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dodge08

Free Member
Feb 9, 2012
10
2
  • #1
    Hello guys, I'm kinda new here so if this is in the wrong place I apologise!

    I am trying to set up a slightly unorthodox idea in my local town, the market is generally rich with the other 50s, retirement age, large disposable income.

    I wanted to set up a kinda internet café / tech support hybrid place, half the building for pretty much anyone to use the internet/computers/printers for a fee. The other half a place similar to the Apple store set up, a selection of mobile phones (eg: Doro), computers, tablets as demo models attached whereby people can come in, generally older, and learn how to use new technology or their own technology they cant get to grips with. In addition I want to sell the technology we teach with and of course a small café system with drinks and snacks.

    Generally I'd try and run it on my own for a few months as it wouldn't be busy enough to hire staff yet, I'd run aggressive marketing where possible (financially pending).

    Totally stupid or big potential? I'm struggling to place it in the market and understand the capital I'd need.

    Appreciate the help, thanks
     
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    herewegoagain.

    Free Member
    Jul 4, 2012
    585
    241
    East Midlands
  • #2
    dodge08 said:
    Hello guys, I'm kinda new here so if this is in the wrong place I apologise!

    I am trying to set up a slightly unorthodox idea in my local town, the market is generally rich with the other 50s, retirement age, large disposable income.

    I wanted to set up a kinda internet café / tech support hybrid place, half the building for pretty much anyone to use the internet/computers/printers for a fee. The other half a place similar to the Apple store set up, a selection of mobile phones (eg: Doro), computers, tablets as demo models attached whereby people can come in, generally older, and learn how to use new technology or their own technology they cant get to grips with. In addition I want to sell the technology we teach with and of course a small café system with drinks and snacks.

    Generally I'd try and run it on my own for a few months as it wouldn't be busy enough to hire staff yet, I'd run aggressive marketing where possible (financially pending).

    Totally stupid or big potential? I'm struggling to place it in the market and understand the capital I'd need.

    Appreciate the help, thanks
    Click to expand...

    Hello Dodge, firstly good luck with your venture, whichever form it takes, it is an interesting concept, but I can see a couple of pitfalls -

    The internet cafe - people can go to the library and use the computers for free - so I do not see how you could make money from that side of things -

    Regarding the training people to use the equipment side, I think its a brilliant idea - perhaps the training could be done as a group - ie do an 'IPAD DAY'?

    The only other pitfall would be the 'shop' would have a confusing identity - people may not be sure if its a cafe / pc repair shop / training provider - if you see what I mean? - which could put some customers off....

    Maybe it would be worth 'testing the water' - by doing tutoring 1 to 1 in peoples homes first? - advertise locally? OAP clubs etc?

    I wish you well

    Regards Dave
     
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    dodge08

    Free Member
    Feb 9, 2012
    10
    2
  • #3
    herewegoagain. said:
    Hello Dodge, firstly good luck with your venture, whichever form it takes, it is an interesting concept, but I can see a couple of pitfalls -

    The internet cafe - people can go to the library and use the computers for free - so I do not see how you could make money from that side of things -

    Regarding the training people to use the equipment side, I think its a brilliant idea - perhaps the training could be done as a group - ie do an 'IPAD DAY'?

    The only other pitfall would be the 'shop' would have a confusing identity - people may not be sure if its a cafe / pc repair shop / training provider - if you see what I mean? - which could put some customers off....

    Maybe it would be worth 'testing the water' - by doing tutoring 1 to 1 in peoples homes first? - advertise locally? OAP clubs etc?

    I wish you well

    Regards Dave
    Click to expand...

    Hey Dave

    Thanks for your response, I agree with most of the points, I'll address them thusly...

