Set up Your Unattended Arcade for Success with These Simple Kiosk Tips.
Launching an unattended arcade comes with a huge variety of challenges and expenses. Initial game floor set up and orientation, supplying redemption prizes, game card ordering, establishing revenue commission splits, and much more can cause endless headaches down the line if not handled properly upfront.
The best tips we can offer are a few things you can take action on immediately at no cost that will lead to stronger returns down the line. With your Amusement Connect Kiosk, there are several simple tips for software setup as well as placement that will directly improve your revenue, all while churning through fewer play cards in the process!
Existing operators can find kiosk configuration options in the operator dashboard by navigating to Home > Location Wizard > select your location > Kiosks.
Place Kiosks at “High-Traffic” Pinch Points.
The best places to position your unattended kiosks are along natural paths to restrooms, exits, or to popular attractions/businesses. Wide-open spaces or corners without steady foot traffic will lessen the effectiveness of your kiosk.
If your location is in a mall, look for spots where people will naturally gather and loiter. If your games are placed throughout the mall, “vestibule” entryways are great to catch people on their way in. If your arcade is in a retail space, it’s generally best practice to place the kiosk within ten feet of your entrance and in line of sight to the door so anyone passing by can see it.
Set Minimum Amounts for Cash and Credit Transactions.
Allowing very small transactions may feel guest-friendly, but it often leads to higher card churn and frequent restocking along with lowering your average transaction amounts. A reasonable minimum spend encourages guests to commit to a fuller play experience upfront, making them more likely to stay longer and play more games.
Setting a minimum spend per card also helps avoid burning through low-value cards quickly while boosting the average transaction value. Most venues set a minimum spend on a new card at $5-$10 per transaction.
Consider New Card Activation Charges.
Activation charges place a small, but meaningful value on the physical card itself. It has the subtle effect of increasing the rate of customers keeping their cards between visits and reloading them to avoid the fee.
Like setting a minimum spend per transaction, including an activation charge on newly dispensed cards reduces the number of cards dispensed while increasing the value of each transaction. Most venues set this rate at 4 to 40 credits per new card depending on your credits-to-dollar ratio.
Offer Discounts for using Cash over Credit.
Credit card transactions typically carry processing fees in the range of 1.5%-3.5%. These fees can quietly eat away at your margins, especially on the high-volume, lower-dollar transactions that are common at game card kiosks. Structuring your pricing in a way that offers a small incentive for using cash helps to offset these costs while giving guests a clear reason to pay with cash instead.
Many venues prefer to take the approach of offering a slightly better value for cash transactions. This effectively subsidizes credit card fees by shifting more of those transactions to cash, where no processing fees apply.
Note that laws on cash incentives and credit surcharges vary by region, so be sure to check state and/or local laws before activating these features at your venue.
Set up Alerts for your Machine’s Status.
The biggest profit killer of unattended arcades are machines that are offline or jammed for extended periods without anyone knowing. It’s important to have a plan in place to catch these issues as soon as they arise. While a lot of these issues can be helped by checking the site regularly for cleaning and maitenance, putting automated software solutions in place is key to prevent customer frustration and lost revenue.
Amusement Connect’s ecosystem includes access to the Operator Dashboard, which features extensive tools for tracking machines and alerting operators when a mechanical malfunction occurs or if the network is having issues. This is an ideal and built-in solution to keep your floor online with minimum downtime.
Existing operators can configure notifications for their connected kiosks and game machines by selecting Config > Notification in the dashboard. Options include email and text messages with configurable alert choices, frequency, and do-not-disturb hours.
Still considering the jump to a cashless system? Speak to a member of our sales team and we can get you connected!
