tablets losing customers, players?

xtrain · **Joined:** Mon Jan 11, 2010 6:09 pm **Posts:** 470

I got an email from a friend at the only other regular-player trivia site in the New York metro area, Houlihan's of Westbury, Long Island. The manager there told him that Buzztime is insisting the bar switch from the old boxes to the tablets. This would raise the bar's monthly fee from $400 to $1500, so they will drop the game at the end of April. Good business practice?
BTW, some time ago, the manager at Mad River told me about that price differential, and said they couldn't afford it, but so far Buzztime hasn't made the switch mandatory.
XT

ANON · **Joined:** Sun Jan 10, 2010 8:59 pm **Posts:** 2291

I've been afraid of this. The manager at BWW-Kent told me last year that they have been getting some pressure to convert, but have been able to hold off for now. He said the price was considerably higher. I suspect what this means will be many locations will drop, or those that keep it will reduce the number of boxes in play.

poman · **Joined:** Sun Jan 17, 2010 12:05 pm **Posts:** 1514

And the buzztime conference said site count increased last quarter, correct? Is that mostly just because BWWs continue to pop up all over the place?

We got new ownership about 6 months ago, and I know that 80% of time or more, new owners pull buzztime.

He says he's unhappy with buzztime because he guesstimates he *only* makes a 20% profit off it. But so far, he's still kept it.

If they make him upgrade to tablets, he'll definitely dump it.

liljol · **Joined:** Sun Jan 10, 2010 8:41 pm **Posts:** 2497

Well, hell. Should anyone be even a lil surprised?? :roll:

IIRC, when the tablets first started rolling out, there was maybe a lil incentive to convert then. Giving some consideration to what is assumed to be additional costs due to the problems with the 2.0 tablets, can any of us players blame Buzztime for trying to recoup them??

That said, it should also be way more than a lil obvious that another (if not the major) reason to get all sites converted is to remove the last remaining lil perk that the blue Playmakers had - the ability to opt out of premium games and play Countdown instead.

All sites will then be on the same schedule, with the exception of the BWWs in the Vegas area, where (IIRC) Countdown is additionally offered from 3 AM - 11 AM.

richte09 · **Joined:** Thu Jan 21, 2010 11:24 pm **Posts:** 196

I know our site would probably drop before getting tablets, trivia doesn't bring enough new players to warrant playing more than triple what the tablets cost to change over. I believe one of the managers inquired about it and the answer wasn't favorable I guess

ranger · **Joined:** Tue Jan 12, 2010 12:27 am **Posts:** 630

I spent a lot of time at my BWW this weekend watching the Big Dance. I noticed that our tablets (v. 2, I presume) don't seem to be holding a charge well. Also, I fucking hate touch screens. Every once in a while, I would have trouble getting it to recognize my answer, losing a couple hundred points. Also, too many other numbers recording instead of the one where my finger was.

And, of course, kids using them caused difficulty getting charged tablets. I'm going to discuss the feasibility of having a small number of tablets reserved for adults the next time I see our general manager.

Finally, Buzztime doesn't grasp the concept that forcing locations to pay a lot of money to get a problematic new playmaker is a great way to downsize.

HoopScoop · **Joined:** Mon Jul 02, 2012 4:36 am **Posts:** 113

They must be getting their "increased site count" number from the location finder. I know 3 of the 20 sites near me never had any players ever even though they have been listed as having trivia for over 2 years now.

poman · **Joined:** Sun Jan 17, 2010 12:05 pm **Posts:** 1514

HoopScoop wrote:

They must be getting their "increased site count" number from the location finder. I know 3 of the 20 sites near me never had any players ever even though they have been listed as having trivia for over 2 years now.

Yep, we have a site locally here that's been open for 2 years, but has no players listed and no gameplay history. I guess buzztime has a contract with them, but it doesn't do the players any good if the site isn't using the product.

BGTUNA · **Posted:** Tue Mar 22, 2016 9:31 am

ranger wrote:

And, of course, kids using them caused difficulty getting charged tablets. I'm going to discuss the feasibility of having a small number of tablets reserved for adults the next time I see our general manager.

Let us know how that works. It is a huge problem at our Buffalo Wild Wings as well. Kids sit all over the place at the BWW in Willowbrook, Illinois, even in the bar area (although not at the bar - yet) and they will grab whatever board is available. The boards are out there for the taking. You don't have to ask for one. Often, when you can find a seat that isn't occupied by someone under 18, there are no boards available, so the options you have are 1) go somewhere else, or 2) go up to a kid and ask for his board.

ranger · **Joined:** Tue Jan 12, 2010 12:27 am **Posts:** 630

Had to dig to find this thread. I did discuss adults only tablets with our GM. He liked the idea, but logistics make it impossible, so it won't happen. BTW, I played the 3rd generation tablets at Triviapalooza, and they seem WAY better than the earlier ones.

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tablets losing customers, players?

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