The BHA is offering members an opportunity to improve their business performance thanks to a new programme on offer by Hotel Business Improvement Management (HBIM).

The programme offers members a four day profit improvement course which is delivered by an established hotel industry professional. The benefits of this course have been proven to far exceed the realistic cost of participation.

What is the HBIM improvement programme?

With many businesses under pressure during this severe recession - whether they are hotels, restaurants with rooms, restaurants or pubs, Hotel Business Improvement Management have set up an opportunity for all BHA members to utilise the services of a profit improvement programme.

The programme has been specifically tailored as a four-day concentration on profit potential delivered by business coaches who, themselves, are or have been, successful hoteliers. Over 200 hospitality operations have been through the programme in some cases with remarkable results, and during September and October, we are publishing stories of the journey made by three recent operators as they undertook the programme.

Any BHA member who wishes to take part in the four-day programme will be visited by a programme director and an assessment will be made of how effective participation would be for the particular business. Assuming a substantial difference can be made, it is usual to find that between £50,000 and £250,000 of unrealised profit can be delivered at or even above the existing levels of service and guest satisfaction.

Case Study - The HARBOURMASTER Harbourmaster is a restaurant with rooms, set in Aberaeron harbour on the west coast of Wales with some rooms overlooking Cardigan Bay. Originally the harbourmaster's house, this Grade Two listed building houses seven of the thirteen bedrooms and an acclaimed restaurant. The other bedrooms are found in two other historic harbour side buildings.

Recommendations include the Good Hotel Guide and the Good Food Guide continuously since the inaugural year in 2002.

This is a highly successful operation from the point of view of sales and its reputation but the profit potential was not being fulfilled. The introduction to HBIM (Hotel Business Improvement Management) was from another client who owns a restaurant with rooms near Telford and who had undertaken the programme.

OUTCOME: By concentrating on expenditure, a gross operating profit of 20.9 per cent is budgeted for the current year with the expectation that this will be exceeded by some margin. A small loss in January on a turnover of £93,000 became a GOP of 26 per cent in February on a turnover of £110,000.

Turnover for the year to March 2009 was £1,589,000. The owners, Glyn and Menna Huelyn, are now planning to take some real quality time to enjoy their success with a sane work life balance.

Glyn can be contacted on +44 (0)7831 298 561

Full details of the programme appear at www.hbim.co.uk

Any member interested in using HBIM's services should contact Angela MacAusland on either telephone: 01225 471 440 or via email at: [email protected]