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.

Build rapport and morale with these coaching questions. 

The secret to solid cash control is culture, processes, accountability, and oversight. 

Fraud prevention can be a scary topic because no one wants to believe team members could steal from their employer. But you can't leave prevention up to chance. To set your business up for solid cash control, we've updated this important post to give you everything you need to take the fear out of fraud prevention.

Follow this formula for the best ROI³ (Return on Investment In Information) 

Guest experience feedback is one of the best tools your team has to help create a winning culture for guests and staff. We asked guest experience innovator, Scot Carson, founder and CEO of Amusement Advantage, Inc., to share his top tips for making the most of both negative and postive feedback. Read on as Scot shares his tried and true steps to making the most of critical guest feedback.  

Introducing some new ideas to help you make a difference in your commmunity. 

This time of year is always filled with fundraising and donation requests from your community. With everything that’s going on, you may need to adjust your approach this year. As you consider which organizations to support, be sure to think about how best to benefit both your community and your business. This includes what to offer, pricing, donation terms, and possible ancillary sales opportunities instore later. 

We outlined a few fundraising options in a previous post, and today our CenterEdge Operations team is sharing a few new ideas - along with some practical advice for setting up your new programs. Check it out below, or CenterEdge clients can view the extended post in the Ops Blog. 

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. 

Rather than putting up purchase barriers by forcing guests to pay a certain way, here are a few modifications that you can make to your operation to lessen your facility’s need for coins. 

With the US facing a coin shortage, we’re seeing signs posted in local businesses refusing cash, asking for exact change, or reminding us that they’re in need of change. Family entertainment businesses are faced with this issue, too. But before you join them in forcing guests into controversial payment processes, consider this: if a guest tries to give you money, you probably should take it.