GUESTHOUSE AND

SMALL HOTEL
TRAINING GUIDE
ILO - ASEAN Small Business Competitiveness

A product of
ILO – ASEAN Small Business Competitiv eness Programme ii
Small Business Competitiveness by International Labour Organization (ILO – SBC) is
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ILO – ASEAN Small Business Competitiv eness Programme iii

Table of Contents
About C-BED ................................................................ vi
About The Guesthouse Package: .................................................................................... vi
Message to the Group ...................................................................................................... vii

Session 1: Introductions ............................................... 1

Activity 1A: Getting to Know Each Other ......................................................................... 1

Session 2: Creating Systems ....................................... 5

Activity 2A: Examples .......................................................................................................... 5
Activity 2B: Group Discussion.............................................................................................. 7
Activity 2C: Personal Action Plans ...................................................................................10

Session 3: Marketing .................................................. 13

Activity 3A: Surveys ............................................................................................................13
Activity 3B: Personal Action Plans ....................................................................................17

Session 4: Pricing and Budgeting ............................. 19

Activity 4A: Budgeting .......................................................................................................19
Activity 4B: Personal Action Plans ....................................................................................23

Session 5: Joint Problem-Solving and Developing

Loyal Employees ........................................................ 27
Activity 5A: Brainstorming From Problem-Solving ..........................................................27
Activity 5B: Brainstorming Solutions ..................................................................................28
Activity 5C: Solutions..........................................................................................................30
Activity 5D: A Positive Work Environment .......................................................................31
Activity 5E: Personal Action Plans ....................................................................................33

Session 6: Improving Service .................................... 37

Activity 6A: Staff Meetings ................................................................................................38
Activity 6B: Steps to Good Service ..................................................................................39

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 Activity 6C: Personal Action Plans ...................................................................................46

Session 7: Safety and Health..................................... 49

Activity 7A: Identify Risks and Threats ..............................................................................49
Activity 7B: Personal Action Plans ....................................................................................51

Session 8: Priority Action Plans ................................. 55

Activity 8A: Prioritized Actions ..........................................................................................55

Annex 1: Flipcharts .................................................... 59

Flipchart for Activity 2B ......................................................................................................59
Flipchart for Activity 6A .....................................................................................................59

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About C-BED
Community-Based Enterprise Development (C-BED) is a low cost, innovative training
programme designed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) to support skills
development and empowerment in local communities for improvements in
livelihoods, producti vity and working conditions.

As an approach to training, C-BED is unique in that the programme is built around

peer-to-peer, activity based learning methods with no role for teachers, experts, or
external consultants specialised in the skill area. Instea d, C-BED participants work
together through a series of activities and discussions guided only by simple step -by-
step instructions in the training manual. New knowledge, skills and competencies are
developed through the interactions between participants an d sharing of existing
local knowledge and experience. In this way the programme is a low cost, sustainable
option for any organization or community.

The C-BED programme is structured around two core training packages designed to
develop competencies for business start-up and operation through a focus on
marketing, financial management, and action planning. These are the C -BED for
Aspiring Entrepreneurs and C-BED for Small Business Operators. Additionally, a
growing suite of tools to strengthen business com petencies and enhance skills for
specific sectors is in continual development. These packages can be implemented
as either stand-alone trainings or integrated in modular format into existing
programmes.

About The Guesthouse Package:

The Training Package:

The guesthouse package should be used to help aspiring and current guesthouse
managers and owners start and improve their businesses. It focuses on key business
principles to build on from what participants already know from managing their
guesthouses and helps them to learn more. It can also build on from the learning in
other C-BED tools namely SBO or AE. Participants bring experience to share and leave
with a priority action plan (at least 3 actions to introduce improvements to their
business). At the end of the training participants will have:
Enhanced and advanced existing knowledge on guesthouse development
Strengthened critical competences to analyse job prospects or current
conditions of work
Affirmed the potential of enterprise development
Identified steps and actions to improve a business or launch a business idea
Decided on actions for the future
Started planning effective collaborations and associations

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The Good Practice Guide:
During the training day participants will be introduced to and b ecome familiar with
the Good Practice Guide (GPG), which they will then be able to use to further their
learning and to support them in setting up or improving their businesses. The GPG
contains best practices, tools and extra activities that supplement th ose covered in
the training to further support the participants in setting up or improving their
businesses. The exercises may depend on the GPG but if the participants do not have
this guide this should not prevent them from moving forward, if necessary s kip that
activity. Look out for this icon:

Here you should refer to the Good Practice Guide for more information.

Message to the Group

At the end of this C-BED training you will have a clear plan for the practical steps you
can take to start or improve your business. Your understanding of the basic principles
of doing business will be much stronger and you will have begun relationships wi th
others in your community that can potentially support or cooperate with you to
achieve mutual success in the future.

The style of this training is different to traditional education approaches. There will be
no teacher, trainer or expert to assist you. Instead, you will work together as a team
to follow the simple step-by-step instructions for discussions and activities in your
training guide. Because there is no group leader, all group members should take a
turn reading the information and instructions out loud to the group, and all group
members share responsibility for monitoring time. In this new style of training, we will
learn from each other by sharing ideas and opinions, skills, knowledge and
experience. For this to work, all group members must participate in discussions.

Before and after the training you will be asked to complete a survey to understand
the impact of the training. This information will be kept confidential and is used to
improve the training materials and organization of future programs. Some trainees
may also be contacted in the future after 3, 6 or 12 months for another survey to learn
about your business plans.

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The instructions in the training guide are easy to follow and suggested timing for each
step is provided. Look out for these signs:

When you see this sign, read aloud

When you see this sign, you are reading

instructions and doing activities

When you see this sign, share with the group

This sign gives you the estimated time for the

session

Use the flipchart as outlined in Appendix 1, if you don’t have a

flipchart use extra paper or the Training Guide

Before you begin the training, follow the simple steps below to get organized.

