Promotion/Customer relations
This is the everything category. It really comes down to how the field connects to it’s customers and what they are doing to improve the local paintball environment. Things looked at are special events the field puts on. Are these special events run for the benefit of the players and give them an extra special experience, or just a ploy to get more players to shoot more paint? Is there any kind of loyalty programs? Even keeping waivers on file so that us players don’t have to take the time to fill one out every time is a help. Lastly, how do the fields communicate with their customers? Do they have a web site? Is it up to date? Nothing is more frustrating that driving out into the woods to find that a field has changed it’s hours, or is changing locations, or out of business. I have no idea why this is so difficult, but it speaks volumes about how serious an owner is to be a reliable source for our paintball entertainment.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
Reviewing Staff
Staff:
Reviewing the staff starts with numbers. Are there enough staff to run the field effectively? I have seen too many times a field with one or two staff members who are running the whole show and slow the whole process down. As much as number is important, quality is what shines through. How many times have you been to a field to see it staffed by young tournament players whose compensation is practice time, equipment from the field. These people have no interest in being a referee on the weekends for a bunch of rec-ball players, who of course they look down on. In fact there is such a difference between good and bad refs that I’m planning a future blog just on this topic. Concerning these reviews, this is what I am looking for. Refs need to manage the game, turn games around quickly, assist new players, pay attention to what is happening on the field and not be scared to perform paint-checks.
The rest of the staff review comes from their personality and how they treat their paying customers. Are they helpful? Do they go above and beyond the task they have been assigned to do? If I need an air fill, or need to purchase paint or for some other reason need to give money to the field in exchange for something I need to keep playing, how long am I waiting for someone to show up to serve me. The quality of the staff can make or break a paintball experience. You'll know when you see great staff, and you will really notice when the staff is substandard.
Reviewing the staff starts with numbers. Are there enough staff to run the field effectively? I have seen too many times a field with one or two staff members who are running the whole show and slow the whole process down. As much as number is important, quality is what shines through. How many times have you been to a field to see it staffed by young tournament players whose compensation is practice time, equipment from the field. These people have no interest in being a referee on the weekends for a bunch of rec-ball players, who of course they look down on. In fact there is such a difference between good and bad refs that I’m planning a future blog just on this topic. Concerning these reviews, this is what I am looking for. Refs need to manage the game, turn games around quickly, assist new players, pay attention to what is happening on the field and not be scared to perform paint-checks.
The rest of the staff review comes from their personality and how they treat their paying customers. Are they helpful? Do they go above and beyond the task they have been assigned to do? If I need an air fill, or need to purchase paint or for some other reason need to give money to the field in exchange for something I need to keep playing, how long am I waiting for someone to show up to serve me. The quality of the staff can make or break a paintball experience. You'll know when you see great staff, and you will really notice when the staff is substandard.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Reviewing Competition
Competition:
Mostly this has to do with the kind of players that show up to the field. How good they are is only part of the evaluation. Sportsmanship is of an even higher consideration when it comes to me rating the level of competition. Does a local tourney team show up to overshoot the newbies, or are the more experienced players good natured and welcoming/teaching those who are still developing their game.
Some may say that it isn’t fair for me to rate the level of competition because it is out of the field owners, but the how the field is run has a lot to do with what type of players continue to show up week after week. Do the refs keep teams balanced? Are tournament players grouped together with rec players? How friendly are the games to new players? And how do the refs/owners deal with players who make the games un-enjoyable for the others on the field.
Mostly this has to do with the kind of players that show up to the field. How good they are is only part of the evaluation. Sportsmanship is of an even higher consideration when it comes to me rating the level of competition. Does a local tourney team show up to overshoot the newbies, or are the more experienced players good natured and welcoming/teaching those who are still developing their game.
Some may say that it isn’t fair for me to rate the level of competition because it is out of the field owners, but the how the field is run has a lot to do with what type of players continue to show up week after week. Do the refs keep teams balanced? Are tournament players grouped together with rec players? How friendly are the games to new players? And how do the refs/owners deal with players who make the games un-enjoyable for the others on the field.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Reviewing Amenities
Amenities:
Lets start this section with one of the first things I notice about a field. Bathrooms. Is there an adequate amount of bathroom facilities for the number of people who show up at the field. If it is a special event, has more bathrooms been added. Are they clean? If they are port-a-crappers are they serviced regularly?
The rest is pretty simple to impress me. Have enough parking spaces, some benches and tables for people to sit down between games and work on their gear, and some undercover spaces for when it rains. With that said, I saw a recent thing on TV. They served a meal to two groups of people. One group was served on paper plates and plastic cups and forks, the other had crystal, china and waiters and the food was arranged and garnished. Those at the “fancy” place reported that the food tasted significantly better than those who ate with the bare minimum of elegance. The lesson, if your place looks like a dump, you’re customers aren’t going to be expecting much.
Lets start this section with one of the first things I notice about a field. Bathrooms. Is there an adequate amount of bathroom facilities for the number of people who show up at the field. If it is a special event, has more bathrooms been added. Are they clean? If they are port-a-crappers are they serviced regularly?
The rest is pretty simple to impress me. Have enough parking spaces, some benches and tables for people to sit down between games and work on their gear, and some undercover spaces for when it rains. With that said, I saw a recent thing on TV. They served a meal to two groups of people. One group was served on paper plates and plastic cups and forks, the other had crystal, china and waiters and the food was arranged and garnished. Those at the “fancy” place reported that the food tasted significantly better than those who ate with the bare minimum of elegance. The lesson, if your place looks like a dump, you’re customers aren’t going to be expecting much.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Reviewing Pricing
Pricing:
There’s not to much to say about price. Fields need to turn a profit for their owners and property, staff, insurance and paintballs cost money. We the players get the honor of paying for these things. Maybe someday in a perfect world it wont be necessary, but I don’t see that day coming soon. So in the mean time, prices are going to be comparative to other fields. As long as there isn’t some massive overcharging of something, there won’t be much to say.
