by Jack Guarnieri, PinballSales.com & ShuffleAlley.com

Don't Forget FFEC: Fun For Every Child

I don't remember exactly when I first heard the term Family Entertainment Center. I do remember thinking about how broad that term was and what it meant. How can we really entertain the whole family? This is the question we strive to answer while building and running a profitable, growing business.

Bowling alleys became Bowling Centers, used cars became pre-owned automobiles, second mortgages became home equity loans and arcades became FECs. Whatever the size of it, even the smallest arcade marketed itself as an FEC. It just sounded better.

Most people outside of our industry look in and want to open an FEC. They see a fun business that has the potential to generate a lot of cash, and they want to know where to sign up to open one. It's like having a great dinner at a crowded restaurant, and your friend leans over and says, "What a gold mine! Let's open a restaurant." My answer: The only thing I know about a restaurant is how to eat there.

If you have an FEC and are reading this you must be doing something right. For a while, FECs were opening at a fast pace. The crash of a lot of deluxe video games really woke up the industry that there must be more to an FEC than the newest video game. So redemption entered the picture in a big way. Now we see FECs with every kind of ticket, prize, crane, instant win and redemption game on the charts. There is just a smattering of video, a few sports action games and maybe a couple of pinball machines.

Does the E in your FEC stand for endangered or extinct? Adding a new game now and then can be like a band aid. It may do something for the moment, but what is your plan to keep your families entertained? If you already have the staples in redemption, you are never going to move or sell them. You carefully add a couple of new ones every year until you run out of room to add more. Maybe you buy one year and take a year off from buying. What do you miss if you don't buy the latest and greatest? You decide not to invest in your business. Most, if not all, of that stuff is already paid for, so why go into debt?

If you can buy a Mad Wave Motion simulator and four to six lanes of Highway 66, that will go a long way to make your FEC more profitable and entertaining for sure. They cost some money, and that is an investment. But look at the long-term return they will earn.

Eventually, all roads lead to Brooklyn, at least for me. When I had an arcade at Nellie Bly Amusement Park, I learned a lot of lessons. The park is truly a family entertainment center. One packed Sunday afternoon, I was standing at the snack bar with the legendary owner Gene Romano. Gene and I were both watching the throngs of people having fun and playing in the midway. He looked at me and, with that twinkle that was in his eye, said, "Jacky, look at all of these people walking around with my money in their pockets." Wow, I thought, that was an interesting thing to say. Then I immediately realized what it meant and how Gene meant it. How can we find more ways to make our guests have fun while spending more time and money here?

That's the form of a question that casino hosts take to the next level with all kinds of wild wishes granted. Let's face it: In our world we should always ask, "How can I get my customers to spend more money, have a great time and feel that they got value for their money?" If they feel ripped off they will spend less, and you will get less of that money in their pockets. By giving more, we get more back. There is a formula to do that in every business, but the secret is to do it with something that is unique, has perceived value and really costs you very little. That becomes the little prize in the Cracker Jack box.

When our daughter Jen first started walking, I had to put child safety latches on all of the kitchen and bathroom cabinets and drawers. I walked the whole house on my knees to see what she would see and what she could get in. Then I carefully eliminated hazards and anticipated what could cause a problem.

Now get on your knees and walk your business! Take a look at your FEC as a kid, especially if that is your primary customer. Go play some of your games with money you put in the change machine or buy that debit card with money from your pocket. Assess what entertainment value you feel and what fun you had after spending your own time and money. What kind of prizes did you win for the money you spent? Forget the formulas the consultant or factory rep bragged about. What did you get for what you spent? Did you have fun? Were you entertained? Would you come back again?

If you need to make changes, make them. If you need to make an investment in your business, in yourself and in your ability, make it. It's more than buying just another game. If you will not take a chance on yourself, why should anyone else? It's mid-year already and swinging into summer later this month. It's not the time to lie in the sun yet.

Gene Romano is gone, and so is Nellie Bly Park that he built and loved dearly. A new owner and a new park with a new name opened this season. Sometimes the best ideas are the simplest. Gene is smiling down saying - "Jacky, lesson well learned." The bottom line should be FFEC, Fun For Every Child - young or old.

Jack Guarnieri started servicing electro-mechanical pinball machines in 1975 and has been involved in every phase of the coin-op game business since then. He operated a substantial game route in Brooklyn, N.Y., developed amusement centers and was called in as a consultant to manage Mondial Distributing and State Sales in New Jersey. In 1999, he founded PinballSales.com to sell coin-op to the home market. In 2002, he founded ShuffleAlley.com and released the Parker Bohn III Pro Bowler game, reviving the shuffle alley. His positive attitude, honest insights and opinions have made him a popular figure in the trade. While managing and growing his businesses, he still consults inside and outside the industry, and his marketing, promotional and business management expertise are widely sought. He's very active in his church, community and charitable causes as well. You can learn more at his websites (www.PinballSales.com and www.ShuffleAlley.com) or by phoning him at 866/323-JACK. Email is Jack@Pinballsales.com.