Saturday, February 2, 2013

When only the best will do :-)


Article in ACCI February 2013, Newsletter by Denise Ssmithson
Becki Shaver and Maggie van Santen are passionate about providing the very best for visitors to their luxury adult retreat HideAway Haven in Oyster Harbour.
This dedication to excellence won them the 2012 ACCI Small Business Development Commission Award for Home Based Business and resulted in them being named finalists in the WA Regional Small Business Awards in 2012.
HideAway Haven is AAA Rated 5 star accommodation offering discerning guests an exceptional standard of facilities , furnishings and guest services.
In fact 2012 was a big year with HideAway Haven earning its 5 star accreditation. awarded cycle and environmentally friendly status, a Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence' and recording a 12 per cent increase in bookings.
According to Maggie, being named a finalist in the WA small business awards gave them a boost and welcome acknowledgement they were doing something 'right'.
"It is true we are living the dream and meeting the most wonderful guests, many of whom we really connect with and have become friends," Becki said.
"But there is a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes to make sure when our guests arrive here they come to a place of peace and harmony, where they can connect with nature.  I think that what we offer here is uniquely different, something that can only be experienced at HideAway Haven,"she said.
Maggie said they had realised it was important to take care of each other when operating a demanding home-based business.
"We always stop at 5pm and sit on the balcony with a drink to find out about each other's day. And once a month we do something fun together not related to business," she said.
With four years'experience now behind them, they had also learnt to set boundaries with their guests in terms of their availability and that was working well.
"We are always looking to improve what we can offer here at HideAway Haven," Maggie said.
They have developed a range of packages forming partnerships with other like-minded Albany businesses, offering something special for their guests.
Maggie and Becki encouraged other business to enter awards, saying they were a good opportunity to revisit business plans. "You can check to see if your vision is the same, determine what you did that was good and what you can do to make your business better," Maggie said.