So, you’ve finally decided to take the leap and upgrade to new software. Honestly, it’s about time. Old software can gum up the works of your business, or even lead to loss of crucial data. But, just because you know something’s wrong, it can take a while to get to the point to make a change.

As behaviorists and psychologists explain, loss aversion rules many of us. Loss aversion refers to the idea that the pain of losing something is actually stronger than the joy of getting something. Essentially, we cling to what’s familiar. After all, the unknown is a lot scarier than the known: it could always get worse, right? But that’s negativity for you. Good on you for realizing that good things come to those who embrace change.

But, now that you’ve decided to make a switch, it’s important to do it right. There’s a reason we fear the unknown, after all. That's why we have complied a list of suggestions you should employ that will help your software transition go from hectic to a crowd pleasing success!

#1 Research

Before anything else, spend time researching your options. You might think you’re wasting time, but nothing feels more like a time-sink than discovering your new point of sale software actually doesn’t do what you thought. Examine your options with a list of your needs, and compare until you find the best fit. Then schedule a demonstration of your top software choices. See it in action and come prepared with you list of must haves to ensure that the system you choose fits the needs of your venue.

#2 Plan

Once you’ve narrowed down your software choices, make a plan for how to make the transition as seamless as possible. Ask the software providers about switching costs, downtime that may require you to close park, and if training is provided. Clients switching to Active8 never experience downtime and enjoy optional onsite launch support. After all, a great first impression is essential to a lasting relationship! Our cloud based software system is also able to connect to any WIFI enabled device. This means you get to keep your existing hardware!

#3 Communicate

How many of us have experienced a well-organized roll-out, and a poorly planned one? The differences are staggering in how long it takes to get employees up to speed, and the learning curve can affect everyone differently. We make sure everyone affected by the software transition understands what’s going on by offering onsite training. Active8 clients also enjoy a single point of contact prior to and immediately following your software launch.

#4 Have a Training Plan

A well executed training plan saves time and ensures that your staff will be able to get back to what really matters, helping your customers have fun at your entertainment center. Our onsite training and easy to navigate platform ensures that your staff goes from novice to an expert in no time. And if questions arise, you can rest assured that our customer support team is available 7 days a week to help!

#5 Post-Launch Follow Up

Check in with your staff and make sure that they have a solid understanding of your improved software system. Questions can come up immediately, or during special circumstances.  Give people the space to learn, and they’ll reward you with a smoothly-run business.

You know you’ve got it made when you can’t imagine waiting so long to upgrade your software. If you want to learn more about new software and the capabilities you’re missing out on, give us a call to schedule a demo today.

We recently heard a story that gave us chills up and down our spines. We lost our appetite and couldn’t sleep. We tossed and turned, and would have slept with the lights on if we thought it would’ve helped.

Imagine working hard on your business. Spending long nights crunching numbers, formatting your family entertainment center software, and putting in time building your business instead of relaxing on weekends and week nights with friends or family. Knowing you were building something big that could support your family and allow you to be there with them for dance recitals and soccer games.

Then, you lose it all.

This is essentially what happened. One person in the trampoline park industry had to dismiss an employee (we don’t know the details), and that not so happy ex-employee took a magnet to their local server. It's a nightmare like no other! Imagine having a vulnerability in your business that could be so easily exploited. This trampoline park owner lost ALL of their data for their business. All because of one quick decision made out of anger.

Sure, they still had the trampoline park facility and the employees, but imagine the chaos that would ensue. Without your data, customers wouldn’t have any saved information or preferences. Anything purchased before would be lost. Booked birthday parties, pre-booked tickets, waiver history, and customer data would be wiped out.

You could get past it, of course. In time, you could collect new customer information and build up new lists. You’d lose out on many customers who were negatively affected by the shuffle, and lose money.

A Cloud Based Solution That Keeps Your Data Secure!

Wouldn’t you rather avoid the problem to begin with? Imagine showing up on a Saturday with 20 parties booked and not knowing when they would arrive, who it was for, how much had been paid, or if anyone had waivers. Avoid the problem by using our CLOUD BASED software. With Active8 as your software solution you can rest easy knowing that your data is safely secured on our cloud based system. You have enough to worry about when running your business, don't let the potential loss of your data haunt your dreams. Ditch the server and switch to our all-in-one cloud based software solution today!

Remember the good ol’ days of MySpace? Or when you got the first iPhone?

Hold onto your hats because MySpace was founded in 2003, and the first iPhone came out in 2007. In less than twenty years, MySpace rose and fell, and the iPhone evolved into its tenth version. Isn’t it crazy to think If you’re still holding on to old technology, you may not even know how far we’ve come?

The same goes for trampoline park software you use every day to run your business. Keep reading for some of the key signs that you’re in need of an upgrade to a more current, nimble point of sale software.

Not Intuitive

If you’re using old software, the first thing you’ll notice is how hard it is to get employees up to speed. You may be familiar with an older software, but old software was not intuitive or designed for a great user experience. You should be able to teach a new employee your software quickly. If your software involves the task of memorizing commands and sequences, your software is way too old to help you succeed in the modern business age. Technology should be working for you, not against you.

Customer Satisfaction

Your customers are what drives your business, so why do so many businesses seem to forget about them? When your customer is unable to work with you effectively and efficiently, they will find someone else to solve their problem. That means, they’ll probably find your competitors. Your family entertainment center software needs to focus on the customers, and how they can work with you easier. They want to spend their money with you, but poor software will make them think you don’t want it.

