Chapter 1167 – Yue Lai Inn
Feng Yu decides to return to the US these few days to monitor the stock markets there. But Zhong Qingxian told Feng Yu that he has an idea and wants to discuss it.
“You say we should set up a budget hotel chain?” Feng Yu rubbed his chin. This business is still at its infant stage in China, and although a few hotel chain brands from his previous life had appeared, they are still small.
For example, the Jinjiang Hotel chain is mainly in Shanghai, and the Rujia Hotel chain is mainly located in Beijing. The rest still have not appeared.
“Manager Feng, our subsidiaries’ staff often need to travel for work. Although they are staying in other subsidiaries’ guest houses, why don’t we merge all our guest houses together to form a hotel chain brand? This way, we will own dozens of hotels all over China, and it will create the impression that our company is the most powerful. Our guests will also feel assured to stay there.”
“Also, many of our staff need to travel. It will be too expensive for them to stay in five-stars hotels, and the company might not reimburse them. If they stay in the motels, it will affect their performance the next day, as most motels are dirty. In the past, our guest houses do not have any brand, and we just call them XX factory guest house. Although it is also open to the public, the occupancy rates are not high.
“Once we form a hotel chain, we can sign agreements to offer discounts to the staff of some companies if they stay with us. We can also accept phone reservations. With our own staff and visiting customers, our average occupancy rates will not be lower than 80%!”
Feng Yu blinked and asked. “If the occupancy rate is 80%, is there any profit?”
“Yes. The profits will not be lower than 20%.”
“Just do it. What are you waiting for?” What’s there to consider if the profit is 20%? The hotel industry might not give them high profits, but it is very stable.
Accommodation is one of the basic necessities of life.
“You also think we should do it?” Zhong Qingxian is excited. From Feng Yu’s attitude, their business should not be bad. Although Zhong Qingxian had gotten his men to conduct market research and prepared a proposal, he still feels uneasy. After all, he had never been in the hospitality industry.
“Of course. But our hotel chain needs a name. What are you going to name it?”
A few names suddenly pop up in Feng Yu’s mind. For example, You Jian Inn, Tong Fu Inn, etc.
Zhong Qianxiang is curious. Feng Yu has always named his companies as Wind and Rain XXX or Tai Hua XXX, and he says this is for branding. Why is he decided to think of a new name today?
If the hotel chain uses a new name, Zhong Qingxian will not get to take advantage of the Wind and Rain or Tai Hua brands.
“Manager Feng, what are your suggestions?” Zhong Qingxian asked.
“How about Yue Lai Inn? Our consumers will enter our hotel happily and leave happily.” Feng Yu replied excitedly.
“Yue Lai Inn? This name sounds ancient, and it seems it is taken out from a Wuxia novel.”
“You think it sounded familiar? That’s right. If you give it a new name, people might not know. But if you give it a name that sounds familiar to everyone, it will be for people to locate it. When you board a taxi, and the driver asks you where are you going? You say Yue Lai Inn! It will sound so much better.”
“It will sound better?” Zhong Qingxian is confused. He felt Feng Yu is joking with him.
But this name is fine as long as people know it is a hotel. An Inn might sound different, but anyone who watches TV will know what an Inn is.
“Should we add restaurants in our hotels like those five-stars hotels?”
Feng Yu shook his head. “No need. Just include a small kitchen is enough. We will provide only breakfast. What we are doing should be a budget hotel chain. Why is it call a budget hotel chain? It is because it is convenient for people to stay here and it is cheap and clean. The traditional hotels have restaurants, entertainments, shopping, etc. We will not do all these. Our targeted customers will be traveling businessmen and ordinary folks. Oh… University students too.”
“University students? Why will the students stay in hotels?” Zhong Qingxian asked. All university students should be staying in their hostels.
Feng Yu looks at Zhong Qingxian. “Eh… Old Zhong… you must keep up with the trend. Let me ask you. Are there more university students dating now? When they are deeply in love and couldn’t control themselves, where should they go? The university hostel has strict regulations, and they are not allowed to visit each other in their rooms. So, they can only look for a hotel!”
Zhong Qingxian purposely says. “You sound quite experience.”
*cough… “I had only heard about it. We will forgo the service in other areas and focus on the core, which is the lodging. We must do our best in this area. People stay in hotels is for lodging, and if they need other services, they can go elsewhere. I remember there are restaurants opposite our guest houses, and some of them are quite big. But breakfast is a must, and providing breakfast can attract customers.”
“Is there anything else to take note of?”
Feng Yu thought back to the budget hotels he stayed in before in his previous life. He thought about the differences in the set up of the rooms and the guesthouses’ rooms.
“Many of our rooms have two beds, and some even have three beds, right? Covert the rooms with three beds into two beds, and name it Executive Standard Room. Change the beds in some rooms to a double bed. It will be for couples and people who are used to sleeping in bigger beds. Other than a coffee table and a few chairs, add in a sofa set for some rooms. All rooms must have a TV, and some rooms should install internet cables…”
“Wait a minute. Can you slow down? I need to record it.” Zhong Qingxian took out a recording pen and place it on the table.
Damn! How come I feel I am working for you now?
“Manager Feng, I have some questions about what you said. You mentioned the rooms with three beds will be converted to two beds and then add in a sofa set. What if there are not enough beds for our guests?”
Feng Yu gave Zhong Qingxian a stare. “Isn’t it better? They must book two rooms instead of one!”
“The internet cable you mentioned is very expensive.”
“The rooms with internet will be called Executive Business Suite, and the internet will be provided free for the guest. But they must bring their own laptop. We will earn back the internet fees from their room charges.”
Do you think there is free stuff in hotels? Even the free toiletries are included in the room rates!
Jinjiang Hotel