    - On the subject of the internet cafe / library being free issue, I was considering purchasing licences for software such as Adobe suite's, a selection of browsers, email applications, all that sort of thing, the advantages of this would be that for example a student working on a flash project or something would know they could continue working on it if they have an hour to kill in town at this place rather than the library who may not have the software! Also a possibility (there are of course issues but..) is having things like Skype on there as a communication gateway others may not be able to use. Other than that, the edge of having the café is perhaps the only edge over the library (the library however is a little further out of the main town and isnt spectacular)

    - The training side of things is really the key to the whole thing, I'm hoping to do so many different types of things - like you say, an 'iPad day' is exactly what im heading for, or bring your phone in and ask us how to do whatever, Skype training etc.

    - The identity is really the key issue, I feel that it's perfectly combatable - I just don't know to yet, I suppose choosing one of the two main ideas and telling everyone about the other idea in our marketing? Any other suggestions?

    - Doing 1 to 1 in homes is the way forward to check how it works out!

    Thanks!

    Adam
     
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    fairdealworld

  • #4
    Many libraries are cutting back on the time allowed for free use of library computers. Locally it used to be free for an hour per day now it has been reduced to half an hour. Half an hour on a computer isn't very long especially for anyone who isn't that expert. Plus, of course, in many areas libraries have reduced opening hours so that someone dependent on using library computers would be quite lucky if they could get to use a library computer every day even if they live near to a library.
     
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    R

    Rhyl Lightworks

  • #5
    I have long thought there is a market for a drop in centre for business users - particularly those with there own website who have neither the time nor inclination to become experts in such things as SEO (and possibly personal users too - although such things as tech. colleges etc. run courses for these). I don't mean an intensive course of a few days duration, but a more casual, local centre giving people tution for, say, an hour at a time. I have enquired round here about such facilities and no-one seems to do one. Is this the same in other parts of the UK?

    Barrie
     
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    DPS1

    Free Member
    Jun 19, 2012
    5
    0
  • #8
    Hi Dodge 08

    The simple fact is, like for all start-ups in a new and unproven venture, you don't know whether or not people will use the cafe or not. This isn't a fault on your part - nobody knows.

    You have to test the idea and it's best to test it as cheaply and efficiently as possible.

    Set yourself a set of questions that need answering and that you can measure e.g. is there a market for technology training in the area? How much are people willing to pay for it if there is? Do people want social interraction included.

    You can then test each question usually quite simply. It may take more than one go, but if you placed an ad in the local paper for group tech training classes at £10 for an hour, you'd be able to gauge the local interest.

    This is obviously simplified but it gives you an idea of how to validate your idea. It will give you the confidence to either press ahead and invest or move on to something else.
     
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    Philip Hoyle

    Philip Hoyle

    Free Member
    • Apr 3, 2007
    2,247
    1,092
    Lancashire
  • #9
    One of the big issues will be how to make sure you charge properly for the advice/services you provide. Any kind of "drop in" place will bring you tyre-kickers who want advice but don't want to pay for it. Having different elements of business within one "shop front" as it were, will confuse the issue.

    If someone pays for an hour of internet time in a library, they get virtually no IT support because the librarian isn't an IT expert - it will be limited to getting the thing switched on and up and running. However, if you have IT experts on hand then people will expect more support and you can't use the excuse that you don't know about it (like librarians can).

    My worry is that your technical and training staff (you at first) are too available and too visible and that people will take advantage - i.e. just drop in to ask questions rather than book a proper paid for training session.

    Most businesses get around this by having receptionists out front and technical staff in the back. Don't underestimate the amount of people "on the take". You really need to find a system to extract a fair price from your customers before you give them the appropriate service for the amount paid. I fear you could end up working all day giving little bits of free advice to lots of people with few people actually "buying" training or set up services.
     
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    ITsoldUK

  • #11
    Test your area with some M.R.

    Bang out flyers to your catchment area that directs them to a site/responder and take it from there.

    Make it worth their while though as flyers need to be enticing to increase their poor convert rate.

    Door to door survey is another option....

    Good luck
     
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