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How to open a computer club: a detailed plan. Computer business: how to open a computer club

Today, for some reason, people believe that computer clubs have already become obsolete: why go somewhere if everyone at home has their own computer. But that's not true. Firstly, today there are many people who cannot imagine their life without computer games. And playing in a computer club will help you get real pleasure from visiting the virtual universe with your friends. Secondly, sometimes you urgently need to find a document on the Internet and print it. If there is no access to a computer, then the person goes to look for the nearest Internet shop. Many businessmen are thinking about how to open a computer club. Of course, the idea is far from new, but the implementation of the project will pay for itself very well and bring considerable income to the businessman.

How to open a computer club?

First you need to decide on the direction of the future establishment. You can organize:

Computer gaming club. The main focus is providing access to online games with friends.
Internet club. Provides access to the Internet.
Internet cafe. Combines the functions of a club and a cafe.

When organizing a computer club, it should be taken into account that the business consists of a tactical and technical part.

The technical part is computers, networks, software.
The tactical side of the business is the selection of a location for the enterprise, its renovation, interior design and organization.

It is worth understanding that for such a business the most important part will be the technical side, and the choice of premises, advertising, etc. will partially fade into the background.

Portfolio of documents for opening a computer club and choosing a form of ownership

A person who decides to open his own computer club must register with the tax office. Most often, entrepreneurs register as individual entrepreneurs, choosing a simplified taxation system.

Additionally, you will need to obtain permission from the sanitary and epidemiological service. SES specialists will have to check the degree of electromagnetic radiation. If it is planned to organize a mini-bar in the club premises, then permission to open it is also issued by the SES service.

The businessman will have to work with youth cooperation specialists at the city administration. He also needs to decide on the classification in OKVED. Based on the selected code, the entrepreneur will be able to register the club under various conditions.

The classification of activities “Computer Club” in this particular wording is not included in the list. Owners of such establishments are forced to make a choice among alternative codes:

72.60 – other activities related to the use of information technology and computer technology;
93.05 – provision of other personal services;
74.84 – provision of other services.

When choosing a code, it is best to contact a specialist. He will be able to assess the planned activity and select the appropriate activity code.

When using Internet resources in commerce you need:

availability of a license to provide services;
permission from the Ministry of Communications for data transmission;
permission from the police for a 24 hour working day.

Choosing a location, nuances of internal arrangement

When choosing a location for a club, it is necessary to take into account traffic indicators

When thinking about how to open a gaming club, entrepreneurs must decide on its location. There is one rather important nuance here: the location of the establishment relative to the city center does not play a special role (but it is still worth abandoning the outskirts). Of decisive importance is the ability to access the establishment around the clock. Otherwise, a large number of visitors are lost .

The building should be located in an accessible location, not too far from transport stops and central streets.

When choosing between purchasing property and renting premises, the second option is more preferable. If a quick move is necessary, then it is easier to part with the rented space. If you like the premises and there is an opportunity to buy it outright, then you should not refuse this opportunity. This will save significant costs in the future .

Standard premises requirements:

availability of electricity;
lack of high levels of humidity (this can negatively affect the operation of computers);
the premises must comply with fire safety requirements;
emergency exit required;
availability of a sanitary room.

Necessary equipment

High-speed Internet access must be provided in the club premises.

If an entrepreneur aims to obtain a consistently high income, then it is necessary to purchase at least fifteen computers.

One good computer costs about 25...30 thousand rubles. When making a bulk purchase, you can get a good discount.

In addition to computers, you must purchase:

Printer;
Xerox;
equipment for recording onto CD and DVD discs;
equipment for recording on flash cards.

It is advisable to install official programs from the manufacturer on computers.

In order not to lose a client, you can organize the sale of drinks and light snacks in the club. To do this, you will need to purchase refrigerators and bar equipment.

Range of goods and services

Many entrepreneurs limit the list of services provided by a computer club to access to online games only. But this is a gross mistake, since the establishment is capable of generating income in other areas.

Visitors can be offered services such as:

scanning documents on a printer;
production of photocopies using a photocopier;
recording information on CDs and DVDs;
recording information on flash cards.

A computer club can combine the functions of a sports bar. You can place a plasma panel on which various sports programs will be broadcast. This will attract additional visitors.

