stays in your property. If you are unable to personally welcome guests it is essential that simple instructions are provided to make the arrival as easy and problem-free as possible. These instructions should be sent to the guest in advance providing contact information should they have any problems. Familiarise yourself with who is staying each time and what their individual requirements are. For example, if they have children maybe additional items such as highchairs, stairgates and a few toys will be needed. If your property allows dogs then some old towels for wet paws and a bowl of water are nice touches to help make all members of the family feel welcome! A book/folder containing all necessary information on how to use equipment, where the nearest amenities are and Emergency contact details in case of accidents or medical needs.

Photo Courtesy: Candlelight Cottage 

I believe that there should be at the very least, a basic welcome pack waiting for your guests when they arrive. Providing the essentials to make a cup of tea and possibly a piece of cake or a biscuit will always help to make your guests feel welcome. I will cover this subject in more detail in my next blog.

Please feel free to download the Guest Information Form.

It would be great to hear any of your suggestions and ideas that you think help to keep you on track when going through your changeover's. Please leave me a comment.

Take care.

Nicky :)

Supporting Professionals Working with Dyslexia

Hi Everyone

Today, I wanted to tell you about the new "Virtual Package" I am offering which is designed to support professionals coping with Dyslexia in the workplace.

There has been much reported lately about Dyslexia. Well known professionals, entrepreneurs and celebrities all coming forward to help alleviate the stigma attached with being dyslexic. The sad fact, is that many highly intelligent and successful people in today’s world quietly go about their day coping with dyslexia, unbeknown to those colleagues around them.

Here's a great video put together for the charity Made By Dyslexia:

Interestingly, witnessing members of my own family, from different generations, there appears to have been only modest improvement in the support and attitude in the work place, towards those who are dyslexic. In fact, most cases in my own generation were never diagnosed during school years and therefore were often thought of as dumb, lazy and under-performing. 

Even now, when a child is diagnosed and receives the support to take them through their educational years, they then find themselves catapulted into an adult working world that sadly is still lacking in knowledge and appropriate support.

In fairness, however, it must also be noted that there are a growing number of industries, that do offer support to their employees in providing templates and equipment to assist in form filling, report writing and general documentation. 

I recently read the article “This man has dyslexia and has actually written a book!” by Richard Branson in which he says:

"I was also rubbish at spelling (still am!) but I learned early on there are other things I am good at and this is what I should be focusing on. I became an excellent delegator and learned to find people better than me to work with, whether on writing or accounting." (Sir Richard Branson)

It was with this article in my mind, whilst reviewing my business, I decided that for 2018 it would be great to help professionals with dyslexia by offering a NEW bespoke service.

“The Supporter" is an On-Call Virtual Package, set within agreed hours on an ad hoc basis, providing confidential services such as; Telephone Dictation, Proof Reading, Email and Document Reading, Manual Spell Checking (without unreliable predictive text!) with the option to add any other business support service required.  Every package is adapted to meet the individual requirements of each client.

This bespoke service is available to individual professionals or employers wishing to offer it as support to their team.

• Are you a professional who would benefit from being able to pick up the Telephone, Text or WhatsApp any time you need assistance? 

• Would you like to have your own personal 'go to' assistant available to deal with any queries or assignments immediately? 

• Are you a business owner who has talented people in your team who would benefit from having a personal 'On-Call' Assistant - "The Supporter"?

Check out the new virtual package here: "The Supporter"

I personally have worked with some dynamic dyslexic professionals, at various levels, in a variety of industries. It is totally admirable seeing the extra time and effort involved in reading, re-reading and spell-checking reports and documentation daily that these professionals undertake.

During my time working on this new package I have had the extreme pleasure of collaborating with a remarkable lady, herself a professional coping with Dyslexia, Janette Beetham MIC FRSA.  

Janette Beetham

Janette is the Founding Director of Right Resources Limited and also the founder of Dyslexia Champions™ Training & Accreditation Programme.  

Janette discovered her own Dyslexia during her late 30’s ("having struggled quite considerably - without knowing why") and she started up the company in order to have a platform for the specialist work she was doing in relation to Dyslexia and Associated Neuro-Divergent 'conditions' in the workplace. She is driven with a passion to ‘make a positive difference’.

Support and guidance in relation to Dyslexia & Co-occurring 'processing differences'; Dyspraxia/Developmental Co-ordination Disorder (DCD), Attention Deficit Disorder, Dyscalculia and Autistic Spectrum Disorder/Autistic Spectrum Condition).

I think you will all agree, this is a subject of enormous value to many people.  I for one am thrilled that people are becoming more confident in talking about Dyslexia in their workplaces.  If you would like to comment and give your thoughts, as always I would be thrilled to hear from you.

Take care.

Nicky :)