A primitive form of bowling is suggested to have originated as early as 3200 B.C. The sport has gone through many changes through the centuries, perhaps one of the biggest changes in the 1950s, when human pin-setters were widely replaced by machines – making the game faster, more fun and cost-efficient.
The automated pin-setter represents technology that improves the customer experience and makes a business more profitable. Wherever you see families enjoying themselves – whether in bowling alleys, arcades, playing laser tag and more – you find new technologies making people happier.
Better Wait Experience
Let’s stay with bowling for a moment. Bowling alleys have become a staple on Friday and Saturday nights, and waiting for a lane to open is often unavoidable. But that doesn’t mean that patrons’ time need be wasted.
Investing in coaster pagers eliminates the old clipboard system of keeping a wait list and allows guests to visit the bar or arcade area while they wait, adding revenue and decreasing customer boredom. This might not cut down on wait times, but allowing your guests to have fun until their lane opens is a much better option than having them sit near the front desk checking their watch.
As a bonus, pagers remove the need for noisy overhead paging, which can really ruin the ambience of an entertainment center that already rings with bowling pins, arcade games and fun music.
Ultimate Customer Service
Another pager every bowling alley owner should know about is the push-for-service pager. Some nights, bowlers can find themselves waiting in line for a drink or snack for 5-10 minutes. Even a short wait can be frustrating when you’re paying for time on a lane.
Placing a push-for-service pager at each table allows your customers to enjoy their full lane time and still take advantage of your food and drink menu, which can provide a significant portion of the alley’s profit. All someone has to do is push a button and a waiter or waitress can take their order, deliver the food, refill drinks, charge their credit card or whatever other service the customer needs.
These pagers also have multiple buttons, so you can set one up to alert the front desk. If anything goes wrong, like a bowling ball getting stuck in the lane, they can send a silent page to an employee who can resolve the issue.
Improved Staff Efficiency
We’ve been specifically referencing bowling alleys, but these solutions can help any family entertainment center, whether miniature golf or arcades, become more efficient and customer-friendly.
Some family entertainment centers can be sprawling, including bowling, arcades, laser tag, poolrooms and one or more restaurants. Two-way radios streamline communication with employees in different areas, and increase responsiveness to customer needs.
In every case, keep this in mind: The best way to improve your customers’ experience is to give them what they want, and quickly. Technology solutions such as coaster pagers, push-for-service pagers and two-way radios are the best, most-reliable way to do that.