Computer club staff

The entrepreneur will not be able to control the work of the establishment on his own, but such a business does not require a large staff of service personnel. You will need to hire an administrator to act as a cashier and two to three people to help him. Their task is to maintain order, fix computer problems and monitor the activities of visitors.

Computer club staff:

network administrator;
bartender;
cleaning woman;
accountant.

If there is a shortage of staff, you can connect video surveillance.

Registration of employees when hiring requires compliance with current legislation when drawing up a contract. Tax cards and work books are created for everyone. It is important to maintain your payroll correctly.

Advertising

One of the effective ways to advertise clubs is to distribute leaflets and post advertisements near entrances and in elevators. You can attract several clients; in the future, their friends and acquaintances will follow their example, to whom they will tell about the club - classic “word of mouth” radio.

Costs and return on business

To open a business you need at least 1.5 million rubles. The approximate profit will be 100...150 thousand rubles. per month. The funds will pay off in about 1 year.

Costs of opening a computer club (average):

Table. Capital investments

Monthly expenses for maintaining a computer club (average):

Table. Monthly expenses

Experts say that renting premises is more suitable for opening a computer club. It requires less start-up capital than buying your own building.
Professionals do not recommend hiring a lot of staff. The installation of video cameras will help monitor visitors.
To save budget, the administrator can combine the duties of a cashier.
You cannot use pirated content in your work. This may result in legal liability. The entrepreneur must ensure that each program is original.
Only providing access to the Internet at high speed will attract clients to the club. The best option is to provide a service of 50 MB per second.
When setting the price per hour of equipment use, it is recommended to focus on the average price level. Too low will be unprofitable, but too high will discourage visitors.

About where to start when opening a computer club.

Where to begin?

Today in Moscow and the immediate Moscow region there are about four hundred computer clubs. Young people play games here for hours. And for a beginner entrepreneur there is every chance of success. However, such vulnerabilities business a lot too. Majority clubs dies within three to four months after its discovery. Therefore, the first specialist with whom SB arranged a meeting for Marat Arslanov was Igor TRUNIN, the administrative director of the network computer clubs“Polygon”, which arose from scratch and has stood the test of time.

Our information
First club"Polygon" was opened in 1999. The network currently consists of 15 computer clubs, working in Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Perm, Tyumen and Ufa.

- To computer Club could work with normal profit, it is necessary to install at least 12 machines and not be limited to just games. It is imperative to give clients the opportunity to access the Internet - told by Igor Trunin. – Obtain a special license for this business no need. However, some papers permitting the provision of certain types of services will still be needed. Firstly, this concerns the Internet. To obtain the right to use it for commercial purposes, it is necessary to obtain two licenses from the Ministry of Communications - for the provision of telematic services and data transmission. And if club will work both day and night, you will have to get a permit for 24-hour work from the local police department.

From the standard list of organizations controlling entrepreneurs, special attention should be paid to the Sanitary and Epidemiological Service. According to sanitary standards, for each computer The space must be allocated at least four square meters. m. Therefore, you need to find a spacious room in advance. Other special requirement computer clubs– normal level of electromagnetic radiation. To make sure that it is “normal,” SES workers must record the radiation coefficient emanating from computers. Carrying out measurements on each car will cost about 1000 rubles, so obtaining permission from the SES will cost a pretty penny.

Another organization with which problems may arise is the district administration, especially the youth department. His employees may blame computer Club in that it distracts children from studying and collects difficult teenagers. Therefore, it is important to ensure that school-aged children do not computer battles during school hours. And if the owners club will allow children under 14 years old after nine o'clock in the evening, you can not only anger youth workers, but also run into a fine from the police.

The more potential clients learn about the opening club, all the better. To begin with, it makes sense to print a small edition of leaflets and distribute them in the entrances of nearby houses. For the first two days, visitors should be served free of charge. This will not only attract club more people, but also analyze which services are popular, test the operation of the equipment.

Often visitors try to unscrew some parts from the system unit, and among the staff themselves there are those who want to improve mine home computer at expense club. Therefore, every machine must be under surveillance. If there are not enough people who can do this work, it is imperative to install video cameras on the walls. As additional measures, you can install special protection on the system unit, as is done in all clubs"Polygon". Of course, this costs additional money, but it will be more expensive to constantly repair computers.

