Your new project ? From the idea to the opening

Whether it is a coffee-shop or a fine dining restaurant, an eco-lodge or a 4-star hotel, there are several questions to ask and different steps to take before starting your project and opening your business. Then you might need the support of b.Consulting Hospitality Experts to conduct a feasibility study to help you position your business among the competition and become successful.

Our experts provide practical, profit-oriented advisory services to meet the local trends and follow the international hospitality standards at every step of your project.

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The questions you should definitely ask yourself before starting:

Is my project financially sustainable ?

The first step is to develop your business plan that should describe how you are going to achieve your goals:

• 360 scope analysis on products and services

• Market analysis - S.W.O.T (Strengths - Weaknesses - Opportunities - Threats)

• Marketing strategy

• Financial planning and Revenue on Investment (ROI).

• Budget: staff, development, manufacturing, marketing…

For most commercial businesses, the costs to get started can be considerable, in particular the land acquisition, the equipment, the furniture, the licenses and permits.

Besides the opening costs, you should consider the ongoing expenses such as the facility maintenance, salaries and taxes, advertising costs, insurance, office supplies, high-speed internet. It is essential to also establish FF&E and OS&E budget.

Do I target the right market ?

Analyzing the market and the competition is crucial because you don’t want to lose your investments. Once you know who your target customer is and who your competitors are, you will know which amenities to include and where the business's location should be. b.Consulting team of experts provide to clients an extensive knowledge and experience of the Cambodian market.

See our consultants journey by clicking here

How am I going to do better than my competitors ?

To last in the Hospitality sector and do as well or even better than the competitors, it’s important to define the identity of your establishment with a proper branding (logo, signage), to write a unique storytelling about our project, to identify your target customers and to define the range of selling prices.

Another very important part of making your own mark is to build a solid and professional team. Therefore constant training, grooming and good manners teaching shall be one of your main focus the first year of running the business. A strong team helps to run operations faster, respond to customer inquiries efficiently and help to build brand awareness quicker. When the operations run smoothly, you can concentrate on keeping innovative ideas and have more time to work on developing your strategy.

How many staff will I have to hire ?

“The right person at the right position” is your new motto!

Based on the scale of your restaurant or hotel, you may think about the staff you shall hire. Make sure to hire enough staff for each job, and anticipate shift planning and back-ups in case of illnesses and vacations.

You may look for candidates with sufficient experience who can multi-task and are efficient. The current lack of experienced manpower in the hospitality sector may lead you to spend time and efforts on training programs. This is worth the investment considering the actual turnover, to keep your team strong together.

Time to define a detailed concept and adjust it to the market

Concept development is the key stone of your project. You shall ask the expertise of the b.Consulting team who will collect data of your industry and targeted markets.

They will prioritize your operational needs and challenges, determine your concept S.W.OT (and build with you your strategic planning.

In order to guarantee the success of your project, b. Consulting offers you assistance and advice in the project development process: Opening, Branding, Structuring.

Communication

No need to invest in a great concept if you don’t share it with your customers!

To be successful, you shall plan wisely your communication strategy by building your brand and find the most relevant channels to communicate directly with your guests.

Download our marketing tips for free

Entrepreneurship is a long and inspiring journey. Cambodia is definitely a country where flexibility and relatively easy investment process are an advantage for those willing to start their own business.

However, the country is in constant evolution, administration regulations are changing quite often and you might want to watch regular updates.

Urban landscape and infrastructures are also evolving quickly which renders the choice of location a sensitive key stone.

At last, the young population aspiring for novelty can be as much of an asset as a disadvantage if you are not prepared to keep up with local trends. b.Consulting team is here to show you the good opportunities as well as the weaknesses of your project in Cambodia.

• Contact b. consulting Hospitality Food & Beverage - click-here

Testimony of the week - 5 stars experience with Ms. Sovathida Oum from The Royal Sands Koh Rong

How did you get into the hospitality business?