Fill out the pre-training survey. Ask the organizers if you don’t have a copy or have
not already filled it in.
Organize into small groups of 5-7. The organizers will guide you in how best to do this.
Identify one group member to volunteer to start the training as ‘Group ‘Reader’. The
‘Group Reader’s’ role is to read the information and activity instructions out loud to
the group. Any group member with basic literacy can be the ‘Group Reader’ and
you should aim to share this role among group members throughout the training.

All group members are responsible for monitoring time but one group member should
be nominated for each session to remind the group when the suggested time for a
step has been reached. You do not strictly need to follow the suggested timing but
you will need to manage your time for the total training. If one activity lasts longer
than the suggested timing, try to save time in other activities to keep the balance.

All group members will receive the same training guide. Individual work can be
completed in these guides as well as group work. Groups may also like to complete
activities together on flipchart paper if available.

Enjoy The Training!

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 Session 1:
Introductions

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Session 1: Introductions

20 Mins

Session overview:

In this session you will get to know one another and the style of learning in this training.
We learn without teachers. You help each other by sharing your different experiences
and ask questions if you don’t understand an activity. The objectives of this session
are to:
Know the names of some of the trainees
Understand the style of learning for this course, including activities and group
work
Understand the importance of contributing ideas and suggestions

Activity 1A: Getting to Know Each Other

In Activity 1A, you will do some brief introductions so you can get to
know one another.

20 Mins

1. Each person introduces themselves by providing:

Full name and any nickname you prefer to use during the session
Guesthouse address
How long your guesthouse has existed (if applicable)
Your purpose for attending this session and how you expect it to help your
business
2. Each person shares a photo, business card or draw ing of their guesthouse for
others to see. Place this on the wall or in the middle of the table, or allow others
to see it on your mobile phone.
3. Fill in this sheet below (if not now, then during tea breaks and lunch ti me

ILO – ASEAN Small Business Competitiv eness Programme 1

 Table 1A: Participant Information

Phone number /
Participant name Guesthouse address
Email address

In this activity you have gotten to know who your peers are and a little
about their businesses
.

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ILO – ASEAN Small Business Competitiv eness Programme 3
 Session 2:
Creating
System

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Session 2: Creating Systems

80 Mins 1 1&2

Session overview

In this session you will look at the value of using systems to ensure smooth operation
of your guesthouse or hotel. You complete 3 activities. The objectives of this session
are as follows:
Identify the benefit of a systems-based approach to management
Identify businesses failing to adhere to a systems-based approach
Become familiar with the GPG
Learn that the GPG will help them create systems to improve your businesses.

Activity 2A: Examples

In Activity 2A you will hear the stories of two guesthouses as told by some
recent guests to help you to understand the value of systems in
guesthouse and hotels. You should listen carefully to their experience to
help you complete the next activities. Is there someone who would like
to read us the first story? We have 10mins for this activity.

[5mins] The Story of the Blue Guesthouse

Two years ago, Ms Kim became the manager of the Blue Guesthouse, a beautiful old
house with 10 guestrooms near the centre of town. Ms Kim was very happy. She had
always enjoyed walking by the Blue Guesthouse, and s he was looking forward to
working there. But during her first week, Ms Kim was sad to hear so many complaints
from customers. Here are some of the comments she heard from them:
“Why was there no hot coffee this morning? Doesn’t breakfast include
coffee?”
“Why are there spider webs on the ceiling in my room? I’m afraid of spiders!”
 “Why couldn’t someone help me find my sunglasses?”

When Ms Kim asked her staff why was there no hot coffee this morning, t hey did not
know why. There was no one assigned to making the coffee and while anyone could
make it, no one did. She then asked her staff w hy are there spider webs on the ceilings
of the guestrooms? The Housekeepers did not know why but explained that because
of the climate there were always spiders. When Ms Kim asked about the sunglasses
the employees reported having seen some in the breakfast room but not knowing
what happened to them.

Ms Kim was curious that the guests were complaining but the staff did not seem
bothered. The Receptionists and Housekeepers simply said that customers always
complained.

Now, two years after she became the manager of the Blue Guesthouse, Ms Kim is not
so happy about her job. She hears the same complaints all the time and now she also
says also adopted the attitude that customers simply complain and that there is
nothing to be done.

Is there someone who would li ke to read us the second story?

[5mins] The Story of the Yellow Guesthouse

Mr Lee is the manager of the Yellow Guesthouse. It is a 10 -room guesthouse in a quiet

neighbourhood, a few blocks from the centre of town. The Yellow Guesthouse is small,
and the rooms are small, and it has a lovely flower garden. Everyday, Mr Lee puts
fresh flowers in all the rooms. As he walks through the guesthouse, he smiles. He enjoys
listening to the comments from his guests.
“I don’t want to leave. I’ve enjoyed staying here so much.”
“The staff are incredible! The housekeeper even took my shoes to be repai red.”
“Our room is small, but it’s so clean and comfortable, I don’t mind.”
“I’m going to recommend the Yellow Guesthouse on the Internet.”

After he distributes fresh flowers throughout the guesthouse, Mr Lee walks to the
kitchen. It’s time for breakfast, and many guests are dining, but the kitchen is clean
and neat. Mr Lee looks at the checklist posted on the back of the kitchen door. He
looks around and notices that every task on the list has been done.

The senior Housekeeper is the cook, and he watche s with pride as she quickly and
efficiently prepares the food. Before the breakfast service started, she arranged
everything she needed. Now she can concentrate on cooking, and she doesn’t have
to look for anything as it is all there.