It is also worth remembering that computer clubs – business seasonal. In July and August, when schoolchildren and students go on vacation, there are only a few visitors. It's time to go on vacation ourselves.

And I would also advise putting in business plan amount for additional expenses (approximately 20% of all investments). There is a lot that is unpredictable in business, so it doesn’t hurt to be on the safe side.

Parting words to Marat Arslanov:
– It seems to me that Marat is a smart and stubborn guy. Own business he will definitely create. But whether it will become prosperous, even Kasyanov cannot say.

Second meeting - Should I become a pirate?

– One of the most significant expenses that the implementation of Marat Arslanov’s project will require is the purchase of software. You can buy expensive licensed software. And you can save money by using programs, which are reproduced illegally. According to statistics from the Association for Combating computer piracy (ABKP), 90% of Russians follow this path clubs. What does this mean? AKPB President Alexey SHCHERBAKOV helped answer the question.

Our information
Association for Combating computer Piracy (ABKP) was created in Russia in 1997. It represents the interests of the largest software manufacturers in Russia, which include Sony and Microsoft.

– Firms that work with the “left” programs, are blacklisted by our Association. ABKP checks monthly computer clubs, and often such checks end in legal proceedings,” Aleksey Shcherbakov warned Marat Arslanov. – We work closely with the police, and they can also check on our initiative club for licenses. And if the check reveals that the owner club violates law about copyright, then club may be sealed and computers confiscated. Next, the violator will face an exhausting legal battle under Article 146 of the Criminal Code “On violation of copyright and related rights”, under which the violator may be required to pay a fine of 200 to 600 minimum wages (today it is from 20 thousand rubles to 60 thousand rubles) or sent to prison. correctional labor for up to two years.

With one club ABKP has been suing for a year and a half. His equipment is gradually falling into disrepair in police dungeons. Meanwhile, he is suffering huge losses.

It may also happen that the manufacturing company itself decides to deal with the pirate. Then the case will be heard in the Arbitration Court, and the violator risks completely different amounts. According to law“On legal protection programs for computers and databases” the amount of the fine for each installed unlicensed product can be determined up to 50 thousand minimum wages (5 million rubles).

If such a development of events does not appeal, then it makes sense to work legally.

Purchasing licensed versions programs It is worth contacting the Russian representative offices of European manufacturing companies. Microsoft products are handled by its Russian branch, and “toys” must be purchased from Russian companies that have licenses for them. The most famous ones include “Soft club” (“Quake”, “Warcraft III”, “Counter strik”), “Buka” (“Truckers”, “Heroes of Might and Magic”).

It is worth remembering one more important thing: to install in computer club legally program, a special license is required to allow its commercial use. It is sold by a distribution company. As a rule, the cost of such a license is calculated for each club according to an individual scheme. This means that you have a chance to bargain.

For example, the Soft Club company works according to the following principle. Owner computer club pays her 420 euros per year for the right to commercial use of any of the products provided to her, plus buys boxed licensed versions of each programs. Moreover, on each computer on which the client will play club, there should be a separate boxed version.

Almost all distribution companies use this scheme of working with clients.

By the way, it is very wrong to think that working with licensed programs unprofitable. On the contrary, they are the ones who make it possible to ensure the high quality of services provided by computer Club. So, for example, if persistent software glitches are causing your business, you have every right to sue the manufacturing company. Such cases happen in our practice. For example, several years ago the owner computer club sued Microsoft for a large sum.

Parting words
– I hope that Marat and other aspiring directors computer clubs will change their attitude towards licensed products and save themselves from clashes with law enforcement agencies.

Third meeting - How to set up accounting?

For all beginners entrepreneurs, no matter what business they are going to develop, a number of general questions arise. In what legal form should I register my business? What is the best way to organize accounting? How to behave if officials come to check? SB permanent expert Boris POLYANIN spoke about this - entrepreneur with ten years of experience, director and chief accountant of several small enterprises.

