Play Centre's in a Nutshell

Play Centre's can be great for kids to develop in a social area whilst staying active, do you remember some of the early years birthday parties you’ve been to, it’s tough but I can vaguely remember one specific place where everyone had their birthday parties at, there was a huge wall of play cells that you could go in all manner of directions and swing from different apparatus, rooms of darkness with wires all over reminiscent of a spider web and the finale being a devastating 90 degree slide that went into a sea of plastic balls, hours feel like minutes and the day is always finished too early, well at that age that’s what it all felt like. But as you get older and realise you’re the one now taking your children to these Play Centres you can’t help but think, 'I can’t wait to get this over with'.

The Obvious Do Not's

Now obviously the worst things to do to hinder any form of business growth is not providing a safe, clean environment for young ones to run around in, food has to be of a certain standard of quality as it should be and also not providing a unique unforgettable experience can make a child resistant to come back and at the end of the day even though they are not paying, they are the customer.

Realising There's More Than 1 Customer

So, with the obvious out of the way, what is the one thing that can really block your business from thriving? Neglecting Parent's and other guardians and leaving them out in terms of customer satisfaction. Providing even the basic needs will make an improvement, however if you go the extra mile and provide top quality service to not only the kids but also to their parents then when a child wishes to come back to your establishment there won’t be any friction, especially for a parent who doesn’t want to be sat in a plastic chair made for a 5 year old, waiting for the golden hour so they can escape a rampaging cesspit of snot and drool. A bit of an exaggeration but not incorrect.

Providing a relaxed adult area with comfy seating, beverages to enjoy and an over-watch to the play area will do more than you think to help improve your chances of customers returning. Separated menus and drinks can be one of the best ways to go about it as adults don’t really tend to have a massive appetite for fish fingers, nuggets and chips, It doesn’t have to be a variety of options but at least be different.

You could provide some form of entertainment; most Dad’s will really appreciate a TV with any form of sports channel on it. But if that’s out of the budget then at least providing Wi-Fi will be the next best thing, seeing as everyone has a mobile phone. Which can be a good way of passing the time.

Serve the Good Stuff

Good quality drinks are where it’s at most of the time, if you do happen to get a couple of coffee lovers (and you will find out as they tend to ask about coffee) then providing top quality coffee is a must but what should you get in terms of machines, it’s dependent on your budget but you would definitely need a self-serving machine as most staff will be preoccupied with other duties, maybe something that can kick out a great tasting coffee quickly and for a potentially large group and when it comes to drinks options its always nice to have a choice.

There are many options to choose from but finding the right one for you may need input from an expert, luckily we have a few on hand here at Stafco.

At the end of the day some of the best play centres adhere to both groups because even if you win over the kids, mum and dad still have the money.