When it comes to business, this quote could not apply more. While a good experience is always nice, it’s the bad experiences that tend to leave a lasting impression. If we go to a restaurant and we’re seated at a dirty table where our waiter rarely makes an appearance followed by mediocre food, we’ve experienced the trifecta of a bad dining experience that makes us want to demand a manager or start typing our yelp review on the spot. Forget about returning. And while we’re at it, we’ll tell everyone we know that will listen. Negative experiences are powerful and they stick with us, which is why every interaction and every opportunity to make a good first impression should be the goal of your family entertainment center (FEC). You’ll lose repeat customers faster than you can type your apology letter. 

You’re at your business day in and day out making it difficult to see past all the fine details but we have you covered from the online search for your FEC, to the guest experiences inside and out.

Appearance

This may be the most obvious, but it applies to nearly every aspect of your FEC. From cleanliness to clean lines, fresh paint, clean floors and employee dress, the appearance of your entire family entertainment center must exude that feeling you get when you sit in a brand new car. Besides your parking lot and entrance into your center, the lobby is one of the first opportunities to make a good impression. All it takes is for one employee to miss their cleaning shift, or your team to be missing in action, or decide to skip the greeting and welcoming pleasantries. One occurrence alone might not make or break return visitors, but multiple scenarios in one visit will. Every dining room, gaming area and countertop should be clean at all times. Restrooms are no exception but oftentimes get overlooked. Are your facilities always clean and well stocked with soap and toilet paper? Do all the doors close and lock? Or are they on the verge of crumbling on top of your guests. A dirty, run down, restroom with missing amenities can be one of thee most off-putting experiences for your guests, especially when kids are involved. Do not overlook the overall appearance of your entire facility from top to bottom. While it might not always look like it did on opening day, making sure it is not run-down is key to making a great first impression.

Experience

As a family entertainment center, you’re in the business of creating experiences. Experiences that are so fun and exhilarating your guests will want to return and bring their friends along. Greeting guests is so simple, yet so powerful -  it’s the simplest way to kick-off a great experience. Create excitement! Do you have screens around your center to display leaderboards, top times for go karting, upcoming events or promotions? Do you have enough staff and Point of Sale (POS) stations to handle large groups, quickly and efficiently? Is it quick and easy for parents to add minors to their waivers? Consider registration kiosks that allow your guests to register upon arrival and sign their waivers. Your employees can take care of their booking, upsells, questions and most of all creating a more personal experience in the most efficient manner possible. 

Convenience

Appealing to your guests preferred method of interaction is necessary if you want to earn their business and expect them to return. Make it easy for them to partake in all the activities at your FEC using cashless card systems, upsell membership packages or let them know about your loyalty programs. All easy ways to encourage return visits.  Social media and websites is a first stop for many these days since it is usually the most convenient. Can guests easily search and find your website? Does your website list all of the activities, amenities and promotions available at your family entertainment center? Do you offer online booking and can you accept forms of payment through your website? Making their online experience easy and seamless and most of all convenient, can be just as important to their experience inside your facility. Especially if your family entertainment center serves a high volume of tourists, or hosts a lot of parties. Here are a few more tips on how your FEC can  grow your customer base.

Conclusion

Creating a positive experience for your guests that turns into repeat business begins with creating a culture at your family entertainment center. From day one, groom your employees to understand the significance of customer service and the specific actions they can take to positively impact that experience. Their positive attitude and willingness to serve guests will be a large part of the first impression of your family entertainment center to guarantee repeat customers. Take a look at more Clubspeed features that can help your FEC deliver a positive guest experience.