More often small business is registered in a limited liability company (LLC), or its owner is registered as entrepreneur without forming a legal entity (PBOYUL). Less common is a form such as a simple partnership. But in my opinion, it can be quite convenient. In this case, the founders of the company first register as a private legal entity, and then enter into a simple partnership agreement among themselves, which stipulates the shares of the participants and the principles of distribution of income between them. What is the advantage here? The fact is that any of the united entrepreneurs can with full right sign all agreements that the company enters into - on rent, leasing of computers and others. This will greatly simplify its management. In this case, each of the participants in a simple partnership will report to the state only on personal income. And general accounting of financial results business can be maintained on a separate balance sheet, which its owners have every right not to present to the inspection authorities.

Here, to example, one perfectly legal "trick" that can be used computer Club, if registered as a simple partnership. Let's assume that the cash register is registered to Marat Arslanov. And the revenue that is recorded by this control machine is the income of the entire company. In theory, Marat should make an entry in his business ledger that he received a certain amount of money and transferred it to a simple partnership. But since in this situation Marat is just a transmission link, he has every right not to record anything in the accounting book.

In general, if you have no financial experience, it will not be easy to set up accounting. You can make a lot of mistakes that can lead to tax penalties. Therefore, it is best not to skimp on inviting an experienced accountant to the company or to use a service called “outsourcing” - entrust the preparation of company reports to some experienced outside specialist. At a Moscow consulting firm compilation Tax reporting for PBOYUL costs $20 per hour.

It will be quite troublesome to keep records of hired personnel. If you do everything officially, then the employment contract will have to be registered with the tax office, pension, medical and social insurance funds. You will have to maintain a payroll record, create a separate tax card and work books for each employee. But outsourcing can make life easier here too. You should try to negotiate with friends who work in some large organization so that they register your employees through mine HR department, and then rented them out to your company. Thus, you save yourself from all additional paperwork for personnel, including processing their sick leave. This service is not very expensive - $10-15 for keeping records for one person. And you will save time and get rid of a lot of paperwork.

However, it will still not be possible to avoid collisions with various regulatory organizations. On the list of controllers who can visit computer Club, several dozen items. But the tactics of behavior should be the same for everyone. The first thing to do is ask the inspectors for documents. After this, write down the name, position and name of the organization represented by the guests in a special book for registering inspections, which must be created in advance. You need to make sure that visitors have a written decision to conduct an inspection, drawn up directly in relation to your company. It often happens that the inspector walks around with blank forms on which a stamp is placed, and writes down the name of the official who supposedly ordered the inspection of your company on the spot. It is illegal!

If all the documents are in order, you need to make a follow-up call to the department from which the inspector came and clarify whether the inspection is planned.

But even if you are found to have violations, you cannot follow the lead of an official who clearly hints that you can pay your way. Pay once and you will become dependent.

You will be checked constantly. True, recently such situations arise less frequently. And if your rights are violated, complain. Write letters to higher authorities, to the press. We must fight bureaucrats using their own methods. Works flawlessly!

Wishes to Marat Arslanov:
– From his first steps in business, Marat will have to break through the dense bureaucratic web. In words, everyone will help him, pat him on the shoulder, but in reality they will put a spoke in his wheels and bulge out their pockets, hinting at a bribe. Therefore, we must not lose optimism, but be skeptical about all the promises of officials.

Conclude a franchise agreement with the Polygon company. Opening club in Krasnoznamensk under the brand of an already well-known chain will minimize the risks that threaten the new business.
Use only licensed ones programs.
Register club in the form of a limited liability company (LLC).
Find a partner who will take care of the hassle of accounting for payments to staff on an outsourcing basis.

About how it will develop business Marat Arslanov, “SB” will tell you in his next issues.

Computer clubs are establishments that are quite popular among a certain target audience. Despite the fact that almost every person has their own PC, laptop or other gadget, there is a demand for computer clubs where fans have the opportunity to gather, play online games, communicate, and use the Internet if for some reason this is not possible at home. To start your own business in this direction, you will need to draw up a business plan for a computer club, an example of which we offer in this article.

Project Summary

It is planned to open a computer club in a large city with at least 800 thousand people. Powerful machines will be purchased for him to be able to play online computer games. The main focus is on gamers. The club will be located in the city center, close to schools, student buildings and good transport links.

The target audience:

Young people (schoolchildren, students) from 15 to 20 years old (80%).
People from 21 to 30 years old (15%).
The rest (5%).

