CenterEdge Software Blog

Your birthday party experience can be a guest's first exposure to your business, so it's essential that you deliver on your promises. 

Birthday parties are great offerings for your business and can bring in an entirely new audience. But those brand new guests (and their parents) are making decisions about not just parties at your facility, but also your entire experience, from the moment they first engage with you. 

That's why it's essential that you develop a party experience that you can deliver again and again at the right level. Here are a few steps to help you do just that. 

With consumers becoming more discerning than ever, the best FEC's always find ways to surprise and delight. 

After our recent labor blog where we talked about the importance of transparency with guests, we thought it made sense to follow up with the importance of constantly pushing to operate smarter. 

COVID has impacted our communities and businesses in ways we are probably still not completely aware of yet. But some businesses have also used COVID or the labor shortage as an excuse for mediocre products and services. While guests may be forgiving initially, we all know that any grace we're afforded for questionable guest service is likely short-term at best. 

To help get back to what makes a memorable guest experience, we brought back this popular blog with five ways to impress your guests.

Transparency, consistency, and creativity might help in the days of doing more with less. 

The labor shortage has been a hot topic in retail and hospitality for employers and consumers alike. Lately, I have seen a few frontline team members expressing how difficult it is to work some days given the increased traffic and reduced staff. 

I have also noticed a few unique ways that establishments have handled the crisis that I thought might be worth sharing. Read on for a few tips and attention-grabbing ideas that might help you manage the situation in ways that keep your team and your guests happy.

Consumers are more discerning than ever; set your facility up for success from the start.

We recently discussed how we've been hearing stories of business owners experiencing more negative interactions with guests in recent months, and how to navigate those troubled waters in ways that can resolve problems before they escalate.

But besides the stress of the last year taking its toll, what could be causing so many new complaints? I believe many of the complaints businesses are getting have the same root cause they've always had: the guest experience killer known as customer friction. 

The pandemic has created a lot of friction for consumers and businesses in the last year. With the developments of ever-changing guidelines and policies, it's no wonder guests and business owners alike are feeling the effects. That's why it makes sense to get back to basics and take a fresh look at your FEC's current practices and determine whether they're helping, or hurting your overall guest experiences. Read on for five ways to reduce friction in your facility.  

Use these steps to help you manage tense situations with angry guests in a way that you can be proud of. 

A year into the pandemic, we're seeing a lot of positive movement towards getting back to normal. However, recently in online forum threads, we have begun to notice that an increasing number of business owners are facing unusually negative reviews and more angry customers than ever.

I think it's safe to say that the last year has left us all more stressed than ever and that stress is making its mark. But even though we might be facing more challenging situations, we need to respond in a way that resolves a problem quickly and positively. That's why we're bringing back these tips to help your team win every tense situation they face. 

Thoughtful program planning and strategic rollout can make all the difference. 

Now that you’ve heard about some of the key benefits, new CenterEdge tools, and a success story, you’re probably ready to think about setting up a membership program for yourself. 

Today’s interview with CenterEdge client, Zach Johnson of Rev’d Up Fun, will give you terrific insights to help you decide if building a membership program is right for you. 

As we discussed in Part One of this blog series, membership programs could have the potential to bring in a brand new revenue stream for your facility. But do they actually work?

We decided the best way to illustrate program benefits would be to let a CenterEdge operator like you share his results. 

Rev’d Up Fun is a 30,000 square foot state-of-the-art family entertainment center in Woodhaven, Michigan. This family-owned and operated venue features multiple attraction offerings, including Ballocity, axe throwing, laser tag, a ropes course, an XD Dark Ride, bumper cars, and a game zone, as well as a full-service food and beverage offering. 

We sat down with Zach Johnson, Owner, and asked him to share his experience with membership programs and his plans to make memberships a key component of Rev’d Up Fun’s offering.

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.