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In the dining area, before he starts to chat with the guests, he takes a quick look
around and sees that everything is in order. There is plenty of coffee and hot water
for tea. The condiments and napkin holders are clean and on every table. The floor
and tablecloths are clean and everything has been done.

Mr Lee has managed the Yellow Guesthouse for ten years. He still loves his job. He
treats his employees very well, and they are very loyal to him. He knows he can count
on each one of them to do exactly what they need to do. In fact, Mr Lee knows that
they will do even more than that. For instance, they have taken a guest’s shoes to be
repaired, helped a guest mail a package and found soymilk at the market when a
guest requested it.

The guests are happy meaning that the employees are happy and Mr Lee is happy.
Mr Lee is convinced that the secret and root of his success is the syst ems he has in
place.

In Activity 2A you have heard stories from two different guesthouses and
the perception of the guests. You heard how systems helped to improve
guest, employee and manger experience.

Activity 2B: Group Discussion

In Activity 2B you will review the term system, and discuss the value of
systems in guesthouse and hotels.

What is meant by “systems?” Let’s look at Flipchart 2. A system: A set of

detailed procedures created to:
Do a specific activity
Perform a duty
Solve a problem efficiently and with consistent quality

If you want your guesthouses to run efficiently and with consistent qu ality, one of the
best things you can do is create systems. The Good Practice Guide (GPG) will help
you do this. The GPG has many suggestions for creating systems for guesthous es and
hotels. They will help you create systems to improve your managerial skills, help you
train your staff, and to help you impress your guests. Let’s take a brief look at section
1.

Do systems have to be compli cated? Let’s look at Flipchart 2. No. A good system

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often starts with a clear, easy-to-follow written checklist. It does not have to be
complicated. A simple checklist will clearly let employees know exa ctly what is
expected of them and that is the sign of effective management.

25 Mins

1. In your groups discuss the value and importance of systems in guesthouses and
hotels
2. Discuss and answer the questions in Table 2A together. Record your thoughts
and the discussion in the spaces provided

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 Table 2B: Value of Systems

1. Give some examples of

established systems (if you
have them) in your
guesthouse or hotel.

2. How do employees feel

about having systems in
place?

3. How could you improve

your business by creating
more systems (for pricing,
budgeting, sales and
marketing, emergencies,
greening your guesthouse,
etc.)?

In Activity 2B you reviewed the term system, and discussed how systems
can help you. You also looked the GPG where you found some tools that
could help you implement systems in your own businesses.

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Activity 2C: Personal Action Plans

In the final activity of this session you will decide on some concrete
actions to improve or create systems in your guesthouses. Keeping in mind
all the things you’ve discussed so far about creating systems, take a few
minutes to record your thoughts .

10 Mins

1. Each of you uses Table 2C: Personal action plan to write 1 -3 changes that you
would make to improve systems in your businesses. Are there any
improvements you would like to make based on what you have learned in the
previous activities? If so, decide what systems you will implement or improve.
2. Record how you will make these changes.
3. Record by when will you make these changes.
4. Finally, state who will be responsible for this change.

Table 2C: Personal Action Plan

How will I make the
My changes When? Who is responsible?
changes?

You have completed the final activity of session 2. In this session you
looked at what systems you need in a guesthouse and the important role
that they play in guest experience. You can refer to Section 1 of your GPG
for more about systems.

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ILO – ASEAN Small Business Competitiv eness Programme 11
 Session 3:
Marketing

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Session 3: Marketing
40 Mins 2

Session overview
In this session you will get an overview of a critical aspect of marketing,
determining price. You complete 2 activities. The objectives of this
session are as follows:
Understand the importance of pricing
Become familiar with tools for determining price such as analysis
of current customers and competitors
Determine questions to cover in surveys

Activity 3A: Surveys

A detailed analysis of current guests or customers is key for your business.

In this activity you will look at how to conduct a survey before planning
one of your own.

[10mins]

In order to ensure you provide the right options to your customers, it is

crucial to undertake a survey of existing guests in your working area. The
data from the survey should also help challenge your assumptions,
adjust your ideas and support the development of the business. Ask
yourself the following questions:

Do you know how much do other guesthouses charge for their rooms, in
different seasons? What does that cover? Yes No
Do you know what makes customers choose your guesthouse over the other
guesthouses? What would make them willing to pay more to your guesthouse?
Yes No

Refer to Section 2 of the GPG and to marketing tool 3 for guided survey questions.
This can be used to capture crucial information, which will provide data for your
business plan. The survey should be taken at 3 -4 different locations in your locality,
preferably capturing information from existing customers as well as your target
customer base. Make sure you seek permission from the relevant authorities if you are
collecting data within a public space. Follow these pointers:
Introduce yourself to the participant
 Inform the participant that the data is anonymous
Describe the reason behind the data collection
At the end of the survey, always thank the participant for their time

Selecting participants:
Identify 3-4 locations in your working area
Select 1 period of the day and collect the data at the same time (e.g. midday)
Ensure there is an equal representation of men and women
Ensure that the participant has not undertaken the survey once before
Select an equal number of participants from each location
Select locals and visitors and weight the sample size according to your target
group. So if you want to target visitors as your customer base then select 2
persons visiting from 3 surveyed
Total survey participants should not exceed 60 persons

20 Mins

1. In Table 3A design a survey for your guesthouse. Select 3-4 locations to survey
2. Record some key questions you would like to ask. Look at the tables below and
in the GPG section 2 for some ideas
3. Record when would be best to do this survey

Table 3A: Pricing Surveys

1.
Locations 2.
3.

Key questions

When?

