A Spark Continued

It seems that my blog about a Superbowl ad has stirred a little emotion out there. here's what several proprietors have said about it. I am publishing these without identifying the proprietors.

So here you go:
"This is a very good article and it is about time that ALL proprietors FACE THE TRUE FACT that our industry is dying ! ! We can make all the excuses we want to, but where will our new league bowlers come from when the current ones die or become tired of our 33-35 week demands? Our new bowlers and even the old ones don't even have beer frames..They don't need to eat at our centers when they can catch a quick meal at a fast food place on the way to our centers. Hardly any bowlers stay around and pot bowl or have a few drinks after bowling, they head home. Our game rooms are a thing of the past, every kid has more games on his cell phone than we have. Our league bowlers used to use their bowling night as the night out with the wife...No more, now we have and have had for awhile their daughters playing athletic events during the week and that’s where most good parents are with their children not in our centers for our mixed leagues..Once they leave us they find out they don't need us, watching their children or even their grandchildren is less expensive and more personally rewarding. We need HELP and quick! A Super Bowl ad should be on BPAA's table and a NATIONAL campaign to follow. I hope it is not too late to save some of us Proprietors..Thanks Fred for telling it like is for the most of us proprietors that are willing to really see that or industry, that we all love, is in REAL TROUBLE...."


"FRED:

JUST A FEW THOUGHTS:

WHILE GOING ABOUT THE DAY TO DAY BUSINESS OF MARKETING A BOWLING CENTER I HAVE FOUND THAT OUR VENDORS SOMETIMES ARE THE BIGGEST OFFENDERS TO CUSTOMER SERVICE. REMEMBER THE IBM COMMERCIAL WHERE THE BOARD PRESIDENT STANDS UP AND SAYS THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD SEE OUR CUSTOMER FACE TO FACE INSTEAD OF A PHONE CALL?

IN A RECENT DEALING WITH A VENDOR. I WAS TRYING TO GET THE BEST PACKAGE THAT HE OFFERED, RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE BASIC $269.00 PER MONTH FOREVER PLAN. I WAS TRYING TO SPEND MORE MONEY WITH HIM, BUT IT SEEMS THAT HE WAS TOO BUSY WITH THE NEW RESTAURANT COUPON PROMOTION TO EVEN E-MAIL ME OR SEND TO ME THE UPGRADED PLAN,

I GOT TO THINKING THAT IS THIS THE WAY OUR REGULARS (LEAGUE BOWLERS) SEE US? AS NON RESPONSIVE TO THEIR NEEDS. MAYBE IF WE SPENT MORE TIME SEEING WHAT THEY WANT AND LESS TIME CHASING OUR TAIL WE MIGHT FIND GOLD RIGHT UNDER OUR NOSES."