Main risks:

Risk	Solution
The emergence of a serious competitor in the area/city	Market analysis, purchase and calculation of machine depreciation, quality control of service provision, implementation of a loyalty system for regular customers. In addition, clients must not only be provided with the opportunity to use computers, but also be offered related services: copier/scanner/printing, document filing
Sharp rise in rental prices for club premises	Drawing up a long-term lease agreement
Massive equipment breakdown	Conducting routine inspections of machines and computer equipment
Equipment theft	Installation of a high-quality security system and good alarm system, equipment insurance

To minimize risks and force majeure costs, you will need to draw up a business plan for a computer club with calculations that will take into account the costs of purchasing equipment, rental costs and other initial and monthly investments in tandem with a reserve fund.

Registration and registration

To open a computer club, we will register with the tax authorities. We will apply for a certificate of individual entrepreneur, and we will choose a simplified taxation system with the payment of 6% of profits.

If the work is carried out in a separate room and the owner does not have this document, you will need to obtain permission from the fire inspectorate. Compliance is important as there will be a large amount of equipment in the club.

Registration costs will be 5-7 thousand rubles

Search for premises and purchase of equipment

Our gaming club will be located on the second floor of a commercial building, with shops on the first floor. The entrance to the club will be on the main side of the building. To open a club for 20 cars and, accordingly, 20 seats, we will need about 100 sq. m. But we take into account technical premises, a waiting/resting area and a reserve of another 50 sq. m. m to increase club attendance. In total, we rent a room of 150 sq. m. The cost of such an area in an average city will be at least 70 thousand rubles.

The computer club premises will need some cosmetic repairs. It will cost us 50 thousand rubles.

When choosing a premises, we take into account the condition of the walls and electrical wiring, the presence of proper ventilation and heating, and also check all the documents confirming the landlord’s rights to rent out the premises and the absence of debts on utility bills.

Every month you will have to pay utility bills in the amount of about 10-15 thousand rubles. The more visitors and occupancy of the hall, the higher the energy costs.

Equipment in a computer club is important. Firstly, these are the machines and equipment themselves; secondly, comfortable and compact furniture. To save costs, we purchase used system units and monitors in good condition. In addition, we are purchasing at least 10 new cars. Equipment estimate in the table:

Name	price, rub.	Quantity	Amount, rub.
Used system units	30 000	11	330 000
New system units	55 000	10	550 000
Used monitors	15 000	21	315 000
Headphones	2 000	20	40 000
MFP	15 000	1	15 000
Furniture			105 000
Lighting			30 000
Equipment and materials for high-speed Internet			20 000
Alarm system			20 000
Total			1 425 000

Staff

We will hire a workforce that will consist of the following employees:

Administrators and house cleaners work 6 days a week. The technician works 3 days a week according to the regular schedule, servicing computers in the club. On other days, he takes on users’ PCs for repairs and maintenance, repairs them in a separate room of the club and receives a percentage.

The functions of an accountant who will work with tax reports are performed by the owner himself. The volumes are small, so to save money he will do it himself. In addition, he will engage in online and offline advertising to attract visitors.

Prices for services

Marketing and advertising

It is necessary to prepare in advance for the opening of a gaming club in terms of attracting customers. We will definitely post ads on paid and free boards, promote ourselves in city groups and gamer communities/forums. Offline, we will attract attention with the help of flyers and leaflets in places where the main target audience gathers.

Our goal is to attract as many regular customers as possible. They will, in turn, bring friends. The more full the club is, the greater the profitability and, as a result, the profit and return on investment of the organization.

We will distribute flyers near schools and at public transport stops to young people who could potentially become our clients. We will also place advertising flyers on minibuses in the area.

We will initially attract people with the opening of a new club, good computers and the first two weeks with discounts for the 5th player.

Every month we will spend at least 20 thousand rubles on advertisements, groups, POS materials.

Income and expenses

At this point, we will look at the overall picture of income and expenses, draw up an approximate plan for selling services, and calculate the benefits and return on investment.