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 Competitor Survey
Price
Single Twin Extra
room room bed
Similar accommodation <1km from your
business
Similar accommodation <5km from your
business
Similar accommodation close to rail/bus/air
ports
Smaller accommodation <5km from your
business
Average price from customer survey

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 Customer Survey
1 What is the nature of your v isit? (Please selec t one) Business Holiday Other
2 What is your length of stay? (Days) 1-2 2-5 >5
3 What type of accommodation do you seek? (Please selec t one) Budget Comfortable Luxury
During a typical stay:
4 What is your room occupation? (Please select one) Single Double Triple
5 Would like breakfast included in the room price? Yes No
6 Do you order meals from the hotel? Yes No
7 Do you order alcoholic bev erages? Yes No
Activities during a typical stay:
Visit sites of
How do you spend your time on a visit? (Please Attending Relax near beach or
8 Adv enture tourism culture and Other
select one or more) business functions swimming pool
history
9 Do you organize your own activities? Yes No
10 Do you purchase package tours? Yes No
Payment
11 Do you book hotels in adv ance of trav el? Yes No

If you book in adv ance, which website do you use?

12 Hotel w ebsite [Link] [Link] [Link] Trav el agent Other
(Please selec t more than one)
How do you make your payment if booking in
13 Credit card Debit card PayPal Bank transfer Cash
advance?
What is preferred method of payment? (Please selec t
14 Cash Bank Card Other
one)
Price
Single room (Please select one) 10-15 16-25 >25
How much are you willing to pay or the follow ing
15 Tw in room (Please select one) 15-20 21-30 >30
room types? (Insert price range as shown in example)
Extra bed (Please select one) 5-10 11-15 >15
Accuracy of Photos of the
What determines your choice of selecting Customer
16 Price Expert rating/ review advertised accommodati
accommodation? rating/review
information on

In Activity 3A you reviewed how to gather data to help you to determine price. The GPG has more v aluable
tools and information about setting your price.

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Activity 3B: Personal Action Plans

In the final activity of this session you will decide on some concrete
actions to improve pricing in your guesthouses. Keeping in mind all the
things you’ve discussed so far, take a few minutes to record your
thoughts.

10 Mins

1. Each of you uses Table 3B: Personal action plan to write 1-3 changes that you
would make to improve pricing in your businesses. Are there any improvements
you would like to make based on what you have learned in the previous
activities? If so, decide what systems you will implement or improve.
2. Record how you will make these changes.
3. Record by when will you make these changes.
4. Finally, state who will be responsible for this change.

Table 3B: Personal Action Plan

How will I make the
My changes When? Who is responsible?
changes?

You have completed the final activity of session 3. In this session you
looked at determining price and the role it plays in marketing. It is
important to gather data to get an idea of how much customers would
pay and what your competitors are currently charging. Look at Section
2 of your GPG for more about marketing and pricing.

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 Session 4:
Pricing and
Budgeting

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Session 4: Pricing and Budgeting

70 Mins 3

Session overview

The purpose of this session is to introduce basic techniques of accounting, budgeting

and stocktaking for products and services offered by your guesthouse. You will
complete 2 activities. The objectives of this session are as follows:
Understand the definitions of variable, direct, fixed an d labour costs, and raw
materials
Calculate total costs
Use a customer survey tool to determine average market price by competitors,
taste, choice determination, and payment preference
Develop value added services based on current market trends

Activity 4A: Budgeting

In Activity 4A you will look at budgeting or how to keep track of how

much money your guesthouse is making and spending. B udgeting is a
tool to keep track of your spending (costs) and income. In order to
maximize profits, maximize investments and lower costs it is important
set the appropriate price. In order to do that you must have an
accurate knowledge of your costs and how much your guests are
willing to pay

These are some key definitions.

Variable Costs: Variable costs change with the amount of goods/services produced
and usually fall under the raw materials or labo ur column. Using the haircutting
example, variable costs would be shampoo or hair gel and labour costs are cutting
and washing hair.

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Direct Costs: A price that can be completely attributed to the production of specific
goods or services. Direct costs refer to materials, labo ur and expenses related to the
production of a product. Other costs, such as depreciation or administrative
expenses, are more difficult to assign to a specific product, and are therefore
considered indirect costs.

Fixed Costs: Fixed costs are the same regardless of the amount of goods and services
produced. For the hairdressing example, the cost of rent, scissors and chairs are all
fixed costs.

Raw Materials: The basic materials used to make the final product or service. For
hairdressing, it is the shampoo or conditioner needed to wash hair. This is a variable
cost because it changes based on the amount of goods/services produced.

Labour Costs: These costs are the amount of wages you pay your employees, as well
as the amount of money you earn from your business. These are variable costs
because the amount of money you pay your employees and yourself changes with
the amount of goods/services produced.

60 Mins

1. Review section 3 of your GPG (tool 1 to 4)

2. Complete Table 4A (1-4) below (you will need a calculator) with some example
costs from your own business
3. Use the space provided below for working out, if necessary

Table 4A (1): Raw Material Costs

Raw materials Cost of materials

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 Total

Table 4A(2): Labour Costs

Number of Cost per
Labour Cost per day Time
employees day

Sub-total A B
Total variable labour costs per hour (Insert
figure B/A)

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 Table 4A (3): Fixed Costs
Price per month Working
Fixed Costs per day
($) days

Sub-total A

Average number of days worked per month B

Total (Insert figure B/A)

Table 4A (4) Total Cost

Step 1 Variable Costs
Step 2 Labor Costs
Step 3 Fixed Costs
Total Cost = Step 1 + Step 2+ Step 3

Your Total Cost for one unit is _________

Working out space:

 In Activity 4A you determined some key costs to help you with
budgeting.

