Internet Cafe Must Haves
When you walk into an internet cafe, what are the things you look for? Is it ambience? Do you ask how fast the computers and the connection are?
These and many more can make or break a cafe. There are several factors to success, most notably would be good customer service. Let’s try to analyze what a cafe player or denizen needs when he steps into those doors in order for him or her to return and hence, be a regular customer.
More after the break
Once you and your partners decide on your cafe’s business plan, it’s time to consider what the customers need and want. Needs are basic - connection, computers, software and hardware while “wants” are the value-added services that give your cafe that extra “oomph” versus competition.
Below are just some of my thoughts:
Needs
- Faster computers - it’s always logical to have the fastest computers in your area (against other cafes). Why? This is one of the single, most important factors to tell your customers that “hey, for the same price, I can give you a better gaming experience”. A decent computer is also one of the first things that new customers notice, so if you’re gonna splurge on the budget, do so with the hardware
- Software / Content - What’s a great PC without great games or applications? Common sense. Showcase games that only your PC specs can brag about. Your PCs can play Crysis on high? Do it. Also, make sure you have the latest and best MMORPGs and software/apps for your customers.
- Connection - lag will spread through your potential customers liek the plague. No one wants to play in a cafe where the connection is slow. Get the fastest line that your budget can afford. You won’t regret it.
- Hardware - make sure that you have webcams, printers, photocopiers, scanners and maybe even a fax machine. The extra income derived from this will help in the long run
- Food - gamers deserve the right nutrition. Check out my article on Gamer Food 101 for more details. You don’t want customers to go out for food. Hey! They might not return. A good starter would be instant noodles, coffee, soda and energy drinks and then just make notes on what they want later.
Wants
- Ambience - not to dark not to bright. Go to some cafes and you’ll see what I mean. The ambience must be conducive to work and/or play.
- Privacy - cafe goers want privacy. Make sure that those nearby CANNOT see what they are typing or doing. Also, something like a board between users can protect sensitive information like usernames and passwords.
- Extra service - Do you have a loyalty program? This can be something as simple as a card which you stamp every visit and then they get free hours if they get enough stamps. These little VAS can slowly build your loyal customer base.
Remember, even if you do all the above, I feel that the most important would be good customer service, be helpful, be courteous and ask your staff to smile.
It also helps (a LOT) if your “bantay” is a gamer since he’ll push the games to your users and the users see great value in the tutorials and the advice that they’ll eventually get.
Hope this helps.
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Geetee said
am April 3 2008 @ 8:36 pm
I love the idea..
Thanks papa Mon ^_^
alwell said
am April 3 2008 @ 10:31 pm
If the bantay is a gamer expect it that most of the time he will just play games and worst he will even tell the customer na “wala ng bankante” yun pala gamit nya ang isa.
For shop owners, a good customer service is very important and be observant to what your customers are doing. Yung bang di ka pa tinatawag lumapit ka na to give assistance.
Don’t also forget to have this energy bar for gamers. The CHOCO MUCHO CHOCOLATE BAR. This is very popular here in Binan as most ICafes has this for sale.
SIMON COWELL said
am April 3 2008 @ 10:36 pm
Ambience - not TOO dark not TOO bright.
Joel Tan said
am April 4 2008 @ 6:08 am
You forgot to include clean restrooms, bro. A must-have for every respectable Internet cafe.
Dave Starr said
am April 4 2008 @ 8:00 am
Nice article. I’m an American now living full time in the Philippines (in Bulacan) and I’ve been a Philippine cafe customer off and on for nearly 9 years now.
Most cafes present the image to a stranger that they are not wanted … think about how open and inviting you business looks to a first-timer. The ‘exclusive gamers-club’ idea is good business, except that if you don’t attract new blood your business eventually dwindles and dies.
In 9 years I have never yet been welcomed personally and shown to a station the first time … employees are always behind a counter, obviously busy with other things and only tolerant of, not welcoming to clients.
Some of this, of course in my case is because people are naturally shy of foreigners, but hey, you want business, welcome people. Business owners always moan and complain about costs and competition … being nice to new people is easy … and it costs not one centavo.
