CenterEdge Software Blog

Continue to adapt your approach in these key areas to meet your business' needs in the ever-changing amusement landscape.

Many times over these last months, it seemed like all we could do just to survive some days. We had to reimagine our businesses as we fought to reopen and recover. As you look forward to the new year, now is a good time to review the management strategies that you implemented and decide how you need to change them in the new year. 

We brought back our facility management blog series to help you analyze your approach around the key areas that can help your amusement facility thrive as you move forward. Each section links to a more detailed blog for easy reference so that you can start where it makes the most sense.  

Optimism is a renewable resource. Boost yours with these tips.

At the most recent Birthday University online Master Class, when asked how everyone is, an attendee responded, “well I get paid to be optimistic but my optimism sure takes a beating sometimes.” I believe that we can all relate to that sentiment these days. The good news is that optimism, like happiness, is a “renewable resource” and fostering more of it can help prepare you for a brighter, more successful new year. Read on for seven ways to improve your outlook today.

Spoiler alert – it still takes a culture built around respect, consistent practice and accountability

During a time with higher unemployment rates, it might be easy to think that team members will stay with your FEC just to have a job. But falling into this trap and not focusing on your company culture puts your business at risk for losing your best team members - and your customers. Because if your team isn't happy, no one will be. That's why we're bringing back this important post to remind leaders about what it takes to maintain a world-class culture. 

There are no do-overs during face to face interactions with guests; team members must be equipped to get it right from the start. 

Guest service interactions have been on our mind a lot lately. Your team has a lot to worry about just making sure they are keeping on top of all the changing processes. They shouldn't have to worry about saying the wrong thing to a guest and damaging your facility's guest experience OR reputation.

That's why we decided to update the top phrases team members should never use to help remind staff that there are some words better left unsaid. 

Practice daily gratitude and reap benefits like better decision-making capabilities, improved relationships with your team and community, and more. 

We were so sad to learn of Creative Works’ founder, Jeff Schilling’s, recent passing.  He will be greatly missed. Jeff’s legacy lives on through the results of his commitment to innovation in our industry and his lessons about making a difference every day.

Today, we’re sharing how Jeff’s words of wisdom about gratitude can help you become a powerful influence in your business, family, and community. 

Guest experience may be changing, but one fact remains - use data to inform your strategy. 

As you continue to adapt to the challenges each new day brings, it also makes sense to take a broader look at industry trends and consider whether your plan will put your business ahead of, or behind, the competition. 

We were asked not long ago to provide our analysis of the 2020 FunRating Report, provided by Amusement Advantage, to help facilities make sense of survey results from over 600 attractions across the family entertainment and amusement industry. Our full five-part analysis was published inside the report, but here we wanted to share three of the key takeaways that can help you continue to think creatively about your operation now, and in the future. 

Systems are ready. Offerings are updated. Capacity management controls are in place. For many facilities, it's showtime. But is your team ready?

To wrap up our blog series, Rethinking Your Facility Management Approach, we’d like to share a quick word of encouragement along with a few tips to consider when outlining your training plan for reopening your FEC. Take these three final steps to prepare to reopen.

It’s unlikely that you will have a bottomless marketing budget to dip into when you are in the early stages of welcoming guests back. 

What is likley, however, is that you'll need to rethink your marketing plan in light of phased opening approaches and ever-changing guidelines. It will be important for your facility to create a strategic communication and marketing approach that will drive key guest behavior. That’s why we’ve put together these five steps to help you get started. 

With the economy struggling, soon entertainment businesses will once again be positioned to offer guests a safe place to escape and play. But consumers will likely be more careful of where and how they spend their entertainment dollar, at least in the early phases of the recovery.

The facilities that will rebound the best will most likely be those with well-planned programs and packages. It will be important to deliver value and excitement to the consumer while building a strong revenue stream for your business. We’ve put together five things you need to know when building recurring revenue programs in your park or FEC.

The world changes daily during the COVID-19 pandemic and entertainment and leisure businesses need to be ready to meet new standards and manage evolving guest expectations.

But even with so much uncertainty right now, one thing is certain: Our industry has always been reimagining itself, with every new attraction, every unique experience.

That hasn’t changed and it never will.  

The question is, then, how can your business evolve faster than ever before, with a landscape that appears to have changed overnight?  Our varied amusement industry experience tells us that each amusement sector, from water park to FEC to adventure attraction, has already unearthed unique facility management needs in their everyday operation. It’s time now to bring those insights together and develop your newly imagined operational plan.

Whether you need to implement first-time capacity management systems or expand your recently discovered takeout business niche, CenterEdge is here to help. Read on for some of the ways to rethink your facility management approach in the days and weeks to come.