Start-up costs

Monthly expenses

Income

Naturally, in the first month the profit will be minimal. Reaching a stable level is expected in the 3rd month of operation. In the first 2 months we will actively work on advertising, create a system for attracting regular customers, and influence their loyalty. For the 3-4th month we will set an approximate sales plan:

We calculate the profitability indicator: We calculate the amount of tax 6%:

365,500 x 6% = 21,930 rubles

We calculate net profit:

365,500 – 165,500 – 21,930 = 178,070 rubles.

Profitability will be approximately 60-70%, which can be considered a good result.

The payback period for the project will be 10-11 months.

Eventually

Computer club business is highly profitable and promising. We will open a club for 20 guests; in the future, next year we can double this number. In addition, we will begin to promote the service of a technical specialist, from which we will also earn additional money. There are no great development opportunities in this area. Only if you open a similar club in a neighboring city, profits can increase, but not earlier than 2 years after the launch of the computer club.

Currently, opening a computer club is a profitable business, despite the fact that almost every person has their own PC. There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, computer game lovers prefer to gather in one place to play online games. Secondly, people go to Internet cafes in order to collect information on the Internet, as well as communicate on social networks if for some reason this cannot be done at home. Thus, opening a computer club is a promising business with a payback period of 15 months.

To open a club, a staff of 7 people will be required. You will also need a room. It is advisable to rent premises near schools, universities, high-traffic streets or in the city center. The minimum area is 200 m2.

The average monthly traffic is 900 people. The club's operating hours are 24 hours a day. This business does not have a pronounced seasonality. The decline in visitation occurs in the summer months. The cost of 1 hour of renting one computer is 80 rubles. Considering the high demand for this service and the absence of much competition, the project has positive financial indicators:

Initial investment amount 1 961 100 rub.

Average monthly profit 132 000 rub.

Payback period 15 months

Break even 1 month

Return on sales 31%

2. Description of the business, product or service

Nowadays, more and more young people play online games. Many of them prefer to gather in teams in one place. Despite this, there is a shortage of computer clubs in cities. At the same time, the demand for computer games and clubs is constantly increasing.

It is necessary to open a computer club in a city with a population of at least 50 thousand people. The club's capacity is 30 people.

The main service is the provision of computers and game consoles for hourly rental.

To open a business you will need equipment, as well as comfortable and compact furniture.

Equipment for the club will require:

Be sure to purchase new equipment, as this will help avoid sudden breakdowns and additional costs.

To organize a bar you will need:

When purchasing furniture, pay special attention to convenience and comfort. To reduce costs, furniture can be ordered in China or found suppliers of Chinese furniture in our country.

In addition to purchasing equipment and goods, you must purchase licensed software for computers.

3. Description of the sales market

When opening a computer class, it is necessary to take into account the location of the rented premises. With a favorable location, your club will be able to quickly reach full occupancy and generate constant profit.

The main target audience are:

Young people (schoolchildren, students)
People aged 21 to 30 years

Currently, there is little competition in this market, since most clubs closed earlier due to the crisis and lack of quality service for customers.

The price segment of the service is average.

To increase profits, you can additionally open a bar, provide printing, digitizing, photocopying, computer repair services and others.

As additional services, you can rent out a separate room for the whole company.

Conduct a survey of regular customers, listen to their wishes, develop a loyalty system.

By fulfilling these conditions, the club will be able to earn a permanent audience, a good reputation, and also increase the attendance of other categories of people.

When sales fall in the summer, hold promotions, provide discounts, add events - online gaming competitions.

4. Sales and marketing

5. Production plan

6. Organizational structure

To open a computer club you need:

Manager
Club administrator (4 people)
IT specialist (2 people)

When opening, the manager can be either the owner of the business or an employee. He can also act as an Internet marketer and promote the club.

Internet marketers should be outsourced. The performer can be either a freelancer or a promotion company.

IT specialists need to be hired as their responsibilities will include equipment repair, monitoring the functioning of the system, as well as copier services, printing, etc.

The club administrator is responsible for accepting payments, maintaining a log of visits, and selling goods from the bar. Each administrator works on a schedule of 2 every 2 to 12 hour shifts.

Accounting can be outsourced to your bank.

As traffic grows, you can hire a separate bartender for quick service.

Payroll fund, rub.

The full calculation of the payroll for 24 months, taking into account the bonus part and insurance contributions, is presented in the financial model.

