“Net Cafe in a Box” Internet Program by PC Express

“The typical i-cafe normally starts with the entrepreneur who wants to start a business”, explains Jesse Tan of PC Express. “He asks how much a PC costs. He then sets up a budget for 5, 10, 15, 20 PCs, depending on location that he could find. Then he starts computing so that, say, if he rents it out for 20 pesos per hour, and if it averages 8 hours of usage per PC, then he would get a certain gross amount for the entire month. Less all the expenses, then this is what he’ll earn. So this is the normal thinking of a startup i-cafe.

“The problem, however, comes if they don’t have any good consultation, Jessie notes, “If they end up buying the wrong PC for the type of i-cafe that they want , for instance.” Particularly because the industry has expanded dramatically. In the old days, net cafes were all about the games. Today, however, net cafe services run the entire range, from network gaming, online gaming and office applications, to multimedia software–yes, you can do video editing in a net cafe as well. And since different applications require different kinds of PC configurations. It becomes imperative that when an entrepreneur wants to start a net cafe, the entrepreneur should know what he wants.”

Net Cafe in Box guarantees customers that their packages specifications are the result of painstaking research into what net cafes typically should have based on what type of net cafe the entrepreneur wants to put up–gaming, chatting, office applications and multimedia applications.

And Jessie even has something else that’s interesting: “Do they want to convert this to a call center?”, he asks. “That’s something new that’s happening this year. Some of the i-cafes are bein converted into mini call centers. And of course, depending on the entrepreneur’s needs, the Net Cafe in a Box program would have a package to recommend.”

It’s All About Support

Internet cafe entrepreneurs need more than just the hardware. They also need a lot of support.

What kind of support? “If you’re gaming cafe, definitely you’ll need support from the online gaming providers”, says Jesse. “You will also be needing the maintenance support of the vendors.”

“We know for instance that the PC has a lifespan which shortens if you don’t maintain your PC. We know that there are a lot of customers who know how to tweak the PC, and it becomes a headache for the owners. So we offer them a solution. We teach them how to create a master PC. How to make an ‘image’. How to replicate all the PCs so that it would take the least amount of time in terms of setting up the PCs.

“The program also provides preventive maintenance, including regular cleaning of the PCs. After all, PCs also have mechanical components, particularly the fans. A stuck fan can lead to overheating, which can lead to breakdown. And if a PC is down, it may mean up to a week or two of lost sales.”

Net Cafe in a Box even offers marketing services for their clients. “For instance, when you start up your i-cafe, we talk to the partners, and we put up a small event and provide you with posters and decals from the different gaming providers.”, says Jesse. “So you don’t have to talk to each and every one of them. You just talk to us, and then everything’s there.

“And we’ve also done our research on how much electricity you would use. The taxes, the licensing issues, everything is there. So even before you start out your cafe, you’re well prepared.”

In short, if you want to be in the internet cafe business, then all you need is a good location, the desire to be in the business, and of course the money. And then you can leave almost everything else to the Net Cafe in a Box program.

And it doesn’t end there. “Since PC technologies upgrade so often, we also inform you about the new PC technologies that are about to come out.”, adds Jesse. “We will teach you that you may need if you want to upgrade. So it’s a continuous process of consultation, of giving out advice, and of making sure that customers are still making money from their business. And if there’s a problem, then they could come to us for any advice or concerns regarding the business itself.”

Six Tips for Net Cafe Startups

1. Make sure that you really want to enter the business. This makes committing to the learning much easier.
2. Don’t be afraid to ask around. Ask your friends, your creditors, an your consultants about the business. And of course ask your vendors as well.
3. Don’t just copy your neighbor’s business. Think outside the box.Think of how you can be different from the nearby net cafe.
4. Be involved. Jesse Tan of PC Express notes that the net cafes that are left to be run by staff tend to perform less compared to those where the owner is actively involved. Owners tend to care for customers, while staff simply tend to man the shop.
5. Offer as much space as you can afford. You’ll typically need about 1.5 square meters per seat. Offering more gives greater comfort, which can be an attraction.
6. Think about your furnishings. Monobloc chairs are fine. But the trend is to offer cushions and sofas. And some gaming cafes have resorted to using car seats that allow their users to recline. Again, the greater the comfort, the more attractive the net cafe can become.

For more info, contact:

PCX Online Sales: 725-8888 (Monday – Saturday | 9:00AM – 6:00PM)
PCX Buendia: 750-2615 | 750-2616 | 750-2617
PCX Town Center: 807-6492 | 807-8037 | 807-7625
PCX Pasong Tamo: 893-95-37 | 893-95-05
PCX Gilmore Plus!: 727-0990 | 414-6693
PCX Shaw: 718-1503 | 718-2828 | 718-2929 | 718-3838
PCX Gilmore: 414-1041 | 413-5945
PCX Alabang: 772-2282 to 85
PCX Katipunan: 433-6800 | 433-6802 | 433-6804
PCX Abad Santos: 253-9832 | 253-1024 | 253-5654
PCX Fairview: 430-8110

Web: www.pcx.com.ph

source: SME Insight magazine, photo from share.skype.com