There is another part of price, and that is the value of what we the players are paying for. Some fields offer have better staff, better fields, or in some way are just better. This can also include how many hours of play you are paying for. Better often costs more to produce, and I for one am willing to pay more for a better product, within reasonable levels anyway.
One last comment about pricing. Rentals. Rentals are the door thorough which most new players enter this sport. For some reason, it seems that there are a large amount of fields who want to charge top dollar of a poorly maintained rental equipment.
There’s not to much to say about price. Fields need to turn a profit for their owners and property, staff, insurance and paintballs cost money. We the players get the honor of paying for these things. Maybe someday in a perfect world it wont be necessary, but I don’t see that day coming soon. So in the mean time, prices are going to be comparative to other fields. As long as there isn’t some massive overcharging of something, there won’t be much to say.
There is another part of price, and that is the value of what we the players are paying for. Some fields offer have better staff, better fields, or in some way are just better. This can also include how many hours of play you are paying for. Better often costs more to produce, and I for one am willing to pay more for a better product, within reasonable levels anyway.
One last comment about pricing. Rentals. Rentals are the door thorough which most new players enter this sport. For some reason, it seems that there are a large amount of fields who want to charge top dollar of a poorly maintained rental equipment.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Reviewing the Field
Fields:
The important parts of a good woods/scenario field is are primarily 3 things; the size of the field, the construction of the field, and the layout/maintenance of the field.
Fields need to be the correct size for the game that is being played. A good woodsball field needs to be long enough so the teams can’t see each other at the start of the game, and wide enough that the flankers on one sideline can shoot those on the other. Also, the field needs the be big enough for the number of players that use the field. If there isn’t enough room for the players to maneuver, then the game stalemates into a game where both teams form a line and shoot at the other team, eventually thinning their numbers until movement is once again possible. These games are quite boring, and expensive as players are shooting at the worst possible angle, at close to max range. Fields will sell a lot of paint though, and that is why these smaller fields can be found quite regularly. Paintball is first and foremost a game of movement, and fields need to be built with this in mind.
When you construct a woodsball field, for me, the most important thing to start with is some woods. I am a little fed up that in the state of Washington, where trees are quite plentiful, people are choosing clear cut land to place a field on. Granted, there are ways to make a recreation field like a town or theme field where there isn’t much in the way of vegetation, and it’s okay to have one of these fields as it is a good change of pace. But lets be honest, paintball is made to be played where there are trees and shrubs. Shrubs are important, they obscure vision, can be shot through and can also provide cover. Also, use the terrain of the field to your advantage. I hate fields that are built on the edge of a cliff or around some impassible wetland. Lastly, are the bunkers made out of things that are safe? Rusty old cars may not be the might be fun, but can also require a tetanus shot.
The maintenance of the field is important to keep the fields playable. Are the boundaries well marked? Are blackberry bushes kept back to a manageable level? Have bee hives and wasps nests been disposed of or at the least marked off? Are safety hazards taken care of? Such as rusty metal on bunkers, towers about to collapse, holes or roots in major pathways.
The important parts of a good woods/scenario field is are primarily 3 things; the size of the field, the construction of the field, and the layout/maintenance of the field.
Fields need to be the correct size for the game that is being played. A good woodsball field needs to be long enough so the teams can’t see each other at the start of the game, and wide enough that the flankers on one sideline can shoot those on the other. Also, the field needs the be big enough for the number of players that use the field. If there isn’t enough room for the players to maneuver, then the game stalemates into a game where both teams form a line and shoot at the other team, eventually thinning their numbers until movement is once again possible. These games are quite boring, and expensive as players are shooting at the worst possible angle, at close to max range. Fields will sell a lot of paint though, and that is why these smaller fields can be found quite regularly. Paintball is first and foremost a game of movement, and fields need to be built with this in mind.
When you construct a woodsball field, for me, the most important thing to start with is some woods. I am a little fed up that in the state of Washington, where trees are quite plentiful, people are choosing clear cut land to place a field on. Granted, there are ways to make a recreation field like a town or theme field where there isn’t much in the way of vegetation, and it’s okay to have one of these fields as it is a good change of pace. But lets be honest, paintball is made to be played where there are trees and shrubs. Shrubs are important, they obscure vision, can be shot through and can also provide cover. Also, use the terrain of the field to your advantage. I hate fields that are built on the edge of a cliff or around some impassible wetland. Lastly, are the bunkers made out of things that are safe? Rusty old cars may not be the might be fun, but can also require a tetanus shot.
The maintenance of the field is important to keep the fields playable. Are the boundaries well marked? Are blackberry bushes kept back to a manageable level? Have bee hives and wasps nests been disposed of or at the least marked off? Are safety hazards taken care of? Such as rusty metal on bunkers, towers about to collapse, holes or roots in major pathways.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Spring: New Life/ New Season
I'm looking forward to getting back out there and trading paint with fellow players at the local fields. I am in the process of thinking about reviews and what I am looking for as I go to fields and rate what they have to offer. I'm going over this because I would also like to post reviews by others who stop by and have something to say on the places they've played. I'm going over this now so that everyone who may wish to enter a review will be on the same page when the are rating their experience.
Fields will be rated on the following
I will be describing these categories in more detail in the coming days. See you on the field
Fields will be rated on the following
- Fields
- Staff
- Price
- Amenities
- Competition
- Promotions
I will be describing these categories in more detail in the coming days. See you on the field
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