Activity 4B: Personal Action Plans

In the final activity of this session you will decide on some concrete
actions to improve budgeting and pricing in your guesthouses.
Keeping in mind all the things you’ve discussed so far, take a few
minutes to record your thoughts.
10 Mins

1. Each of you uses Table 4B: Personal action plan to write 1-3 changes that you
would make to improve budgeting in your business. Are there any
improvements you would like to make based on what you have learned in the
previous activities? If so, decide what systems you will implement or improve.
2. Record how you will make these changes.
3. Record by when will you make these changes.
4. Finally, state who will be responsible for this change.

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 Table 4B: Personal Action Plan
How will I make the Who is
My changes When?
changes? responsible?

You have completed the final activity of session 4. In this session you
looked at what budgeting for a guesthouse and the important role
that it plays in managing financial or money flows. Section 3 of your
GPG has more information for you.

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 Session 5: Joint
Problem-Solving
and Developing
Loyal Employees

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Session 5: Joint Problem-Solving
and Developing Loyal Employees

90 Mins 4

Session overview

The purpose of this session is to practice brainstorming and problem -solving with a
group, with the aim of highlighting the importance of involving employees in problem
solving. You will complete 5 activities. The objectives of this session are as follows:
To list the principles of effective brainstorming
Conduct brainstorming session
Understand the value in involving staff in solving work-related problems
Assess how well you currently treat your employees
Understand the value in developing staff loyalty
Identify specific actions to take to treat your employees well and to build
loyalty

If they are available, try to flipcharts to record your group work for the activities in this
session.

Activity 5A: Brainstorming From Problem-Solving

In Activity 5A you will look at brainstorming and get some practice using
the technique
 An important part of joint problem solving is brainstorming as a group.
When trying to solve a problem, it helps to have everyone in the group
brainstorm and contribute ideas for possible solutions. The guidelines for
effective brainstorming are as follows :
Encourage everyone to contribute suggestions for solving the
problem
Seek as many ideas as possible, even unusual ones
Make everyone feel safe and comfortable contributing ideas

10 Mins

1. Create a list of as many work related problems as possible. Try to think of

some unusual problems if you can.
2. Record these in the space below

Table 5A: Work Related Problems

In this activity you used brainstorming to come up with work related

problems.

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Activity 5B: Brainstorming Solutions

In Activity 5B you will follow on from the previous activity and look at
how to solve the problems that you came up with

20 Mins

1. Imagine that you are co-workers at a guesthouse and the guesthouse has a
problem that you want to solve together.
2. Look at the list of problems you created in Activity 5 A. Choose one problem to
work on
3. Try to choose a problem that would benefit from input from the entire staff,
because the entire staff will work on this problem
4. Each group member should choose one of the following roles to fill :
Housekeepers
Breakfast Servers
Receptionists
Managers
5. You can also have more than one of each role in the group
6. Brainstorm solutions for the problem you have chosen. Try to think about the
problem from the perspective of the role that you have chosen. Act how that
person would in the situation. Do not think about the best solution just come
up with as many as possible.
7. Record all your potenti al solutions in the space below

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 Table 5B: Brainstorming Solutions

In this activity you brainstormed solutions for a guesthouse problem. This

showed you that all staff members have something to contribute to the
understanding and solving of a problem.

Activity 5C: Solutions

In this activity you will focus on selecting a solution through looking at

the pros and cons of the proposed solutions.

10 Mins

1. Based on the solutions you came up with in Activity 5B, identify 3 options that
your group would like to try
2. Identify some Pros and Cons for each.
3. Record these in Table 5C

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 Table 5C: Pros and Cons
Solutions Pros Cons

Solution 1

Solution 2

Solution 3

In this activity you looked at pros and cons to different solutions. The
GPG takes this one step further and asks you to look at what is necessary
to implement the solution and to make some action plans.

Activity 5D: A Positive Work Environment

In Activity 5D you will look at how to retain employees. One issue that
many guesthouses and hotels face is high turnover. This is a problem
because the longer you keep your employees, the better they will be
at their jobs, the less time you have to spend training new people, and
the more motivated your employees will be to help yo ur business
succeed. Having loyal employees is one of the keys to your success.

Let’s review this checklist

Table 5D (1): How Positive is My Workplace?

Self-evaluation Yes No
Do all my staff members clearly understand what I expect them to do?
If they do not understand, do I explain it to them in a friendly way?
Do I compliment each of them every day?
Do I get angry with them if they make a mistake?

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 Do I turn mistakes into opportunities for learning in a positive way?
Do I treat everyone fairly?
Do I treat everyone with respect?
Do I invite their ideas and suggestions and really listen to them?
Do we take enough time to relax and enjoy each other’s company?
Is there any reason one of them is unhappy?
If so, can I do something to help?
Am I ever cruel or unfair to them?
Do I yell at them or make fun of them?
Do I know, understand, and respect national labor standards,
including:
Employee working hour limitations?
Minimum wage requirements?
Avoiding split shifts?
Is my guesthouse (or hotel) a clean, safe, and pleasant place to work?
Do I arrange fun, informal events so my employees can socialize?
Do we have breakfast or lunch together?
Do we celebrate employee birthdays or holidays together?
Other questions

If you could not answer yes, to some of these questions ask yourself if
you think you could develop loyal employees by making your
workplace a positive place for them to work.

10 Mins

1. Brainstorm at least 3 other things that you could do to create a positive

workplace
2. If you can think of more than 3, that is even better.
3. Record you ideas in the space below

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 Table 5D (2)

In Activity 5D you looked at what factors contribute to creating a happy

and positive workplace. The more positive the workplace the more likely
that your employees will want to give of their best and stay working for
you

Activity 5E: Personal Action Plans

In the final activity of this session you will decide on some concrete
actions for improvement in your guesthouses. Keeping in mind all the
things you’ve discussed so far, take a few minutes to record your
thoughts.

