CenterEdge Software Blog

There are already plenty of amusement outlets competing for the entertainment dollar, but for many indoor family entertainment centers, the summer presents even more challenges to keeping your guests loyal.

Before you decide to change your hours or do a rain dance in the parking lot, consider this sage advice from marketing expert, Jill Konrath: “Know your competition, but don’t obsess over them.”

I recently attended a birthday party for a friend’s child at a new indoor climbing center. The facility had recently opened and there was a lot of hype surrounding its unique climbing structures and offerings.

When you’re the new entertainment venue in town, your facility will naturally get a lot of attention and new bookings of people who are eager to try out your offerings. But all the best attractions won’t bring guests back if you don’t live up to the hype with the right guest experience. Read on for five tips I developed from my recent visit so that you can deliver a better birthday party experience every time.

How to masterfully manage difficult amusement park guest interactions while maintaining the relationship – and your cool.

Without a doubt, handling angry park customers (or coworkers) is one of the most difficult parts of anyone’s job. Tense interactions invoke both physical and psychological responses in us that can make a tough situation worse if we don’t handle them appropriately. And our reactions to those moments can leave a lasting impact on guests’ repeat visits, our reputation at work and even our business’ standing in the community. Bottom line, it’s a big deal and one that you need a plan for – before the next difficult situation arises. To do it right means not only putting all the pieces together into a well-rounded approach to service recovery, but also being ready for the tough times with these five tips.

Great experience and customer loyalty go hand-in-hand, don’t they? It isn’t easy to consistently capture a customer’s loyalty but the best parks and FECs manage it so flawlessly that they immediately stand out.

I recently had a purchase experience that was so noteworthy I couldn’t wait to share it with you. Here are five things I experienced that have turned me into a loyal fan and can help you impress even the most jaded, guest-experience critic.

Meet the five Excellence Award winners and finalists of the 2018 Customer Service Week Challenge

We had such a great response for the Customer Service Week Challenge! Responses came from all over the U.S. and it was great to read about all the terrific things your team members are doing. From party hosts to admissions staff all the way to maintenance, it’s so obvious when team members have that “it” thing that makes a difference. It was so hard choosing winners, but here are the top five winners and finalists who prove that “Excellence Happens Here” at their facilities.

The benefits of offering classes at your facility and how to make the leap from the marketing to the technical.

I just finished a yoga teacher certification this summer, so imagine my surprise when I picked up the July issue of Funworld and saw the cover article was none other than Namaste! How Museums Are Attracting New Audiences with Creative Ways to Enhance Guests’ Well-Being. Talk about worlds colliding! I love their idea of using healthy-living classes to introduce new patrons to the art museum. 

The article inspired me. How can entertainment and amusement facilities also capitalize on this idea and create a meaningful—and lucrative—set of complementary and alternative activities during off-peak times?

Whether you've booked a waterpark, amusement park or FEC event, don’t let a budding relationship fail by missing out on these essential touchpoints.

The birthday party or event is booked and you’re well on your way to making memories with a whole new group of prospective guests. Take this opportunity to further lay the groundwork for a world-class guest experience. Your event sales staff might be busy, but that doesn’t mean you need to skimp on communication. Let your party software help you set and manage guests’ expectations from beginning to end, so you can focus on delivering wow-worthy events and turning one-time party guests into return customers.

How one simple model can help you turn friction moments into great guest experiences.

NOTE: I had the opportunity to meet Josh Liebman of Amusement Advantage at the 2017 Rockin’ Jump Conference and he had a lot to say about guest experience. He has some great, actionable thoughts around handling customer friction moments with guests, and how to get great at service recovery, and so we asked him to share the process that he teaches. Read on for his ideas about what he calls the LAST model for service recovery, and how it can help you make memories that last much longer than the moment of friction. Let us know what you think! 

~ Sherry

When it comes to expanding your client base, it’s all about who you know – and how you leverage those relationships.

Editor’s Note: Referrals continue to be a huge driver of FEC growth, so we’ve updated this popular classic for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Read on!

4 ways to build your brand that won’t cost you anything.

The CenterEdge team recently had the opportunity to attend an industry education event, LaserTAG360, a two-day conference for new and existing facilities. While the focus of the event is laser tag, the top-notch business practices being shared are applicable across all aspects of the amusment industry from FECs and trampoline facilities to amusement, water and adventure parks.