Money Down the Drain

Software can pay for itself by bringing you more customers, happier regulars, and data to help you make future plans. If your software isn’t pulling its weight, that’s money down the drain. Effective software speeds up your ability to process payments and work with your needs. Amazing software has talent behind it, and the right software will offer state-of-the art options and solutions for your problems. Case in point: birthday parties. If you’re running a trampoline park, you know how much birthday parties matter to the health of your business. Specially-designed birthday party booking software can help take work off your hands, so you can focus on bigger, more timely tasks.

If your software is old, tired, and ready to be replaced, we can help. Contact us to schedule a demo today.

Have you ever lost something important? Fires, floods, thieves. You name it, it’s happened. The worst part is losing things you can’t replace. Pictures of your kids, wedding rings, and family heirlooms can disappear in the blink of an eye. And while the cloud can’t backup your wedding ring, it can back up crucial information to the health of your business. Keep reading to learn why you should back up your important business information to the cloud.

Disaster Recovery

Remember that flood we mentioned? Unfortunately, natural disasters are not as rare as we would like. And, they can impact your business life, just as hard as they can impact your home. If you’re storing your data locally, you’re putting all your eggs in one basket. With the cloud, your data is duplicated and stored in multiple locations in a region. That lowers your risk of losing important data, even if something were to happen in an area where one specific data center is located.

Availability

The cloud never sleeps. It’s always available for you, like a good dog. No matter if you’re on your phone or laptop, in your office or waiting for a flight in the airport. Having constant access to important data that you need to look at for meetings or business decisions is key to having an agile business. Don’t worry about a tech kicking a cable and unplugging it. Your data is available anywhere, anytime, on any device with a WIFI connect…Even your mobile device.

Scalability

You can easily grow your software infrastructure into emerging markets. If you've been looking at opening a new entertainment center in a new country, it’s so much easier to do with the cloud. Our cloud based software can be deployed in a new market without a lot of the hassle you’d get with software that needs to be stored locally. You can easily duplicate and expand your business with the cloud.

Ditch the Server

Ready to ditch the server and sleep well again at night not worried about the next hurricane, tornado, or clumsy employee who trips over your computer cords everyday? Give us a call or book a demo. We'd be happy to show you how our cloud based software solution can grant you peace of mind.

Though it feels like Corporate America started the official holiday season the day after Halloween this year, the truth is, you should be thinking and planning that far ahead, too. Even farther, when it comes to behind the scenes work. When it comes to business (not just entertainment centers), it’s the people who are organized and plan ahead that often succeed. So if your business model is more of the “winging it” or “we’ll figure it out later” type, well, we have a resolution for you. And, we also have a family entertainment center point of sale system that can help you streamline and understand your business better, by the way. 😉

Being able to take full advantage of the holiday season doesn’t require too much. A little forethought and time spent understanding who your customer is and what makes them happy will go a long way. Keep reading for one key thing you need to know to keep your family entertainment center thriving.

Who (or What) Is the Competition?

Identifying your competition is key to a successful campaign. Why are people choosing that option? Alternatively, what would keep them from choosing that route? Knowing where you fit in the picture gives you your “in.” And though you likely know your competition, you may not have realized that it can change with the weather. Whaaaa?

Competing With The Great Outdoors

For example, if you’re located in a cold state that gets a lot of snow, your climbing gym, trampoline park, or indoor playground may be competing with the great outdoors. Sledding, skiing, and ice skating all become way more popular this time of year, if only because you can only ski in the snow (unless you’re “ a creative” maybe). Going further, understand who is and who isn’t taking advantage of that weather. You may find a perfect market in families with kids too young to go skiing. Or, alternatively, your target market could end up containing all of those people who transplanted to your cold weather city for work, and never liked the snow anyway.

Another…Disney…Movie…Remake

You might also be competing with the influx of movies that hit the theaters right around this time of year. Whether it’s the third remake of a kid’s holiday movie, or a nice refreshing action movie with an impossibly fit star in his 60’s (our personal fave), the movies that earn millions year after year sometimes leave us scratching our heads. But, alas, the heart wants what it wants. If your entertainment center's location is near a movie theatre, consider teaming up with that theater to offer discounted tickets or spruce up your signage to lure in patrons just leaving the theater.

Holiday Shoppers

Let’s just say that you’re going after the shoppers this time of year. That can be tricky, if you’re looking at it from a straight-forward perspective. We’re definitely not going to suggest that parents leave their kids unsupervised at your family entertainment center so they can shop, so how can we convince them to spend a few precious hours with you?

It’s easier than you think. Suggest that multiple families team up for an afternoon at your ninja gym, trampoline park, or climbing center. That way, some parents can stay and watch the kids, while others can go get some shopping done.

Let’s face it, a lot of dads would rather play dodgeball on a trampoline than spend four hours shopping anyway. Not everyone thinks of things like this, so suggesting it can be a real help for guests. A sandwich board in front of your location, a social media post, or a small flyer can all help spread the word.

When in doubt, don’t be afraid to experiment. The last-minute deal might become the tool you use again and again. Once you’ve gotten your post-Thanksgiving deals under control, give us a call. Our cloud based point of sale software can help you plan ahead for busy days and keep your employees sane.