There are countless stories of the silver lining of the COVID crisis we endured over the past two years. Parents were spending more time with their kids and enjoying outdoor activities. The hustle and bustle of everyday life seemed to have slowed down and given people a chance to reflect on what’s important.
Today, the cases in the US are on a downward trend, as the country’s vaccination rate is above 80%. The easing of mask restrictions for fully vaccinated people has also given us a psychological boost that brighter days ahead.
As the increase in search queries on Google for “arcade near me” indicates, people are releasing their pent-up demand for location-based entertainment. This data point correlates to reports of many centers experiencing higher revenue than in the pre-COVID days.
While many of us in the industry are breathing a sigh of relief for our businesses bouncing back, we’ve been thinking about ways to bounce back better. For us, “bouncing back” implies that we’re doing the things we’ve always been doing.
Bouncing back better means we’re taking everything we’ve learned over the past two years to improve every aspect of our business to reach new heights. At Amusement Connect, innovation is in our DNA, not just in our products but in everything we do.
We’ve been thinking deeply about Doblin’s Ten Types of Innovation lately, so we’re sharing practical applications of the framework to help your business bounce back better.
Are you ready to get started? Here are ten ways to help your business reach new heights:
1) How you make money
By understanding what your guests want, you’ll find new revenue opportunities. While some owners and operators were spending time and energy fighting government mandates for temporarily closing businesses or limiting occupancy, others were figuring out new ways to make money.
One example is a laser tag center that found demand for birthday yard signs during the pandemic’s peak. Knowing many families were celebrating birthdays at home, they were able to capitalize on the trend by selling yard signs on Amazon.
2) How you connect with others to create value
As many communities demonstrated last year, we’re stronger when we work together. Co-marketing campaigns is an excellent example of giving each other access to your customer base.
Think about other local businesses that would be a good fit for your venue and start reaching out. If you’re looking for examples, check out these 21 examples of successful co-marketing partnerships.
3) How you organize and align your talent and assets
Many businesses needed to run lean to survive during the crisis. Like the movie Ocean’s 11 has taught us, you can accomplish a lot with a small team. By aligning your team towards a common goal, establishing clear roles and responsibilities, and practicing effective communications, you’ll be able to accomplish what you never thought was possible.
An example of improving the way you align your talent and assets would be the rise of Revenue Operations or RevOps. This function differs from the traditional General Manager role because it aligns the responsibilities to a more revenue generation focus. For many FECs, the GM is responsible for overseeing daily operations for many entertainment venues, as you can see in this sample job description.
4) How you use signature methods to do your work
Have you ever wondered why some entertainment centers run birthday parties better than others? By searching Yelp reviews for your competitors, you can gain insights into their signature methods. If you’ve been struggling with a consistent process for parties, now’s the time to make a change.
Building a process map can help improve your processes. You can also attend Birthday University for an in-depth workshop by an expert.
5) How you develop distinguishing features
Getting a new VR attraction at your facility is an obvious example of unique features. However, you can find other ways that make it hard for competitors to copy.
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Take Jake’s Unlimited Unicorn Cotton Candy Tacos™, which is a distinguishing feature that creates a buzz. If you find something that others can’t easily copy, you’ll gain a competitive edge.
6) How you create complementary products and services
Party packages are a prime example of bundling a few attractions into a more robust offering. Redemption is another example where you create an integrated offering with games and prizes.
What are some complimentary or related items you can offer?
What components can be used independently but increase value when combined with something else?
These are just a few thought starters to get you thinking outside the box.
7) How you amplify the value of your offerings with services
With Bowl Expo around the corner, we’ll use bowling as an example of an activity where many beginners can get frustrated or embarrassed. Offering free bowling lessons or online classes can enhance the player experience, bringing guests back for more.
Think about other services that can take on tasks that customers don’t have time for, like party planning.
8) How you deliver your offerings to customers
If you’re only selling and reloading game cards from your Point-of-sale counter, you’re only using one channel. When you have a rush coming in, you will have a bottleneck of guests who could be spending more money.
On the other hand, the self-serve model allows you to sell game cards in real-time—without waiting in line. Check out our self-service kiosks, explicitly designed to create additional payment options.
9) How you represent your offerings
Your website is one of the most crucial ways to represent your offerings. If you have an old website built in the ’90s, a redesign will go a long way in building a solid brand.
What you post to your social media channels is another opportunity to represent your attractions and connect on a deeper level. Study what some of the most admired brands are doing and start doing something similar.
10) How you foster compelling interactions
During the pre-covid days, it was common to spam your guests’ inboxes with promotional offers.
Instead of resorting to the emails you’ve sent in the past, set your intentions to engage customers. You can personalize communications and deliver specific experiences that educate and entertain your audience.
LET’S BOUNCE BACK BETTER.
Warren Buffett wisely said, “Predicting rain doesn’t count; building the ark does.” By making suitable investments and doing the necessary work now, your business will be ready for the next crisis.
The record number of new customers coming on board each month indicates that many operators are bouncing back better. Our customers are not only getting a card system for the first time; they’re switching from an old system that wasn’t working for them anymore.
As we head into the trade show season with Bowl Expo, Amusement Expo, and IAAPA around the corner, we look forward to reconnecting with our customers and partners in person again. The camaraderie and seeing ideas coming to life at these shows are many reasons we love the industry.
We’d love to hear how you’re bouncing back better if you see us at an upcoming event.
Last updated April 5, 2022.
Amusement Connect is a game card system that combines the latest technology with business intelligence to optimize the player experience.
We are powered by people and our collective mission to bring innovation, value, and the best possible experience to our customers and their players.
