It’s a scenario that is experienced by many B&B operators – you’re tidying the guest room after a stay, and you notice that one or two items have gone missing. It seems to happen several times each month, and the costs continue to add up.

You take pride in the fact that you offer amazing products and services to your guests to enhance their stay, but unfortunately this is sometimes too much temptation for those guests with sticky fingers.

To help keep your B&B products in your location and prevent B&B theft, consider the following tips:

Include Promotional Items in the Room

Many guests swipe an item from their room simply because they want to take a souvenir home from their trip. While this isn’t necessarily the right way to keep a memory, it’s important for B&B owners to understand the motivation behind the theft. Rather than accepting the fact that this type of theft happens, prevent it by incorporating promotional items into your budget.

Leaving a coffee mug in each room with your B&B name on it can be a worthwhile souvenir for your guest that also prevents additional theft at the same time, since they will get the souvenir that they are hoping for. Because you have budgeted for these items, your business doesn’t suffer as a result.

Install Alarms and Anti-Theft Mechanisms on Valuables

Certain valuable items can be tempting for guests to sneak out of the room. High-definition flat-screen TVs, iHome devices, charging stations, and other luxurious amenities that you provide are items that are commonly stolen from B&B rooms. To help prevent the loss of these items and to minimize the expense of replacing them, invest in anti-theft devices that can be installed.

This makes it more difficult for guests to carry them away when they check out, and also can help you identify the individual who attempted to steal the items. Installing these alarms is an investment for your business, but it will be worth it to help prevent additional theft from your guest rooms.

Emboss Your B&B Products with Your Property Name and Logo

Providing your guests with a plush white robe or a pair of satin slippers is a luxury that many enjoy while they are traveling. Some enjoy it so much that they decide to pack the items in their luggage and take them home. However, when you emboss or embroider the items with your brand name and logo, it may seem like a less appealing item for their own wardrobe. In the event that a guest takes it anyway, at least you can rest easy knowing that your B&B is being promoted back in their hometown!

Unfortunately, B&B theft is a reality that you will likely deal with at some point during your career as an operator or owner.

However, when you implement these loss prevention strategies, you will have a better chance of reducing thefts and minimizing the cost of replacing the B&B products.

By Dean Elphick

Dean is the Senior Content Marketing Specialist of Little Hotelier, the all-in-one software solution purpose-built to make the lives of small accommodation providers easier. Dean has made writing and creating content his passion for the entirety of his professional life, which includes more than six years at Little Hotelier. Through content, Dean aims to provide education, inspiration, assistance, and, ultimately, value for small accommodation businesses looking to improve the way they run their operations (and live their life).