Starter Rate Set for a New Club
Starter Rate Set for a New Club
Section titled “Starter Rate Set for a New Club”When opening a computer or gaming club, the minimum working rate structure is three rates: a daytime hourly, a night unlimited, and a starter multipass (prepaid hour package). This set covers the main audience segments, generates cash from day one, and does not overwhelm the cashier with choices. Prices are parametric: the hourly rate is built from your target AOV (average order value per visit), the night rate sits at 55–65% of daytime AOV for a comparable time block, and the multipass carries an 8–12% discount against the equivalent hourly total. Expand the rate set after 30 days of operation — once analytics show the real distribution of demand. For rate type fundamentals see Rate Basics in IZI.
Why three rates, not five or ten
Section titled “Why three rates, not five or ten”A common launch mistake is creating 8–12 rates upfront “for every scenario”: weekday, weekend, VIP, student, family, 1-hour, 2-hour, 3-hour. The rates themselves are not the problem — IZI configures them in minutes. The problem is that you are designing demand you have not yet seen.
Three reasons to start with a minimal set:
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No data yet. Without 4–6 weeks of actual operations, you do not know your audience’s average session length, which hours are peak, or whether there is real demand for night sessions. A “student rate” without data on the student share of your audience is a guess.
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The cashier should focus on the guest, not on choosing a rate. With 12 rates on the register at opening, the admin loses seconds on every transaction and makes mistakes. Three rates means a one-minute checkout.
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Analytics only works when data is not scattered. Ten rates from day one make it nearly impossible to understand what is actually working. Three rates produce a clean signal.
The three starter rates: business logic and parameters
Section titled “The three starter rates: business logic and parameters”Rate 1. Daytime hourly
Section titled “Rate 1. Daytime hourly”Business meaning. Your core product — the guest pays for a defined block of play time and gets a seat. The simplest scenario for both cashier and player.
Parameters:
| Parameter | Benchmark | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Volume | 2–3 hours | Matches average session length × 1–1.5 |
| Price | Target AOV × 0.9–1.1 | AOV = the average revenue per visit you want to achieve |
| Expiry condition | X hours of play time | Primary condition for an hourly rate |
| Return policy | Preserve remainder | If the guest leaves early, unused hours are not lost |
| Max bonus % | 25–35% | Depends on rate margin |
| Sales schedule | Daytime window | For example, 10:00–22:00 or 09:00–23:00 |
How to set it up in IZI. Go to Rates → Add Rate. Use a cashier-friendly name: “Day 2h” or “Play Hour”. Create a “Daytime” group — it separates hourly packages from night rates in the interface. Under expiry rules, select “X hours of play time”. Return policy: “Preserve remainder”. For step-by-step instructions see How to Configure a Rate in IZI CRM.
When to expand. Once analytics show that 40%+ of guests buy additional time on top of the base block, add a “1 Extra Hour” top-up or a 4–5 hour package for longer sessions.
Rate 2. Night unlimited
Section titled “Rate 2. Night unlimited”Business meaning. The night rate is a tool for filling hours that would otherwise be idle. Your club pays rent and utilities 24 hours a day; an empty floor from 23:00 to 07:00 is pure loss. A night unlimited sells a time window rather than a specific number of hours.
Parameters:
| Parameter | Benchmark | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Sales schedule | 22:00–01:00 | Purchase window; can be narrowed to 23:00–00:00 |
| Expiry schedule | 07:00–08:00 | Rate closes automatically in the morning |
| Price | AOV × 0.55–0.65 | Below daytime, but above “3 hours” |
| Return policy | Burn remainder | Rate is tied to the window; leftover has no meaning |
| Max bonus % | 0–15% | Low: the night rate is already cheap, bonuses can erode margin |
How it works in IZI. The schedule is not a decorative setting — it is the automation mechanism. The rate appears in the register only within its time window. At 08:01 it disappears from the cashier view without any admin action. For schedule configuration see Rate Schedules in IZI.
Pricing benchmark. Parametrically: if your 2-hour daytime rate costs X units, the night unlimited should cost roughly 1.5–1.8X — meaningfully cheaper than buying three or four daytime hours, but not so cheap that guests start choosing to wait for night. If the night rate undercuts the daytime rate by too much, part of your audience will shift to nights intentionally.
Rate 3. Starter multipass
Section titled “Rate 3. Starter multipass”Business meaning. A multipass is a prepaid hour package with a discount. The guest pays for 8–20 hours upfront; the club receives cash today instead of spread across future visits. As long as the package is active, the guest has an anchor to your club rather than a competitor’s.
Parameters:
| Parameter | Formula | Example at 2h average session |
|---|---|---|
| Small package volume | Average session × 4–5 | 8–10 hours |
| Small package price | Hourly price × volume × (1 − 0.08–0.12) | 8–12% off the hourly equivalent |
| Validity (days) | Volume ÷ visit frequency × 1.5–2 | 10h ÷ (2h/week) × 1.5 ≈ 75 days |
| Expiry condition | Both simultaneously: hours + days | Whichever comes first |
| Return policy | Preserve remainder | Guest returns and continues using the package |
| Max bonus % | 0–10% | Usually lower than for hourly rates |
Discount logic. An 8–12% discount on a small package is enough for the buyer to feel real value without damaging your margin. The key is that the discount must be visible — not 3%, but a noticeable 10–12%. For discount calculation details see Multipass in IZI.
Validity is a required parameter. A package without an expiry date is a club liability. A guest who bought 20 hours in January and returns in November must be served at January prices. An expiry date protects the club and gently encourages regular visits.
Parametric benchmarks: pricing without historical data
Section titled “Parametric benchmarks: pricing without historical data”At launch you have no historical data. Your starting point is a target AOV — the average revenue per visit you want to generate.