10 Mins

1. Each of you uses Table 5E: Personal action plan to write 1-3 changes that you
would make to improve employee relations and problem solving in your
businesses. Are there any improvements you would like to make based on what
you have learned in the previous activities? If so, d ecide what you will
implement or improve.
2. Record how you will make these changes.
3. Record by when will you make these changes.
4. Finally, state who will be responsible for this change.

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 Table 5E: Personal Action Plan
How will I make Who is
My changes When?
the changes? responsible?

You have completed the final activity of session 5. In this session you
looked at creating a positive workplace and joint problem solving for a
guesthouse and the important role that they play in managing a
guesthouse successfully. Look at Section 4 of your GPG for more
information.

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ILO – ASEAN Small Business Competitiv eness Programme 35
Session 6:
Improving
Service

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Session 6: Improving Service

60 Mins 4 3

Session overview

The purpose of this session is to show why and how to hold effective staff meetings.
Regular staff meetings are important to running a successful guesthouse. You will
complete 3 activities. The objectives of the session are as follows:
Understand the value in staff meetings
Hold effective staff meetings
Understand the value of using Guest Comment Forms to improve service
Understand that you can customize the checklists and forms in the GPG to
meet your needs.

Continually thinking of ways to improve your service will make your

business more successful and keep it competitive. In today’s business
world, customers expect good service, and if they feel that they don’t
receive it, they might post a negative comment about your business
through various forums.

It is important to always know what your guests like and dislike. If a few guests dislike
something that could simply be because their preferences are different. I f there is an
on-going pattern of guests disliking something about your guesthouse, it is important
for you to know, so you can make changes.

How do you find out what your guests like and dislike? You can talk to them yourself,
of course. But that would take a lot of time. There are two other important ways to
find out what your guests like and dislike.

Flipchart 3 shows you that you can speak to your staff and your guests abou t
improving service. Guests often like to speak with staff. They tell your staff what they
like and what they don’t like. Getting that information from your staff wi ll help you
improve your service because it will tell you exactly what your guests like and dislike.
The other source of information is the guests themselves. First, let’s talk about getting
this valuable information from your staff.

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Activity 6A: Staff Meetings

In this activity you will explore how to hold effective staff meetings.
Meetings are a valuable opportunity for you to get feedback from your
staff members.

15 Mins

1. Read over the guidelines for holding staff meetings in Table 6 A

2. Discuss the three questions outlined in Table 6A and record your thoughts in
space provided

Table 6A: Successful Staff Meetings

Guidelines for holding daily or weekly staff meetings:
Meet when people can relax and focus (maybe in the afternoon when it is
quiet).
Keep the meetings short (about 10 - 15 minutes). They can be more
productive.
Keep the meetings fun and informal
Set a friendly, positive tone
Agree that this is a way for everyone to suggest ways to improve.
Agree to show respect for each other’s ideas and opinions.
Make it safe for employees to offer their ideas, opinions, and suggestions.
Encourage everyone to contribute to the discussion.

Do you think it is a good idea to hold daily or weekly staff meetings (why or why
not)?

How could staff meetings help you improve your service?

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 How could staff meetings help you improve your service?

Staff and guests are two important sources of information for helping
you to improve your service. In this activity, you looked at holding
successful staff meetings and discussed how staff could help you
improve your service. There are some other tools in the GPG to help you
to get more information such as Guest Comment Cards.

Activity 6B: Steps to Good Service

In this activity you will review some important service aspects of running
a guesthouse. This includes running a good reception, good
housekeeping and a good breakfast service. There is more information
on this topic provided in your GPG, including a number of goo d
practice tools and checklists. For now we will just get an overview of
the steps.

20 Mins

1. Read through the steps below

2. If you have any questions or comments please raise them for discussion in the
group

In Activity 6B you looked at steps to ensuring a good reception, breakfast and

housekeeping service. Your GPG has a number of different tools for you to use to help
you to follow these steps.

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 Table 6B: Ten Key Steps
Ten steps for running a good reception service:
Using a good reception system will help you keep your guesthouse friendly and well
organized. This section explains how to use a 10 -step system for running a good
reception service in your guesthouse.

1. Be friendly and confident when speaking with guests

Smile when you talk.
Speak loudly enough for guests to hear you comfortably.
Look at the guest when you speak.
Stand up straight with shoulders back in a confident posture.

2. Be clean and neat

Receptionists spend more time with guests, so they always need to be
clean and neat.
Pay close attention to hair, fingernails, clothes and shoes.

3. Keep your front desk and reception clean and well organized
This is the first thing guests see when they arrive and you should make a
good impression.
Keep important supplies and telephone numbers at hand

4. Answer the phone politely

Being polite, clear and efficient on the telephone will give your guests
confidence in your guesthouse.
Some tips for good telephone etiquette:
• Answer the phone within 3 - 5 rings.
• Don’t leave guests on hold for more than 30 seconds; if necessary
take their number to call them back.
• Keep a pen and paper by the phone to take messages.
• Start the call politely: “Hello, this is the ___ Guesthouse, how can I
help you?”
• End the call politely: “Thank you for your call, we’re looking forward
to your stay with us”. If you don’t understand the caller say: “I’m
sorry, could you please speak more slowly?”

5. Make advance reservations by telephone

Collect basic information (arrival and departure dates, number of rooms
and people, type of bed).
Check room availability.
If rooms are available and the rate is accepted, continue the booking.
Collect further information (full name, contact details, arrival time).

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 Update room availability calendar.
Send an email to guests to confirm booking.

