If you think the market is saturated with too many internet and gaming cafes, think again. You can still enter and compete, just by providing innovative marketing and state-of-the-art equipment. Given the right location-high traffic areas, filled with your target market-the right broadband connection (dial-up will no longer do); shop interiors set up to match the customers you want to attract; and the right equipment; all you need is a little tweaking and upgrading to boost your i- cafe biz.
KNOW YOUR CUSTOMERS
Before getting into the technicalities, you need to decide which crowd you want to serve. Are they gaming fans who like to combat with other players either inside your shop or via the internet? Or OFWs who like webcam chatting and enabling? Students and professionals interested in doing their papers and printing reports? Why are customer differences important? If you are going for gamers, you need computers with fast and hi-resolution graphics, fast network connections, fast hard disks, good speakers and sound cards and an interior conductive for gaming. Romy and Edna dela Cruz, owners of Arjen’s Computer Shop, chose to buy computers with flat-screen monitors and computers that had Core-z Duo microchips inside- the famed microprocessors that contain four microchips in one.
SPEED IS THE GAME
“In the internet and gaming business, speed is the name of the game. This is why we decided to go Intel,” says Romy. He also points out an interesting and beneficial side-effect to the decision to use Core-2 Duo technology and LCD displays. ”The advantage of the Core-z Duo is that it uses 30-40% less power compared to Centrino and Pentium IV,” Romy explains. ”Combined with LCD monitors, which have low heat dissipation, you reduce the energy consumption, conserving air-con and making it environment-friendly.” This is important, since electricity is one of the biggest expenses of an Internet cafe. An added plus is that LCD monitors have low footprints that will help you maximize space.
But don’t think that only gamers look for speed. Internet surfers — students, OFW relatives and office workers — also want fast computers and internet connections. This is why the gaming set-up will probably be appreciated by these people as well. But if you wish to save on costs, you could pick less expensive graphic cards, sound cards, monitors and speakers. Still, Romy emphasizes his shop has become popular because of its reputation for having the latest computers.
Romy adds an important note on crowd differences: “Gamers are noisy while internet surfers look for peace and quiet.” If your shop is always noisy with gaming, this will turn off the internet surfers. So if you can afford a large space, think about separating gamers from surfers.
CONFIGURATION AND MAINTENANCE
Acquiring the computers and configuring them can be a daunting task. It is highly recommended that you buy computers with equivalent specs. Configuring and maintaining similar computers will save you time in the long run. You could also utilize the ghost image technique. This process entails configuring one computer, cloning this set-up in a hard disk, and then transferring the image into the other computers.
Romy and Edna’s internet cafe came almost preinstalled and with a management system called Intel Platform Administration Technology, or IPAT package offered by PC Express in conjunction with Globe. ”With IPAT” Edna explains, ”you create only one image and deploy it in the other computer’s. This enabled Romy and Edna to speed up the set up and configuration of their I-cafe. Moreover, it made it easier for them to maintain their computers.
SOFTWARE ISSUES
Using licensed operating systems is a must. When you buy computers, ask the vendor to sell you the licenses. Windows costs approximately P3,000-5,000 per computer. Then you have to buy an office productivity suite, since students and employees need word processors and spreadsheets. To save on license costs, most I-cafes (including Alden’s) use Open Office – a freely available software substitute for Microsoft Office. If you are not keen on gaming, then you may consider installing Ubuntu Linux, an open source type of software, which is free. Make sure your PCs are compatible with it though.
OTHER POINTERS FOR RUNNING THE SHOP
Once you’ve ironed out the hardware and software issues, here are other pointers you should take note of: * Learn technical basics.You need to at least know how to put together a computer, attach printers and webcams, and configure a local area network (LAN). You also need to understand how to connect the LAN to the internet. If you don’t know these basics, you’ll be wasting a lot of time and money (some technicians may dupe you to paying too much for some trivial repair work).
Hire trustworthy assistants to minimize, if not prevent, theft. If you prefer to be hands-on, keep a close watch over your expenses. By choosing the right start-up package, like Globe’s i-Cafe kit, coupled with a few business basics, the I-Cafe could become a lucrative business for you.
Words by Ruben Canlas Jr, MBA
Source: Masigasig Magazine
Buy the Entrepreneur Magazine to get a free copy of Masigasig Magazine
[tag]internet cafe[/tag]
Posted by Manuel
Manuel Montala was an online entrepreneur who enjoys blogging about entrepreneurship and gathering information for his blog to help budding entrepreneurs. You can also reach him on twitter: http://twitter.com/mmontala
Like this post? Why not share it with your friends on facebook? Click the facebook share button!
The latest stories from Entrepreneur.
Why Social Media May Weaken the Moral Fiber of Your Workplace
13 Jan 2012 at 4:30pm
Of all the benefits of social media, it could also lead to ethical woes in the workplace.
Zuckerberg's $1 Salary and More: Parsing the Facebook IPO Filing
2 Feb 2012 at 3:30pm
Facebook's IPO filing reveals a great deal about the company. Here's a brief overview.
Sit Down Now and Write That Business Plan (Opinion)
1 Feb 2012 at 1:00pm
If you're serious about building a successful enterprise, you'll need a business plan. But don't let that stop you from starting.
Small Businesses Feel the Loss of Keystone Pipeline Project
19 Jan 2012 at 7:00pm
The President's rejection of the Keystone XL Pipeline project will have a dampening effect on a number of small businesses.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
pa ano ba mag apply ung sa net cafe nyo na pakage….
ung may mga units na at net na mag kano ung bayad dun??
Do Not be Shy. Share Your thoughts!