How to Start a Successful Eatery or Hotel Business in Kenya

Human beings depend on food to survive. No one likes to leave the house before eating. Meals are very important in our lives. No good work can be done with empty stomach. Some unavoidable circumstances can make one not be able to eat at home. Therefore, business people came up with ideas of putting up hotel business to help those who cannot afford to eat at home sometimes. Today eateries and hotels are some of the most successful businesses in Kenya you can start
Before starting an eatery business, one should have some guidelines to make the business flow. These guidelines include:

1. Capital to start hotel business (an eatery)

You should plan with the money you have. This will guide if you can start a small or big eatery. You should also be sure with the capital if you are getting from bank as a loan or it is contribution from your family or your savings. Before planning you should have an idea on where to get the money to start the business. The capital caters for the startup expenses including licensing fees.

2. Identify the location

Business work well in areas where there are customers. Before putting up your hotel, you need to have an access to the area. Choose the place where you can see there is possibility of regular customers. You can target places where there are social facilities like; primary and secondary schools, universities, industries and companies. Another area to build a hotel is near attraction areas and bus stops.

3. Choose hotel identity

When you are starting your hotel business, ensure that people knows more about it. Your hotel can be known in terms of food it offers or the services that are provided in the eatery. Make sure you hire experts in serving customers in order to earn a good name in the area. This will help get more customers since your fame will be spread all over. Select something unique that other any other hotel does not have.

4. Decide if you want to build or rent a hotel

When starting the business, you might not have enough money to buy the materials required to construct the building. Therefore, one will opt to rent a hotel. When renting, consider some factors like monthly rent and the money you will get from the sales at the month, how precious the rooms are and if the building is able to be used to run the business. It is better to build a hotel because you will be able to design it according to your own expectations.

5. License your business

Before starting any business, one should register his or her business. This permit enables the business to be secured and avoid being caught by government authorities. It also helps one to run business without fear of closing down the restaurant. Closing down the hotel can cause customers to loose trust in you. Always secure your business to be on the safer side of the law.

6. Hiring the staff

There is a lot of work done in the eatery hence you cannot manage the hotel without hand help. Having more workers will make work easier and people served on time. Ensure your employees are the best when it comes to prepare the meals. They should have an experience or be qualified in cooking and serving customers. Your staff should also be welcoming and know how to talk and convince customers. Your employees are the success or downfall to your business.

7. Get permission from the ministry of Health

Health record is one of the requirements for anyone handling food for business. Without this, one cannot be given permit to continue selling food staffs.

8. Equipment

Ensure you have the required equipment in your hotel. You need to purchase the utensils that will be used to serve customers. Your utensils should be attractive to impress the customers. Also have chairs and tables because no customer would like to be served to enjoy the meal while standing. The chairs should be comfortable. This will make the customers to come back every now and then.

9. Market your business

There are many ways of marketing the business. The way you welcome customers, services they get there can still market your business. This will make your business to be famous and attract many customers you to serve them. You will be able to get more customers and this will increase your sale hence improving your business. Your trusted friends can also do marketing for you by inviting their friends over to your eatery. Make sure your staff has good communication skills.

How to make your business successful

Every business person dreams of growing his or her business. It takes time for a business to catch up but also it depends on how you run it. Hotel business can have challenges but you can still secure it. People always run business at a profitable cost but not at a loss. The following are things that can make your business successful:

1. a) The meals offered

Prepare meals that are most liked by many customers. These meals can be chicken with chips is the most dishes ordered by many customers. If you identify the type of food that is on high demand you will be able to prepare it at large quantity and reduce the food that is rarely asked by customers. This will help you avoid wastage of money by buying ingredients that are less required. It will also help you save money which will later assist in expanding your business.

1. b) Cleanliness

The most attractive part of an eatery area is general hygiene. The food may be appetizing in the eye but in untidy place no customer will even want to be there. Always ensure that the hotel is clean, well ventilated, the seats are well arranged, the tables are in the correct position and the food is served in clean utensils.
The staff workers should also be of good grooming. Personal hygiene and hotel cleanliness will keep your business on going because customers will be pleased with the place.

1. c) Safety

Ensure that your hotel is located in a place with high security. No guest will want to be in a place where there is threat in his or her life. If the security is poor, then you will lose your client and this will be a downfall to your business. It will also stress you because you will be worried of the equipment left in the eatery. Being in such places is night mare to many. Safety is the key that make hotel business success to be successful.

1. d) Amenities

Hotels that have social amenities are very lucky. This Attract more customers to the eatery. Before they are served their favorite meals, they can go to the swimming pool, walk around if there is waterfall  fishpond and anything that will attract their eyes.