Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - opening up a internet café/gaming center

Mondak · 02-23-2004, 06:45 PM

Couple of random thoughts that may or may not answer your questions.

1. Location, Location, Location

2. Decide who your most likely customers are and focus on them. Don't try to be all things to all people. What types of things do these folks want and what types of "problems" can what you are offering solve. Judge this from the location itself mostly. I have only been there once, but I would imagine that younger folks are what you are looking for as your primary user and not really business people. Think about ways to help this person do what they need to.

e.g.
- Lots of people have digital cameras, not too many have photoprinters and the photopaper that makes all the difference. How about a workstation set up with photoediting software (basic stuff like Microsoft PictureIt! so that you don't end up doing photoshop support all day). Maybe they pay by the printed picture and get the amount of time on the workstation (rated by printed picture) included. Something in the $0.60 area ought to do it with volume discounts above and below that price based on your costs.
- Young people / students are many times working on resumes. Have good printers and paper. Also, have a copy of full Acrobat so you can make their resumes into things that always display on screen the same and always print without formatting issues that happen between different versions of Word.
- What other problems are you likely target looking to solve? Get a card reader and burn CDs of pictures for someone who is on a trip, Making sure your access has things like webcams and the right software installed that will fit your target customer is key.

3. Money is an issue. No matter what you think you need to start this thing, you need way more. As such, prioritize on what is most likely to generate revenue and do those things very well so people keep coming back. Gamers are notoriously cheap. Focusing on them (with what is a larger capital expenditure for a gaming rig rather than an internet browsing pc) may not lead you to the pot of gold in the early months of operation. If you are set on getting a gaming center in, do it slowly and gauge demand carefully.

Like I said, ask yourself the question, "What do my customers want from my service?" Make your business around that and you will be fine.

Just some initial thoughts. Hope they help.

02-23-2004, 06:45 PM	#6 (permalink)
Mondak Industrialist Location: Southern California	Couple of random thoughts that may or may not answer your questions. 1. Location, Location, Location 2. Decide who your most likely customers are and focus on them. Don't try to be all things to all people. What types of things do these folks want and what types of "problems" can what you are offering solve. Judge this from the location itself mostly. I have only been there once, but I would imagine that younger folks are what you are looking for as your primary user and not really business people. Think about ways to help this person do what they need to. e.g. - Lots of people have digital cameras, not too many have photoprinters and the photopaper that makes all the difference. How about a workstation set up with photoediting software (basic stuff like Microsoft PictureIt! so that you don't end up doing photoshop support all day). Maybe they pay by the printed picture and get the amount of time on the workstation (rated by printed picture) included. Something in the $0.60 area ought to do it with volume discounts above and below that price based on your costs. - Young people / students are many times working on resumes. Have good printers and paper. Also, have a copy of full Acrobat so you can make their resumes into things that always display on screen the same and always print without formatting issues that happen between different versions of Word. - What other problems are you likely target looking to solve? Get a card reader and burn CDs of pictures for someone who is on a trip, Making sure your access has things like webcams and the right software installed that will fit your target customer is key. 3. Money is an issue. No matter what you think you need to start this thing, you need way more. As such, prioritize on what is most likely to generate revenue and do those things very well so people keep coming back. Gamers are notoriously cheap. Focusing on them (with what is a larger capital expenditure for a gaming rig rather than an internet browsing pc) may not lead you to the pot of gold in the early months of operation. If you are set on getting a gaming center in, do it slowly and gauge demand carefully. Like I said, ask yourself the question, "What do my customers want from my service?" Make your business around that and you will be fine. Just some initial thoughts. Hope they help. __________________ All truth passes through three stages: First it is ridiculed Second, it is violently opposed and Third, it is accepted as self-evident. ARTHUR SCHOPENHAUER (1788-1860) Last edited by Mondak; 02-23-2004 at 06:47 PM..