By Mike Rotondo, CEO of Altitude Trampoline Park
The family entertainment industry is witnessing rapid expansion, drawing interest from numerous franchise operators seeking investment opportunities. This sector holds immense potential for success, driven by the increasing demand for indoor, supervised activity spaces that keep children actively engaged while deterring excessive screen time. To succeed in any business landscape in today’s day and age, it is paramount to keep up with current trends in technology. The integration of advanced technology can not only help to maintain the interest and needs to children, but also enhance safety measures, a key element parents seek out in children’s activities and hobbies. Technology has the ability to overall streamline a business’s operations, providing a smoother and stress-free environment for both customers and employees.
The Key to Staying Relevant is Gamification
Gamification has emerged as a significant transformation within the family entertainment industry, compelling brands to reinvent their venues to remain relevant in the evolving landscape. The traditional concept of family entertainment centers has shifted with businesses looking to accommodate children’s current interest in the digital world.
For parents, family entertainment centers serve as a valuable resource to divert children from their phones and iPads, bringing them to an environment that encourages physical activity and socialization. However, recent years have brought a notable shift in children’s interests with many preferring to spend time playing video games and socializing online. Successful family entertainment industries have navigated this shift by seamlessly integrating physical activities, like trampolines, dodgeball, and basketball, with digital components like gaming and augmented reality. This integration meets the needs and interests of today’s kids by ensuring both active engagement and digital entertainment.
Living in a digital age where kids are more connected to technology than ever before, the integration of gamification for family entertainment centers has become crucial to sustain children’s’ interest long-term. The incorporation of digital activity is an important strategy for brands to stay relevant in today’s market, acknowledging that traditional models alone are no longer robust enough to stand independently.
Increasing Safety Measures
The growing number of parents seeking family entertainment highlights the importance of supervised activity spaces for the safety and security of their children. With many parents interested in activities that will keep their kids active and social, one other crucial aspect they are looking for is safety. Effective staff training is important for success in family entertainment centers, as this will ensure strict safety measures that will overall play a role in any brand’s success.
A noteworthy trend in the industry is that many brands are recognizing the value in collaborating with innovative learning platforms to strengthen staff training procedures. Given the high level of regulation in the family entertainment sector, learning management systems have become an excellent solution. The incorporation of a learning management platform streamlines safety training verification, validates employee knowledge through assessments, and records compliance with safety protocols. Adopting a comprehensive approach certifies that all employees are well-versed in essential safety and compliance protocols, and as a result, reducing risks and potential liabilities.
Furthermore, a major benefit of partnering with a learning management platform is the integration of mobile accessibility. Leveraging a user-friendly, mobile-responsive platform allows employees to access training materials conveniently from their iOS or Android devices. This flexibility facilitates training anywhere and anytime, accommodating the dynamic workforce of a family entertainment park and ensuring close supervision of all guests for enhanced safety.
Streamlining Operations
Undoubtedly, technology stands as a crucial asset for any business, offering the capability to streamline operations and provide a hassle-free experience for both customers and staff. For franchisors aspiring to achieve success, recognizing the significance of a well-designed and functional website is crucial. Any good business begins with a website, as customers should be able to easily access information about the offerings at your venue, find nearby locations, and check operational hours.
Additionally, one key revenue stream for family entertainment parks is offering birthday and private party packages. To maximize success with this offering, information should be readily available on a company’s website, guiding families on the services offered and providing a straightforward process for event booking. Similarly, membership programs allow family entertainment centers to be much more affordable and accessible for customers, and the sign-up process should be smooth and efficient both through websites and mobile apps. Franchisors looking to attract franchisees should also offer a comprehensive website that can serve as a valuable resource for prospective owners, offering detailed information and enabling easy inquiries.
Along with having a robust online presence, the adoption of a reliable point-of-sale (POS) system is critical. A powerful POS ticketing solution not only boosts revenue but also saves time and enhances the overall guest experience. When selecting a POS system, prioritizing a user-friendly interface and cloud-based convenience is fundamental.
The implementation of an effective customer-relationship management (CRM) system is also important. A cohesive and customizable CRM platform empowers businesses to collect, store, and manage customer data, providing valuable insights for forecasting future sales and automating marketing and sales processes. A well-integrated CRM system allows businesses to understand their customers better, generate sales reports, and maintain a centralized database across the business.
Achieving success in a franchise business requires embracing modern day technology solutions. Technology not only enhances the entertainment experience for guests, but also assists in their safety and provides a stress-free visit for all involved. Traditional family entertainment models are no longer sufficient in today’s market, and staying current with technology is imperative for repeat visitors.
Mike Rotondo serves as CEO of Altitude Trampoline Park, a subsidiary of Indoor Active Brands where he’s expanded the brand’s footprint to nearly 100 locations. As part of Indoor Active Brand’s continued growth, Rotondo will now develop the company’s latest concept, The Pickle Pad, that brings the same brand of active fun from kids to adults.