Following on from @Jayson_Paglow comment on the CDS - year later post about setting the priorities for the 2020 roadmap, I would like to float an idea about further development of the SpringboardVR on-line booking system.
Like most arcade owners here, the current SpringboardVR on-line booking system is too simplistic and limiting in what it is able to do to serve the needs of the modern day arcade. I also get SpringboardVR’s position in that they “are not a booking system provider”. However, the on-line booking system still fulfills a good portion of the basic requirements that a booking system should do (in my case I would say it does 70% of what I need it to do but that other 30% is what I am then required to find an integrated booking company to do the rest). The costs associated with these other booking systems are varied but definitely not unsubstantial. At a rough figure I am looking at over $100/month ($1200/year) for Checkfront and looking at Fareharbour and other options that have a 6% booking fee (that I can’t afford to pass on to my customers without potentially pricing me out of the booking), this would be substantially more (and yes I get the sales argument about what they provide).
However, my personal thoughts are that I would rather pledge a given amount (Say $1000 paid in monthly installments) to see the booking system developed to its potential. Would SpringboardVR consider an on-line poll to see how many arcades would be prepared to potentially crowd-fund the on-going development of the SpringboardVR booking system with dedicated staffing? With over 550 arcades on the books, if half of the arcades saw this as useful (and as a long-term cost-saving investment), that would be over ¼ million that could be used to hire dedicated staff on this project.
I could see this as the development of a ‘Professional’ booking system that SpringboardVR could offer new arcades or those that were not a part of the seed funding as an optional extra (or those arcades can use the ‘basic’ SpringboardVR booking system). Those that are part of the seed funding would automatically receive the ‘Professional’ booking system and all updates without addition charge going forward.
The development of this system could be seen as another selling point for SprinboardVR as well and provide on-going revenue to assist with any further development/support.
Initial development plans and roadmap for the ‘Professional’ booking system could be arranged through on-line surveys to those that are interested in order to develop a list of prioritisation for the added features.
