Online presence: a double-impact tool

Impulsive buying: a new opportunity for your karting business!

In any store, both online and offline, there are 2 kinds of purchasing: planned purchases and impulse purchases. Impulse purchases happen at instant T and are not planned yet at instant T-1, so they are not planned when entering the shop or the website. This kind of purchase is specific and really common for purchases without important consequences in terms of the consumer’s commitment. It’s important to keep in mind that the main objective of a dealer’s website is the transformation of a visit into a purchase. Concerning non-dealer websites, it can be an inquiry or email addresses obtainment.

Train and plane ticket bookings, hotel bookings, car rental, etc... Purchasing services online has become so easy, convenient and safe that many people rather order online than from a store.

You now have the opportunity to shift your business into the next gear and offer online bookings from your website for your karting and other activities. This is specifically aimed at groups but can also be used for individual pilots. In fact, a simple visit on your website can easily be turned into an impulse purchase. In this case, it can be a session booking or credit buying.

The promotion of your brand is a key point of your business’ success

• Design: tune in with your center’s standing. Don’t do too much! On the opposite side, help yourself to succeed online if you are doing well offline. Bottom line, be honest with your customers. Don’t lie to them, don’t disappoint them.
• Contents: pay attention to spelling mistakes and to the grammar syntax. This is very dangerous for your professional image. The style is also very important. For instance, it’s possible to use humor and jokes. But as it has been explained before, your customers should have a similar experience online and onsite.
• Navigation: offer a smooth and fluent website. Your users should be able to easily browse it. This is also a proof of respect towards the user.
• Referencing: being visible on search engines enhances your ability to reach a lot of people and thus boosts the importance of your center.
• Make your website alive: use our plug-ins! Their dynamic nature will allow you to step into a more modern way of providing services while keeping the same policy. Being different is now possible!

Your website will gain more and more in popularity,
which brings us back to our first point: impulsive purchases.

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Interview with Katrien Geukens: designer at B&MI SMS-Timing

1. What did you study and how did you become a part of the SMS-Timing team?

From childhood I always liked to be creative with colors, materials and drawings. After high school I decided to work on the dream of turning this hobby into my profession and I went to study Graphical and Digital Media in Turnhout, Belgium. In this education I focused more on the technical side of graphical design: the technical know-how of presses/professional printers, ink, paper and so on.

At a certain moment, SMS-Timing and our school launched a project for the students in my year. In this project, creativity was a must and after a positive evaluation of this project, I became a trainee for 3 months in the design and marketing department of SMS-Timing. I learned a lot during this traineeship, improved my design skills and now I’m working at SMS-Timing for 6 months.

2. Could you tell us about your job?

3. How are your working relationships with the other departments?

The strength of SMS-Timing is that the different departments really work together. This means for me that I will support the sales department, but also the IT department by making the design of new installations.

4. Which are the most demanded tasks?

When I check my e-mails in the morning, I always read a lot of demands for e-mailings and of course the member cards. We can see that more and more customers really understand how important it is to stay in contact with their clients to send e-mailings with promotions or other news.

5. From all the projects you have performed in the team, which one is making you the most proud?

A couple of weeks ago for the tradeshow in Offenbach (Germany) we all had a lot of work with the preparations of it. For me, it meant of course the graphical preparation: flyers, stickers, brochures, e-mailings, post-cards, folders, banners and so on. After those exhausting weeks it’s nice to see the result of all the work and to see the positive reactions of our visitors.

6. In your job, creativity is daily required. Do you experience problems with the clients’ requirements?

Creativity is indeed very important. It is not always easy to satisfy the customer but of course I respect their choice and taste. It is always very helpful to view their website or pictures of the business to estimate how they will like the design: modern – colorful – “racy” or something else.

7. When you are asked to create a member card’s design or a voucher, on which criteria do base yourself at first sight?

I always try to use the house style of the customer by having a look at his website and previous designs. It is important that people recognize the company by receiving the member card or the voucher. Besides this, it’s also important to use correct and clear information so people understand why they have to use it and last but not least: the contact information of the company.

8. How do you evaluate the customer’s satisfaction?

When I make design proposals for a customer, I always send e-mails with the proposals and I ask for their opinion and validation. In this way, they can have a look and list their comments and ideas. Designing is an active process between the customer and myself, which is very interesting. I learn everyday and use my experience for other customers. They always get the best.

I’m also evaluating designs of customers by myself: designs don’t stay beautiful forever. Time to time, we have to redo the designs to keep it modern and up to date. In this case I will contact the customer to see what we can change. They appreciate this extra service.

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Focus on… Point of Sale: cashless payment

The Point of Sale software allows you to facilitate transactions from an organizational point of view: ticketing, products, credits.

Money on the magnetic strip!

Firstly, race licenses (or member cards) become real credit cards for karting centers. The money or credits loaded on the card will be a privilege to your customers. In fact, it’s a payment tool that they can find only at your place!

On top of that, the cashless payment is a driving factor for consumption. No wallet is needed, no cash either. A single gesture opens the doors to all your services and products. Fraud is impossible. The use of the magnetic card fits in a lot of different activities of your center. From the karting track to beverage sales, including bowling and laser game, your customers will not have the same spending feeling. Your turnover will grow without anybody noticing it, except your banker!

After a bowling, laser game or karting heat, getting a drink becomes easier. Adapt your services that way, organize your space based upon your customers’ behaviors. In a nutshell, make their visits as simple as possible thanks to the cashless payment!

Finally, the card reload can occur online, which refers to the first article of this newsletter.

Improve the people flow

The transactions’ speed allows you to reach a higher level of organization. In fact, the card’s use as a payment method minimizes the time needed between two customers, while keeping the human contact to a maximum. No more queuing and thus, a higher customer satisfaction. Your people flow will make your competition jealous and please your customers. A customer lost his card with money or credits still on it? Don’t worry, everything is stored in your database so you can easily give him a new card.

Contact us for more explanation on the Point of Sale software for karting and other activities.

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