Even in big chain operations like Netopia franchises I never see management software being used effectively … rentals are typically managed by hand written notes on paper. This often makes the customer uneasy about how he is charged, and it certainly, in the long run, costs the business owner money. Why have sophisticated management software and then not use it?
Cafe? Like food and drink? There are ‘computer shops’ who actually serve (and profit) from this? Heck of a concept … hardly ever done in my experience … big opportunity missed.
A CR? You mean as in a place that has been actually cleaned within the preceding week (not just rubbed with a dirty mop) and has a seat on the toilet and even a roll of toilet paper … and actual soap to wash your hands before going back to touch the never-cleaned keyboards?
Wow, now _that_ would be a true ‘comfort’. As an outsider who doesn’t know how things really work, my fertile imagination suggests that those employees always standing behind the counter ignoring the customers could do things like clean the place in their spare moments … but, of course, I am a dreamer.
Anyway, didn’t want this to sound too negative, but this is how strangers see many “computer shops”. Some things cost money to fix, other merely require a little caring.
I hope we see more on this subject.
GM T said
am April 4 2008 @ 11:29 am
Thanks a lot for the great comments and feedback Dave! Don’t worry, since we are developing close relationships with owners, we will make sure to tell them about your great suggestions. Yes, I sure hate apathy of those managing cafes towards customers.
Have a nice day and hope to seeya often here in gmtristan.com
Ryan said
am April 4 2008 @ 5:45 pm
Good Keyboards is a must. I don’t like going to Netopia sometimes because they have dilapidated keyboards that makes typing hard. Their headphones suck too.
fatman said
am April 5 2008 @ 4:21 pm
I want a karaoke station.
:P
Dave Starr said
am April 5 2008 @ 4:39 pm
Hi Ryan,
Oh my goodness yes, I should have mentioned that too … but my comment was already too long.
Netopia seems to use a proprietary brand of cheap keyboard that was dreamed up by an industrial designer who was good with graphics but didn’t know how to type.
The keys are diamond shaped, the lines between the keys all point to the center of the top of the keyboard instead of being parallel … I’m a fat-fingered clumsy typist anyway but on those Netopia things … it’s horrible. I’ve computed in probably 12 different countries … since long before there were even PC’s … and I have never seen a keyboard like this. Even Japanese I-cafe keyboards where each key has as many as 6 different functions are nothing like as difficult as the Netopia “things” … the keys are shaped normally and you just follow the letters in English and forget about Japanese special functions … piece of cake if the keyboard is normal shape and size.
PIC Microcontroller said
am April 5 2008 @ 4:49 pm
dapat talaga sa internet cafe maganda yung ambiance.
carlo said
am April 8 2008 @ 12:10 am
I also noticed that some of internet cafe have a beautiful customer assistants. It is a strategy because most of the gamers are boys.
Hugs and Kisses said
am April 10 2008 @ 1:19 am
Internet Cafes need fast bandwidth connections, state of the art equipments, privacy… not to mention fully air conditioned place and a restroom for the customers. Also a bench for those customers waiting inline.
3rd on Whyte said
am May 10 2008 @ 5:45 am
This is a great article, especially about extra service and ambiance. At the 3rd on Whyte Internet Cafe in Edmonton, AB, we make sure that our lighting is optimal for whatever season it is, seeing as it gets quite dark during the winter. Customer service is always on our minds as well, and we have amazing staff.
Keep up the good work!
denver said
am July 6 2008 @ 11:28 pm
Ohhh.. ambience, a/c, restrooms, food etc. all of that seems lacking in our shop hehe.. you can light a cigarette inside and do everything you wanted.. download everything, watch anything, play anthing, change the settings(i revert manually when problem arise)),curse everybody and etc,just keep the f****** noise low.. but its a hardcore gaming you know.. were all like brothers here. And this shop is operating for 6 years now. BTW the ‘Bantay’ and the owner are mmorpg/pc gaming GODS and the costumers are ther followers