7. Financial plan

The sales plan for 24 months, the forecast of investment efficiency and the calculation of economic indicators of the business are presented in the financial model.

In Russia, and in Vladivostok in particular, an entire industry of computer clubs has quietly grown, providing its owners with a profitability of 100% or more per annum. Today, this market continues to develop dynamically, and entering it is not so difficult.

Today, Vladivostok is 2.5 times ahead of Moscow in terms of the number of computer clubs per capita. Experts explain this by the lower level of computerization in the provinces. Due to low purchasing power, a smaller percentage of the population owns home computers. Moreover, demand will continue to grow, since computer literacy of the population is growing noticeably faster than the number of computers in homes. In addition, the emergence of new games, including games with “multiplayer mode”, has spurred commercial demand for such establishments with renewed vigor.

Large computer clubs have from 30 to 50 machines, high-speed Internet access, a bar, and VIP rooms with air conditioning. The halls are divided into purely gaming and Internet areas. That is, these are not just gaming clubs in their purest form, but electronic cafes.

But seemingly prosperous electronic cafes have a lot of problems. The main ones are: cost management, competition with small clubs and work with regulatory authorities.

In order to compete with small clubs and at the same time ensure high occupancy of the club, it is necessary to maintain the same price level (on average 15 rubles per hour on a gaming computer) and constantly improve the quality of services. The latter entails a sharp increase in transaction costs, which can only be compensated by expanding the range of additional services. The Internet and computer games bring 60-70% of the turnover, 20-30% comes from the bar, 5-10% comes from additional office services (printing, duplicating documents, recording on magnetic media, etc.).

As a result, a lot of small transactions generate cash flow. Managing all this deal flow is difficult. Large clubs with hired staff require expensive accounting programs. If the cash register is not automated, theft by administrators can reach 40-50% of the proceeds.

Working with regulatory authorities also requires a lot of costs. To satisfy all the requirements of the Sanitary and Epidemiological Inspectorate, firefighters, architects and the police, a tidy sum will be required.

Another important and costly aspect is the use of licensed software. It is computer clubs that have minimal opportunities to hide violations in the field of intellectual property from law enforcement agencies.

The next most important expense item is the constant updating of equipment that is rapidly becoming obsolete, both morally and physically.

The cost of one workplace in the club is approximately $1,600, and with the cost of renovating the premises, the total is $2,000. At the same time, the rate of monthly revenue in most large clubs from one computer is no more than $100-150.

In practice, the initial investment is returned to the owners very slowly. Only those clubs that are part of a larger business feel confident.

Unlike large computer clubs, small ones open with a minimum of costs, but maximum revenue. Most of them are semi-legal establishments. There are only two expense items: maintaining the premises and servicing equipment; everything usually falls within $200-400. But the monthly revenue rate for one gaming place reaches $200, since, as a rule, there are no problems with occupancy.

conclusions

Big clubs try to ensure maximum civility of business. A high level of service and a wide range of services, along with affordable prices, strengthen their position in the long term.

In the meantime, it is small, semi-legal establishments that will operate most effectively in this market for a long time to come. High profitability obtained by minimizing costs and quality of services give them a good margin of safety for the next few years. But their main drawback is the lack of long-term prospects. Whatever it may be, there is always a risk of a “crash” from regulatory authorities. Therefore, investing profits in the development of an illegal club is absolutely inappropriate.

Based on materials from an article by Viktor Gomanova for the website www.zrpress.ru

*The article is over 8 years old. May contain outdated data

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It is still possible to find your niche, especially in large cities; a promising direction is new neighborhoods under construction, designed for ordinary people. It will be difficult in the first 2-3 years of work, after which...

Market capacity is one of the key characteristics of any market, and without deep and detailed information about this indicator, “entering it” in pursuit of bold and ambitious plans would be wrong.

The business of growing grain crops has always been highly profitable. Wheat cultivation demonstrates particularly high profitability. On average, the cost of a ton of such grain is 13 thousand rubles, and with...

Cat cafes are an establishment format that operates on the principle of an anti-cafe, with the difference that there are many cats living inside that entertain visitors. What do you need to start a business and how much can you earn?

Any business can have its own romance, but in some areas it is most pronounced. We are, of course, talking about creativity, organizing unique holidays and travel.