You're going to need to show your players how to play! Laser tag is different from other attractions; a customer isn't going to know what your laser tag can do unless you or your staff tell them.
The critical question you need to ask is whether your team knows enough to teach your customers. For example, many centres offer more than 80 different game formats! How can customers learn about each of them if the person running the attraction isn't across them?
In laser tag today, it's too easy for the employee to enter the briefing room, push a button, and start the video to teach your guests; this is a mistake and misses the perfect opportunity to delight your customers and create a memorable experience with a personal touch.
You can boost your attraction and make more money by rostering staff members who have a robust and dynamic personality that will engage your guests.
Honestly, your employees don't need to be that outgoing, but they do need to engage with your customers to let them know about game options, specials, and deals. Don't miss the chance to connect, upsell, or cross-sell during that briefing room experience.
That's why staff training and choosing the right team members are so critical to the entertainment industry. We touch on staffing in more depth in our Good People Lead to Success series, but let's stick to the briefing for now.
Your left with two general options, Video Briefings, and Personal Briefings.
Videos are great. They get across all the information your customers need quickly and succinctly, assuring you that guests will understand the rule and know how to play.
While you gain speed and efficiency with a video briefing, your customers lose the flair and energy that a well-trained employee can bring to the experience. The personal touch can kickstart the experience for your guests at this critical point, building the fun before they even get into the arena!
It doesn't have to be either-or; teach your team to interact with guests around critical parts of the briefing video to make it fun and engaging.
Zone provides high production value briefing videos for all our systems with customized content depending on which features are in your arena! These videos are available in 12 different languages, just like our systems! With sub-titles available to make them even more accessible! Our Helios2 and Begeara3 can even play the full briefing video on the phaser screen!
In our document portal, we've also got a collection of scripts for personalized briefing. These are a good starting point, but ideally, you want to give your staff the freedom to shine and bring their personal touch, so long as they get the rules across!
Here's an example of a verbal briefing script for a staff member to use:
Welcome to Zone laser tag! My name is [name] and I'll be your game marshal.
The game we'll be playing today is Teams
How many new players do we have? (DIVIDE THE TEAMS).
This is the red team, this is the green team and this is the blue team.
The object of the game is to score as many hits against the other team as possible. This can be accomplished by 'tagging'
your opponent's targets on their vest or phaser. When you score a hit, you will see your opponent's vest or phaser turn off, indicating that he has been deactivated.
If you get tagged, your vest and phaser will become momentarily inoperative, and you will hear an explosion from your phaser. Your pack will be deactivated for just a few seconds and then automatically will come back online.
While your pack is down, that would be a good time to try to hide. You can continue to play when your pack comes back online.
To deactivate a Base, it takes three shots when it is active. The Base is active when all the lights are pulsating. Tag the Base
once then wait a moment and then tag it again. You will know that you deactivated the base because a siren will sound, and
it will turn itself off for 30 seconds. While the Base is off, no one else on your team can tag the Base. It is worth a lot of points
so make sure to tag the Base as often as possible.
[MARSHALL SHOULD DEMONSTRATE] To put the laser tag pack on, please slip it on like a jacket with the phaser hanging on
the front. Clip the connectors together in the front and then tighten up both sides.
You can be tagged in the two shoulders;
the two sensors on the stomach; the back of the pack and anywhere on the phaser. If it's blinking, blast it!
There are four rules that we ask you to follow at all times. Failure to follow these rules may result in your removal from the
game. The four rules are:
I'll be in the arena, making sure these rules are followed and to help you score as many points as possible.
In the event of an emergency, two fire exits are located in the arena - one in the front and one in the rear. Please proceed to the nearest exit and wait outside for further instructions. If there are any physically challenged players, let me know now.
At this time, I would like the blue team to enter the vesting room. Please put your packs on and then wait for me.
At this time, red team please vest up. <>
At this time, green team please vest up. <>
Everyone should now have their vests on, clipped-up, and strapped tight on both sides.
Grab your phaser and look at the back of the phaser. There is an LCD screen. Please look at the code name on the LCD screen.
Everyone see it?
Good, that is how you get your scorecard by remembering that pack name.
Now, everyone, tell me your pack name (Lots of yelling)
Last item, you must have two hands on the phaser—one on the trigger and one on the front. Place your fingers along the groove on the front, and now your phaser will work.
Let's start the game!