“In my career, to know new things I need to travel, to get the right taste I need to try the dish, to know a good spa service I need to choose a treatment “

Back to 2002 when I was at my first year in university in Phnom Penh, I joined my first hospitality career as a junior staff at travel agency, Asian Trails Ltd. I had zero experiences of how it works, but I had a chance to be a part of company and a chance to learn something new. To be able to promote international guests coming to Cambodia, I need to have more knowledge about my country; culture, climate, tourist areas from local to international choices, geographic, distance & a travel condition, price rang etc…through these experiences I also enjoyed myself exploring new things & new destination. My first proposal to my clients they confirmed, I was so happy, I feel I had a power to convince people by get to know more & know better of what I am doing and understand what my clients needed. Since then I had several team under my supervision this was a satisfied experience. I kept hunting and start to like hospitality career.

2011, I had an opportunity to improve myself at resort business, I joined at Song Saa Private Island as a first luxury island resort in Cambodia as Sales Manager. Working with 15 different nationalities team works. Luxury property in Cambodia is something new and challenge to promote within local and international. I really put all my energy to proof that in Cambodia can really have luxury property & warm services to welcome guest. It was a pleasant journey and a great experience to earn.

Laying flower petal for guest’s wedding at Song Saa

2017 until present, since I carry island experience as sales, another opportunity await for me at The Royal Sands Koh Rong Resort, first 5 stars resort in Koh Rong, as Director of Sales. The Royal Sands is an investment of Swiss & Cambodian (Royal Group). I join Royal Sands since resort is born, resort has been well presented to local and international tradeshow. We went through these years together including pandemic time and we are going to reopening stronger and better with support from everyone within the company and our local and international partners. I really love the island spirit, it’s pure, fresh nature, crystal sand and turquoise sea water.

Thida is sharing mangrove kayak experience with her little customer.

By naturally in blood, the hospitality is our passion and leisure, we also had our own wine bar business, Bouchon Wine Bar, which is more taking by my husband, Cedric & the Manager. It was joyful to see our friends and our customer enjoy a great place, great wine, delicious French food. This is all we need within hospitality, be our guests & enjoy!

What studies did you follow to become a hospitality professional?

I studied a bachelor degree of accounting, and continue a master degree in business administration at National University of Management in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I started my bachelor degree at young age, my family choose the subject for me because they thought it’s a right career for girl, being an accountant at office, no need to travel a lot outside. In my 3rd year I realized, accounting is not a subject I like but I can’t change. My next degree, I chose master degree in business administration to get to know extra knowledge in generally. But in my position I need to know well the digit to plan thing.

“What you studied is not really define what you want to be ! Cambodia is a developing country; passion can be changed by the other opportunity and the development around yourself… Take a chance and do it your best!”

What do you like about your job? And what do you like less?

What I like about my job is seeing the clients are happy, team are happy & the company is in a good move, we all achieving and working in same goal. Sometime could be annoying because when you are working in hospitality you won’t rest during weekend and public holidays.

Team work at Royal Sands

What is your best experience, story in this profession?

“My best experience story is finding peace within problem”

2017, when Royal Sands was just reopening, I met an elegant, sensitive guest at resort, he has right to be upset because we couldn’t fix a villa on time for his family. I was there with engineering team sit down on the floor and help team to screw the un-finishing stuffs. He saw me right there support team and did our best we could. Upon his check out, he gave me his credit card, he said” Please check my invoice, I trusted you, this is a code.” I was very emotional and I didn’t expect such a thing from him. When someone you don’t know said “I trusted you!!” this is so touch. Good Job & Good heart always pay back.

Sammdech Hun Sen at The Royal Sand Koh Rong

23 April 2017, Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen presided over the grand opening ceremony of the Royal Sands Koh Rong Resort, It such a honor that I worked closely with special team of PM, military, police force, marine, air force, medias, it’s a hug task and we achieved all together and this experiences I have no hesitate to say “yes we did it & no hesitate to do it again”.

In 2019, we created a dream wedding of a couple from UK with their 50 guests from different countries, take placed at The Royal Sands Koh Rong Resort, the couple were tearing by our details attention to what they needed. Nothing more than happy to see this crying happiness. Yes we did it again!

Every day is a new day and new thing to learn. Like what you do, love what you got, but to have this peace everyone needs to know well yourself. Within hospitality business if you feel stressful yourself you can’t provide the best services to customers. Communication among team work is very importance.

