People Who Create VR: How Portal VR Staff Deliver the Ideal Customer Experience

Virtual Reality (VR) has long ceased to be mere entertainment; it is a high-tech and dynamic business whose success is directly dependent on impeccable operational organization. At the VR ARENA network, we have accumulated unique experience that allows us to transform technical complexity into a maximally comfortable, safe, and memorable client journey. We present the key principles that ensure the stability and scalability of our operations.

1. Organizing the VR Club's Operations: Personnel as the Foundation for Seamless Functioning

The effectiveness of any VR club begins with a detailed distribution of functions and the realization that every team member is an integral part of a unified system. Our staffing strategy is based on deep specialization and strategic interchangeability.

Key Positions and Optimal Shift Staffing

To maintain the highest level of service and safety, we have identified a number of critically important roles:

• Administrator Responsible for greeting guests and processing payments, operating the booking system, managing financial records, and handling day-to-day organizational issues. The administrator shapes the first impression and overall atmosphere of the venue.

• Operator (Instructor) Conducts introductory briefings, assists guests with content selection, provides technical support during gameplay, ensures safety, and maintains equipment cleanliness. This role is crucial for delivering a high-quality immersive experience and ensuring guest safety.

• Marketing and Development Specialist Focuses on attracting the target audience, managing social media presence, launching advertising campaigns, and analyzing market trends. Often works remotely and is not part of the daily shift team.

Optimal Number of Employees per Shift: For a club with average throughput (up to six gaming zones), the most effective composition is two specialists: an Administrator and an Operator. During periods of peak load, corporate events, or the presence of a large-format VR arena, we recommend reinforcing the shift with an additional Operator.

Functional Demarcation in the Operational Process

In practice, the Administrator and Operator work in close cooperation, but their areas of responsibility are strictly delineated:

• The Administrator is the coordination center for managing visitor flows. They monitor adherence to session timing, manage the queue, ensure financial discipline, and create comfortable conditions in the waiting area.
• The Operator is the main guarantor of the quality of the VR experience. Their priority task is to ensure the flawless operation of the technical equipment and the visitor's confidence in safety while in the virtual space.

Management Practice. We have implemented the principle of "rotational training". Every Operator undergoes basic training in the Administrator's functions (and vice versa). This allows us not only to quickly cover unexpectedly arising shifts but also to foster a comprehensive understanding of all the club's business processes among the staff. Nevertheless, within a single shift, the main priorities remain rigidly fixed to prevent duplication.

2. Regulations and Quality Standards: Systematization Instead of Improvisation

Service standards are our tool for ensuring that every guest, regardless of the club's location or the shift's composition, receives a consistently high and predictable level of service.

The Process of Developing Instructions and Regulations

Our instructions are not theoretical compilations of rules but concentrated and proven practical knowledge.

1. Collection of Empirical Data: We record all recurring scenarios, paying particular attention to situations where the best result was achieved or, conversely, an operational failure occurred.

2. Formation of the "Benchmark Algorithm": Based on the collected data, an ideal, step-by-step sequence of actions is developed (for example, "Protocol for conducting a briefing for a group of four people").

3. Implementation and Compliance Audit: The benchmark algorithm becomes mandatory, and its adherence is regularly monitored through checklists and a "mystery shopper" program.

The Most Important Rules for Operational Stability

For a VR club, norms concerning technical readiness and visitor safety are critically important:

• Technical Readiness Protocol: Daily checking of calibration, battery levels of all controllers and headsets, and a mandatory procedure for disinfecting equipment after each use.
• "Primary Interaction" Standard: A clearly defined scenario for greeting the guest, including booking confirmation, a brief introduction to the club's concept, and offering beverages.
• Action Regulation for Non-Standard Situations: Step-by-step instructions for the Operator in case of an emergency power outage, a serious technical failure, or a conflict situation with a visitor.

💡 VR ARENA Tip The greatest difficulty in our industry is the standardization of the emotional response and reaction to novelty. For a significant portion of visitors, this is their first experience. We standardize not only mechanical actions but also key communication principles: proactivity, empathetic listening, and the ability to quickly "smooth over sharp edges" in potentially conflictual situations.