6. Make advance reservations by email

Taking reservations by email or by SMS is increasingly popular.
Use the sample email reply and the sample booking confirmation
included in this GPG to help you create your own cu stomized email
responses.

7. Take walk-in reservations

Be friendly and confident when tourists walk in to ask about a room.
Describe the guesthouse features, e.g.,
• Room facilities
• Meal service
Included meals
Included beverages
Location of dining area
Meal times
• Other services and activities, e.g.,
Snacks, bottled water
Laundry service
Bicycle rentals
Cultural activities
Cooking demonstrations
Fishing
Guided hiking or trekking
Transportation

8. Help guests with problems

If a problem occurs, guests will probably want to discuss it with the
Receptionist. If so, stay calm and follow these steps:
Listen to the guest’s problem without interrupting.
Apologise.
Discuss a possible solution.
Tell the guest exactly what you will do.
Don’t promise the impossible, but try to make the guest happy.
Ask your manager if you need help
Follow up with guests to make sure they were satisfied.

9. Give good customer service

Giving good customer service is key to running a successful guesthouse. Th e
Receptionist should give information in a friendly way. Here are things your
Receptionist should be able to explain well:

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 Details of meal services i.e. breakfast times
Snacks and beverages (tea, water, etc.)
Other places to dine in the area
Internet / wifi use
Location of nearest ATM
Lost and found items
Maintenance problems
Additional services and activities
Local transport (buses, tuk-tuks, etc.)
Regional and local tourist attractions

10. Check guests in and out

Use a daily arrivals and departure list to help you manage check-ins and
check-outs smoothly and professionally.
Have guests pay for their room and tax when they check -in and issue a
receipt.
Have them pay for additional services and activities at check -out.
Give guests a room key, if applicable.
Check-in: The Receptionist should explain the following:
• Meal service
• Housekeeping service (for guests staying more than one night)
• Other services and activities
• The Receptionist should walk with guests to their room as a sign of
good customer service. While walking, invite guests to ask questions.
Check-out:
• Have someone check the room to see if anything is damaged or
missing. If so, add the charge for repair or replacement to the
guest’s bill.
• Take payment for any outstanding charges (laundry, activi ties, etc.).
• Collect the guest’s room key.
• Assist with guest’s transportation and luggage (if applicable).

Running a good housekeeping service:

Step 1: Entering a guest room

Use a standard system each time you enter a guest rooms. This will help you:
Increase guests’ comfort.
Increase your efficiency.

Step 2: Using good cleaning procedures

Use a standard cleaning system to save time. To do this you should:
Have all the cleaning products with you before you start cleaning.
Follow safety guidelines when using cleaning products.

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 Step 3: Cleaning guest rooms
Always clean guest rooms from top (ceiling, lights, walls, windows) to bottom
(furniture, floor, trash cans). Using this cleaning system will help you:
Work quickly
Avoid missing something
Avoid having to clean something twice

Step 4: Cleaning public areas

Again, use the system and clean from top (ceiling, lights, walls, windows) to bottom
(furniture, floor, trash cans). When cleaning in public areas:
Do not allow guests to walk on wet floors (use a sign and chairs to block off
wet areas).
Greet guests in a friendly way. Smile and say “Good morning/afternoon/
evening Madame/Sir!”

Step 5: Cleaning bathrooms

Remember: Guests can be very sensitive about bathroom cleanliness!
Some common complaints include:
Dirty mirrors
Dirty toilets
Hair in the bathroom (bathtub, floor, shower, sink)
Not enough toilet paper (always leave two rolls in the bathroom)

Step 6: Cleaning stay-over rooms

A stay-over room is a guest room where a guest stays for more th an one night. It is
important that these rooms look fresh and clean each day, but you do not have to
change the linens and towels each day. For long -term guests, offer to change the
linens and towels every third or fourth day.

Step 7: How to manage room keys:

Housekeepers are responsible for the keys they need to clean guest rooms as well
as guests’ belongings in their rooms. It is important to use a system to safeguard
those keys.

Three steps for running a good meal service:

Using a meal service system will help you keep your dining area clean and attractive.
And it will help you serve meals in a friendly, efficient way.

Step 1: Preparing the dining area

Prepare the dining area before your guests arrive.
Make sure any staff in contact with food maintain high personal hygiene
standards.

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 Step 2: Serving meals
Smile and be friendly while serving meals
Be attentive to guests' needs.
Explain what is included.
Try to accommodate simple requests if possible.

Step 3: Cleaning up after meals - when the meal service is finished:

Clean the dining area.
Prepare whatever you can for the next meal service.

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ILO – ASEAN Small Business Competitiv eness Programme 45
Activity 6C: Personal Action Plans

In the final activity of this session you will decide on some concrete
actions for improvement in your guesthouses. Keeping in mind all
the things you’ve discussed so far, take a fBw minutes to record your
thoughts.

10 Mins

1. Each of you uses Table 6C: Personal action plan to write 1-3 changes that you
would make to improve service in your businesses. Are there any improvements
you would like to make based on what you have learned in the previous
activities? If so, decide what service impr ovements you will implement.
2. Record how you will make these changes.
3. Record by when will you make these changes.
4. Finally, state who will be responsible for this change.

ILO – ASEAN Small Business Competitiv eness Programme 46

 Table 6C: Personal Action Plan
How will I make Who is
My changes When?
the changes? responsible?

You have completed the final activity of session 6. In this session you
looked at getting information to ensure that you provide good
service and how to provide good housekeeping, reception and
breakfast services. Section 5 of your GPG has more information about
improving service in your guesthouse.