Cambodia is a country of smiling, this is a great chance to proof a successful in hospitality industry.

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• Contact b. consulting Hospitality Food & Beverage - click-here

• Join Ms Sovathida Oum on Linkedin - click-here

• More information about The Royal Sands Koh Rong Resort - click-here

Testimony of the week - Mr. Sokunthroth Y. A journey between Switzerland and Cambodia.

This week, we asked Sokunthroth Y., to tell us about his journey in the hospitality industry.

After studying in Switzerland, in the prestigious "Hotel Institute Montreux" and "Swiss Hotel Management School", he returned to Cambodia with a Master of International Business in Hospitality Management.

Now, Sokunthroth is General Manager of one of the trendiest place in Phnom Penh : Sakaban restaurant.

b. Consulting aims to promote Cambodian talents in the hospitality field. You too can be an example for new employees in the hospitality industry. If you wish to testify, please contact us.

"Asking me how I get into this industry I would answer Passion and Love but ask me how I get into the Hospitality Industry my answer would be Hospitality found me."

Sokunthroth Y. GM of Sakaban restaurant.

Mr. Sokunthroth with his team in Phnom Penh.

How did you get into the hospitality business?

It all started with a nostalgic experience and passion. Looking back when I was a kid, I visited one B&B Hotel near the seaside in Sihanoukville. On a fresh morning I went to their outlet and saw their staff preparing a buffet breakfast for their guest like a line of service, full of systematic from hot to cold dishes and place the nametags of each items with care and precision. It amazed me how could just 3 stars local hotel could do, but I can feel they put their heart into it.

As I was travelling home, my mind kept thinking about the hotel’s hospitality and hospitality and not the sea or vacation that I had.

Since then, the experience I have gained and the passion I have for the industry has led me to continue to follow it, even though I sometimes failed to find a job in a hotel before I graduated with my hospitality degree, but I continue to practice it by serving meals to my friends and family.

Asking me how I get into this industry I would answer passion and love but ask me how I get into the hospitality industry my answer would be hospitality found me.

What studies did you follow to become a hospitality professional?

Hospitality is about people business. You would deal with the different type of guest with various emotion and expectation. It’s not just what you learn from your degree but the job itself. It is really important for any person in hospitality industry to focus on On-Job-Training as the industry keeps evolving.

Plus, with new technology begin to involve, we need the ongoing skill training to keep those experience alive with be continuously curious on how we can continue to meet expectation from our guest.

During his study in Switzerland.

What do you like about your job? And what do you like less?

What I really love about my job is to be able to connect and share experience with people. By “People“ here, I mean our team, our guest, and our shareholder.

Every day is a new learning experience as we can meet, talk, share, train and learn from our people. When you decided to step into this job, you know you already sacrifice your life balance and instead deal with long haul hour, this might be what I like less but passion and love for this industry also the smile and compliment from our people are what motivate me to continue this journey.

For me, experience from my first internship has opened my eyes on how hospitality should be.

Sakaban restaurant in Phnom Penh.

What is your best experience, story in this profession?

I began my job as an F&B internship at one restaurant in Switzerland, even with the experience from my previous job and several training from my degree, I still felt out of comfort zone and nervous.

My first week there wasn’t what I had imagined, I create lot of problem to the team such as spill the oil all over the floor while we were catering 120 guests at lunch time. The manager asked me to take 5 minutes rest outside the building to calm myself. After the shift I went to the manager office to apologized, to my surprised he comforted me and spend the extra hour to train me right after the shift. This show me what leadership look like and how professional in hospitality should be.

Within 1 month, I became confident in my job and started to train a new intern. I spent my 2 days off working voluntarily in the kitchen and eager to learn more about kitchen system, service workflow, and moreover about different guest expectation.

For me, experience from my first internship has opened my eyes on how hospitality should be. It gave me a lot of learning aspect from professionalism in hospitality to the leadership. Hospitality doesn’t limit to the interaction between the service provider and the customers, it is also about encouraging and motivating people around us too.

This is what I seek to fulfill on my journey.

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• Contact b. consulting Hospitality Food & Beverage - click-here

• Join Mr. Sokunthroth Y. on Linkedin - click-here

• More information about Sakaban restaurant - click-here