5 Steps to Take Now to Prepare to Reopen Your FEC or Amusement Park

Strengthen your processes, get in tune with your customer base, and smooth out your guest experience – now is the time.

No doubt right now you’re working through all the government assistance resources and trying to take care of your business and staff in the present and that’s probably taking up a big portion of your time and energy! It would be easy right now to let this uncertainty overwhelm us, but it’s in large part how we handle our fears that will help determine our future success.

Last week, industry expert Frank Price shared an informal team huddle video led by Simon Sinek, titled These are Not Unprecedented Times. It reminds us that every business, entrepreneur and team member has the opportunity to reinvent themselves and decide who (or what) to be in the future. And while that’s a bit, it can be a little exciting too.

In conversations with clients over these past weeks, I get the impression that many are looking at ways to reinvent ourselves and reimagine our businesses. While we don’t get to decide when we can reopen, we do get to decide how, and in which areas of our operation we want to effect change. That said, even thinking about where to start to reimagine can be overwhelming on its own. That’s why we’ve curated a few of our most popular resources to help you think about your business a little differently. Here are 5 steps and a big list of resources to get you started.

No. 1: Review and recommit to your why.

You’re probably inundated with new ideas and tips and tricks right now and it would be easy to try and run with every new marketing or sales tactic. But it’s more important than ever to be clear about who and what you want your business to be in your community. And that goes back to why you’re in this business in the first place. Remember that your values show who you are when you think no one is watching; and guess what, someone is always watching. Take this opportunity to dig deep into your core purpose and identify areas that have fallen short of what you intend. Then make a plan to strengthen your resolve.

Resources:

• How to Develop or Reassess Your Company’s Values & Culture
• How to (re) train your staff on your mission or values. 

No. 2: Become an expert on your data.

In the normal course of business, it can feel like there is never enough time to analyze your results effectively, so now is a great time to dive deeper into your data. Get a firm grasp on important guest insights, such as market data about where visitors come from, key age groups, average spending and visit trends, most (and least) popular attractions and combos, as well as where your facility might be losing money. Then use those insights to set new targets and inform your marketing and costs savings initiatives when it’s time to reopen so you’ll maximize both revenue and profitability.

Resources:

• How to understand your CenterEdge Business Intelligence Dashboard
• Key business intelligence insights to help you plan for reopening
• How to identify hidden costs and eliminate them
• Power reports to review past results and manage daily performance

No. 3: Reimagine your food and beverage operation.

Review your current menu concept and analyze what items are working and which should come off your menu. Take in things like visual appeal, the difficulty of acquiring certain ingredients, which menu items will work best if you have to do a partial opening, and assess profit margins. Does it make sense to develop a whole new concept or will just a few tweaks boost sales?

Also take this time to review waste or return reports, inventory management processes, and update those recipe cards and images so that your kitchen staff will be ready with the right tools.

Resources:

• How to develop (or redesign) your concept  – Typsy.com article
• Feeding Frenzy: Tips for FECs to manage food and beverage cost and maximize profitability – Funworld article published in March 2020, accessible online for IAAPA members
• Three ways to simplify inventory management

No. 4: Brainstorm new and returning programs, promotions, and packages.

From menu items to party packages to the rewards programs and memberships you offer, now is the time to revisit what you sell and develop new offerings so that guests will be more excited than ever to come back. And while you’re at it, consider crafting marketing strategies and content now so that you’ll be well-prepared when it’s time to get the word out.

Resources:

• Out of the box FEC offering ideas
• Benefits of selling membership programs with recurring billing
• Important considerations when building a loyalty rewards program
• Five questions to ask before your next marketing email
• Tips for winning marketing emails

No. 5: Make your action plan(s).

Plan your comeback as if you’re opening your business for the first time and get ready to make all new first impressions.  This includes marketing build-up before you open, safety, POS and guest service training, target upselling language, promotion planning, top areas of focus as well as a way to track results of key initiatives.

Resources:

• Brainstorm and implement your next steps 
• Develop your growth mindset
• Key steps to help you implement any program to drive guest loyalty

This time continues to be challenging for us all, and we at CenterEdge believe that our industry is going to come back stronger than ever. We’re proud to be your partner, and if you have any questions about resources or configuration, please don’t hesitate to reach out at 336.598.5934, Option 2 or support@centeredgesoftware.com.