ILO – ASEAN Small Business Competitiv eness Programme 47

 Session 7:
Safety and
Health

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Session 7: Safety and Health

60 Mins 6

Session overview

The purpose of this session is to introduce how to create a safe working environment
based on accident prevention, appropriate response during accidents and creat ing
confidence amongst guests i n the systems in place. You will complete two activities.
The objectives of the session are as follows:
Maintain good safety and heal th standards in your guesthouse
Identify systemic failures that lead to accidents
Promote basic hygiene amongst staff , fire safety, and pest control
Administer first aid and ensure staff are aware and able to undertake basic
techniques to dispense first aid
Respond to fire and train staff to ensure safety of all patrons during an
emergency

Activity 7A: Identify Risks and Threats

It is important for managers and staff to be able to identify risks and

threats in the workplace. In Activity 7A you will look at how to do this.

45 Mins

1. In your groups discuss the items in the below in Table 7 A

2. The occupational safety and health (OSH) tools highlighted refer to the GPG
that outlines some ways to ov ercome these risks and threats
3. Identify a few of the issues discussed and individually brainstorm what
measures that could be taken to prevent them. Use the table b elow to take
notes.
4. Share with your group the various solutions and discuss possible solutions from
the brainstorming.

ILO – ASEAN Small Business Competitiv eness Programme 49

 Table 7A: Risks and Threats
Accident prevention:
Many accidents can be prevented with careful planning. U s i ng a s ys t em of
regular maintenance of your buildings, tidying and cleaning common areas and
keeping guest rooms secure can prevent injuries or damage to personal items.
Making sure your staff members wear clothing that is safe, and that they all know
how to use equipment safely can reduce accidents at work and improve your
standards (see OSH tools 1 and 2).

Good Hygiene:
It is important that you and your staff follow a system of good hygiene for the
workplace, such as regularly washing your hands and keeping hair tied back
when cooking (see OSH tool 3).

Fire safety:
You can reduce the risk of fire by following an accident prevention system that
includes maintaining equipment, frequently checking gas and electric circuits,
regularly tidying corridors and keeping corridors and doors unobstructed. Fires
often take people by surprise. Creating a fire safety checklist can limit damage
(see OSH tool 4).

Pest control:
Following a basic hygiene and cleanliness system in your guesthouse can help
keep pests away (see OSH tool 5)

Accident response:
Having accident response systems in place can help limit damages if accidents
occur.

First Aid:
Do you have a First Aid kit to treat small injuries and illnesses? Is it easy to access,
and do all your staff members know where it is? Does it have all the items you
need and are they within their expiry date? (see OSH tool 6)

Fire response:
What plan do you have in case of fire? Would you and your staff know what to
do? Maintaining a fire response checklist and running regular fire drills can help
you save lives and limit damage to your property (see OSH tool 7).

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 Brainstorming

Activity 7B: Personal Action Plans

In the final activity of this session you will decide on some concrete
actions for improvement in your guesthouses. Keeping in mind all the
things you’ve discussed so far, take a few minutes to record your
. thoughts

10 Mins

1. Each of you uses Table 7B: Personal action plan to write 1 -3 changes that you
would make to safety and health. Are there any improvements you would like
to make based on what you have learned in the previous activities? If so,
decide what service improvements you will implement.
2. Record how you will make these changes.
3. Record by when will you make these changes.
4. Finally, state who will be responsible for this change.

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 Table 7B: Personal Action Plan
How will I make Who is
My changes When?
the changes? responsible?

You have completed the final activity of session 7. In this session you
looked at safety and health in the workplace. Remember safety and
health is covered in more detail in Section 6 of your GPG.

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ILO – ASEAN Small Business Competitiv eness Programme 53
 Session 8:
Priority Action
Plans

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Session 8: Priority Action Plans

40 Mins

Session overview:

With the workload that comes with running a small business, i t’s not always easy to
actually implement the changes you would like. In this session you look at the work
you completed during this training and create a simple action plan to improve your
businesses. You complete a single activity.

Activity 8A: Prioritized Actions

You will work step-by-step, session-by-session to prioritize the actions you

have listed in the previous sessions.

40 Mins

1. You talk in a group. Everyone says what he or she found in each of the
activities. You start from the first activity.
2. For the next step you use Table 8A: Priority action plan. Individually you look at
the action plans you completed for each session and choose which of the
changes you will introduce first and when, in a week, in a month, in two
months? List at least 3 actions [15mins]
3. Each of us present their Priority Action Plan and the group shares their ideas of
whether the priority of actions should be changed or if they are good the way
they have been set. Each participant has 5 minutes. [25mins]
4. As a group, you can use additional time to decide whether you will meet
again, after the training to practice some of the activities, such as costing. You
can also plan to meet on a regular basis and talk about how are you doing
with the changes you are introducing
 Table 8A: Priority Action Plan
My priority How will I make Who is
When?
changes the changes? responsible?

Prioritizing actions, the activity you completed at the end of the

training, is a very important step. It pushes you to decide how to apply
what you have learned in this trai ning into your work and lives. You
can use it together with the training guide and GPG to do revisions
and motivate yourselves to take actions.

This is the
end of the training. You can now complete the evaluation. In few months there will
be some follow up too.

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ILO – ASEAN Small Business Competitiv eness Programme 57
 Annex 1:
Flipcharts

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Annex 1: Flipcharts
Write the following on Flipcharts before the training begins and refer to them as
necessary:

Flipchart for Activity 2B

Flipchart 1: Staff and systems

System = A set of detailed procedures created to:

Do a specific activity
Perform a duty
Solve a problem efficiently and with consistent quality

Flipchart 2: Systems and checklists

A good system often starts with a checklist that is:

Clear
Easy-to-follow
Written

Flipchart for Activity 6A

Flipchart 3: Feedback

Ask:
Your staff; and
Your guests

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 [Link]

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