Baozi Xishi's Struggle

Chapter 477: The opening is hot, the inn business is profitable

Li had already prepared several tables of fruits and tea in the lobby of the inn, and invited everyone who came to congratulate to come in and try some of the homemade auspicious fruits and wishful cakes.

There were also two large baskets of various dried fruits and candied fruits. Anyone who brought a child along would get a handful of these and stuff them into the front pocket of the child's clothes.

The little child who got the fruit also cupped his hands and imitated the adults and said in a crisp voice: "Good luck in opening the shop and wish you a prosperous business."

For a moment, the lobby of the inn was filled with laughter.

On the day the inn opened, seven or eight guests checked in.

Although Shen Yu had never opened an inn, she used to work in sales and traveled frequently, so she stayed in many hotels.

She has a lot of experience in what kind of hotel facilities and services can make guests stay comfortable.

These days, she has already written down the management rules on how the inn should serve its guests based on her previous experience and the needs of this era.

After recruiting two waiters, she explained the requirements and methods of how to entertain guests one by one.

To be on the safe side, Doctor Sun and Zhou Dalang were specially asked to act as guests and conducted several simulated reception trainings.

At that time, the ladies of the Li family thought that Shen Yu was making a fuss out of nothing. Wasn't the reception of guests in the inn the same for all? It would be enough to just talk about it in general terms. Why was it necessary to make specific requests one by one?

They think that as long as the waiter is diligent and sweet-spoken, he can be a good inn waiter.

Shen Yu knew that this was difficult to explain, so she just smiled and didn't answer. However, she still took two or three days to let the two waiters practice the reception service until she was satisfied.

As soon as the business opened today, Shen Yu's seemingly redundant training showed results.

As soon as the guests entered the door, the waiters greeted them with smiles, served them hot tea and hot towels, and asked them to sit down and rest.

The guests didn't have to worry about anything, as the horses they brought were settled and their luggage was delivered to the reserved rooms.

Even just say that you are a little tired and want to go to bed early.

After entering the room, you don't have to make the bed and the bedding yourself. They have already been spread out and a hot water bottle is stuffed in to warm the bed. After washing up, there will be a warm and soft bed waiting for you.

When it’s time for dinner, someone will ask if you want food delivered. You can order food or dine in, and you can also customize stir-fried dishes. If you want to invite business guests, there are also separate small rooms available.

Water for washing face is delivered in the morning, water for soaking feet is delivered in the evening, bed sheets and quilts are made every day, sheets and bedspreads are changed every two days, and the room is cleaned.

Even if your clothes are dirty, you just need to tell the staff and they will take them to the laundry for washing. The next day, the clothes will be washed clean, neatly folded and placed at the head of the bed.

Several guests said that it was more comfortable than staying at home. If they were not in a hurry to deliver the goods, they would really like to stay here for a few more days.

In this way, Fengnian Inn became a hit and business became booming right after it opened, with new guests checking in every day.

In just half a month, as the weather warmed up and more merchants came from the north and south, Fengnian Inn became the first choice for merchants coming to Anping County to stay overnight, and there were no empty rooms for guests who often arrived late.

The few existing inns nearby initially wanted to attract customers by lowering their room rates.

But he soon discovered that lowering the price had no effect at all except reducing the income of his inn.

Once, an innkeeper shamelessly asked an old customer who had not been able to stay at Fengnian Inn and stayed at his home, "You always stayed at my home when you came to Anping County before. Why do you always choose Fengnian Inn now?"

"Apart from the fact that her inn is connected to a Japanese restaurant, so the food is closer and the food tastes better, there's no way that it's better than mine. The house is very shabby and looks shabby."

The guest glanced coldly at the innkeeper who had attentively escorted him into the room, and with disdain twisted the quilt on the bed in the room. Its original color could not be seen clearly in the dim candlelight, and it felt a little sticky.

With some resentment, he asked the boss: "Does your inn provide free breakfast when you stay at it?"

"Does your inn change the sheets and bedding every two days?"

"Can I eat special stir-fried dishes in your inn without leaving my room?"

"..."

Every time he asked a question, the shop owner shook his head, and gradually his head shook like a rattle.

The guest was still feeling resigned at not being able to stay at the Fengnian Inn today, so he took his anger out on the inn's owner.

He looked at the shop owner, who was already a little embarrassed, with a funny face, and spread his hands helplessly: "Nothing is allowed?"

"What else is there to say? I just came late today and the Fengnian Inn is full. I had no choice but to stay at your house."

"I just want to ask you, if you were a guest, which inn would you choose?"

The innkeeper scratched his head in dismay and had to admit spinelessly that if he wanted to stay in an inn himself, he would choose the Fengnian Inn which was clean, convenient, and provided a comfortable meal.

No one in the Shen family expected that the rules made by Shen Yu would be so useful.

It had only been open for half a month, but Li made a rough calculation and found that the inn's revenue had already exceeded that of the restaurant and it had started to make steady money.

If we continue like this, within a few months, the money invested in buying the old house and renovating it into an inn will be recovered, and from then on, it will all be pure profit.

No wonder Yuzhi said that running an inn business is like holding a purse, which is very profitable.

During this period, Shen Yu and his family moved into the small courtyard in front of the restaurant.

The three main rooms in the restaurant's yard were renovated, adding a large main room where people can dine in.

The two adjacent rooms were separated by screens to create four small, truly private rooms.

It can accommodate diners who need private rooms for meals, and it is also convenient for guests staying here to make appointments to discuss business.

After the Liu family moved away, Doctor Sun moved to Hulu Lane, became neighbors with Old Man Yang, and opened a small medical clinic.

Because Dr. Sun has been treating the neighbors since the beginning of the year.

The clinic has not opened yet, but it already has a good reputation in this neighborhood.

After the clinic opened, its reputation grew because of his gentle attitude when treating patients, low consultation fees, sincerity, reliable medical skills, and the fact that he would not deliberately prescribe expensive medicines.

Later on, even people from nearby villages would wait for the city gates to open early in the morning and rush over with their children for treatment.

After Doctor Sun came to the county town, he was even busier than when he was seeing patients and collecting herbs in Dongxi Village.

He sees patients in the morning every day. If he is not busy in the afternoon, he will go around the restaurant to see if there is anything he can help with, and then return to the clinic in the evening.

In the evening, I would write down the day's medical records or read a few pages of a medical book, and my life would be fulfilling and comfortable.