3. Automation of Processes in a VR Club: Efficient Management with Minimal Intervention

Automation is not just a convenience, but a necessary condition for business scaling and increasing the conversion rate. It allows the team to focus efforts on interacting with the guest, minimizing routine operations.

Automated Operational Processes

We have digitized the maximum number of repetitive and accounting operations:

• Booking and Planning System: The online platform allows visitors to see available time in real-time and independently make a reservation, which virtually eliminates errors on the Administrator's part.
• Client and Sales Accounting System (CRM): The system automatically registers visit history, preferences in gaming content, birthdays, and collects detailed sales statistics for each gaming zone.
• Financial and Transactional Accounting: Automatic recording of all monetary transactions, revenue calculation, and generation of management reports for leadership.
• Client Communications: Automated notifications for booking confirmation (via SMS/messengers) and requests for providing feedback after the visit.

The Role of Automation in Managing Flows and Conversion

Automated tools provide complete data transparency and the ability to make informed management decisions:

• Flow Optimization: We clearly see hours of minimal load and can promptly launch special offers or flexibly adjust pricing policies for an even distribution of the load.
• Increase in Average Check: The system automatically offers visitors additional services (beverages, session extension) based on the analysis of their history and the club's current occupancy.

⚠️ Important: Detailed instructions for setting up and using automation tools are presented in our extensive VR ARENA knowledge base, available to current network partners.

Aspects Requiring Direct Human Control

Despite the high level of digitalization, human involvement remains indispensable in the following key areas:

• Physical Equipment Maintenance: Thorough cleaning of lenses, disinfection of headsets, minor repairs, and timely replacement of consumables (protective masks, wipes).
• Emotional Interaction and Accompaniment: No technology can replace the live, confident voice of the Operator, who relieves tension, instills confidence, and guarantees safety.
• Resolution of Unique and Non-Standard Situations: Conflicts, complex technical malfunctions, as well as individual requests requiring a creative and non-standard approach.

4. Customer Experience and Safety: Forming the Ideal First Visit

Our main goal is to ensure that the first visit to the VR club is as comfortable and safe as possible, stimulating the desire to return.

Target Visitor Groups and Differentiated Approach

We work with a wide range of audiences, and a specific approach has been developed for each group:

• Children (6+): Priority is given to safety, intuitive control, and content that excludes the effect of motion sickness. Briefing is conducted in a light, playful manner.
• Teenagers and Young Adults: Value social interaction, competitive spirit, and access to the latest releases. Speed of access to popular content is important for them.
• Adults and Corporate Clients: Seek premium comfort, high-quality graphics, and opportunities for team interaction. For corporate bookings, the organization of catering and dedicated accompanying staff is important.

Preventing Beginner Mistakes and Safety Rules

We actively work to minimize typical mistakes: attempts to lean on virtual objects, sharp uncontrolled movements, removing the headset during the active phase of the game.

Briefing and Accompaniment Procedure:

1. Greeting and Setting the Mood: The Administrator welcomes the guest, confirms the reservation, and escorts them to the briefing area.

2. Theoretical Minimum: The Operator briefly but clearly explains the safety rules, the boundaries of the gaming zone, and the principles of controller operation.

3. Mandatory Practice: The visitor goes through a short introductory test level (e.g., calibration or simple object interaction) before starting the main session. This removes the technological barrier.

Components of a Comfortable First Visit

Ideal comfort is composed of many details:

• Personalized Greeting: The Administrator must possess information about the guest's name and booking details before the visitor introduces themselves.

• Overall Atmosphere: Impeccable cleanliness, stylistically consistent design, unobtrusive background music (it should create a backdrop without interfering with the briefing).

• Equipment Condition: Perfectly clean, disinfected headsets and fresh disposable protective masks.

Collection and Analysis of Feedback

We do not wait for passive feedback; we proactively collect information:

• Express Survey: The Operator asks 1-2 key questions immediately after the session ends ("What made the biggest impression?", "Were there any inconveniences?").
• Automated Request: After the visit, the guest is sent a link to a short questionnaire.
• Systemic Analysis: All received feedback, including critical ones, is immediately recorded in the CRM and serves as the basis for the operational adjustment of staff work and regulations.

💡 Detailed information on standards, internal operational processes, and automation tools is presented in our extensive VR ARENA knowledge base, available to current network partners.