Target AOV is derived from unit economics: your fixed and variable cost per seat-hour, target utilisation, and desired operating margin. This is the calculation you do before opening when building your business plan.
Illustrative rate set structure (as AOV multiples):
| Rate | Price | Volume |
|---|---|---|
| Daytime hourly 2h | AOV × 1.0 | Baseline rate |
| Daytime hourly 3h | AOV × 1.4–1.5 | Small volume discount |
| Night unlimited | AOV × 1.6–1.9 | 6–8 hour window |
| Multipass small (8–10h) | AOV × 4.0–4.5 | −8–10% off the hourly equivalent |
Substituting actual numbers is your task once you have determined your AOV. These are framework multipliers.
Expansion logic: what to add after 30–60 days
Section titled “Expansion logic: what to add after 30–60 days”After a month of operation, IZI shift and sales analytics will reveal real demand. Watch for three signals:
Signal 1: one rate pulls 60–70% of sales. This is good — it found the core need. Look at what is adjacent: if “Day 2h” dominates, consider adding “Day 1h” for short visits or “Day 3h” for longer sessions.
Signal 2: multipass sells, but only in the small size. Time to introduce a ladder — small / medium / large with increasing discounts. The medium package becomes the psychological anchor; most buyers will gravitate to it.
Signal 3: guests ask for discounts (students, children, corporate groups). This signals adding a customer group with an automatic discount. In IZI this works without creating a separate rate: a rule “group X receives Y% off rate category Z” is configured independently and applies automatically at checkout.
What to definitely not add in the first month:
- Separate VIP-zone rates — until you have confirmed demand for the zone (configure zone pricing within existing rates first).
- A “permanent” promo rate — promotions should be time-limited by schedule, not standing items in the register.
- A “trial 30-minute” rate — without data you cannot know whether there is an audience for short sessions.
How rates are structured in IZI: the technical layer
Section titled “How rates are structured in IZI: the technical layer”Every rate in IZI is a combination of four components:
| Component | What it defines |
|---|---|
| Expiry condition | When the rate ends: by hours, by sessions, by date, or by a combination |
| Sales policy | When and through which channel the rate is purchasable: schedule + CRM / kiosk / app |
| Usage policy | How it is used: start schedule, zone prices, extended expiry window |
| Return policy | What happens to the remainder on early exit: preserve, burn, or convert to bonus balance |
Schedules in IZI are reusable — create once and attach to multiple rates. A night window 22:00–08:00 is created once and used for the night rate, night discounts, and automated promotions. For the full structure overview see Rate Basics in IZI.
Illustrative example: three rates at the register
Section titled “Illustrative example: three rates at the register”Substitution using AOV = 200 units and an average session of 2 hours. Region, currency, and absolute numbers are yours to fill in.
| Rate | Sales schedule | Start schedule | Price | Expiry condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 2h | 10:00–22:00 daily | 10:00–22:00 | 200 | 2h play time |
| Night unlimited | 22:00–01:00 daily | 22:00–08:00 | 350 | Window end (08:00) |
| Multipass 10h | Always | Always | 1,760 | 10h + 75 days |
Prices are illustrative — substitute your numbers from AOV. The multipass discount in this example is ≈12% against five “Day 2h” purchases.
All three rates coexist at the register; the right one activates by schedule with no admin intervention.
Checklist: three rates set up correctly
Section titled “Checklist: three rates set up correctly”Before opening, verify every item:
- Daytime hourly created, price set, expiry condition = hours of play time, return policy = Preserve remainder
- Daytime hourly visible at the register only during daytime schedule, disappears at night
- Night unlimited created, sales schedule and expiry schedule configured, return policy = Burn remainder
- Night unlimited not available at the register during daytime hours
- Multipass created with dual expiry condition: hours + days
- Multipass validity calculated from the formula, not set arbitrarily
- All three rates grouped: “Daytime”, “Night”, “Passes” (or equivalent labels)
- Test session run on a technical account — hours deduct correctly
Rates and the bonus program
Section titled “Rates and the bonus program”The rate set and the bonus program are two independent tools that work on top of each other. A top-up bonus does not create new rates — it is credited when a guest tops up their account balance and spent when paying for any rate. This means your three starter rates are already compatible with the loyalty program without any extra configuration.
For a new club, a basic bonus ladder launches in parallel with the rate set and takes a few minutes to configure once. For setup details see Top-Up Bonus — Owner Guide.
Once the multipass is live and you want to grow its sales through a bonus mechanic, see How to Sell Multipass Through Bonuses.
When the rate set is ready to scale
Section titled “When the rate set is ready to scale”Three signals that the starter set has outgrown its purpose and expansion is due:
- Analytics shows a stable distribution — you understand who buys what and why. The split has been consistent for 4–6 weeks.
- New segments with different needs have appeared — your customer base is large enough that an additional rate (student, VIP, weekend package) will find real demand rather than sit empty.
- Multipass sells, but only in the small size — everyone buys the small package because there is no medium or large. Time to introduce the ladder.
Once you move to an expanded set, the next scenario covering multiple zones and zone-based pricing is in Zone Pricing: VIP vs Standard.
All numbers in this article are parametric — derived as multipliers from your club’s AOV and average session length. There are no universal absolute recommendations: markets, audiences, and price expectations vary. Substitute your own data.
Related: Rate Basics in IZI · Multipass — Pass Configuration · Rate Schedules · How to Configure a Rate in IZI CRM · Top-Up Bonus — Owner Guide · How to Fill Off-Peak Hours
Frequently asked questions
How many rates does a new club need at launch?
Three: a daytime hourly rate, a night unlimited, and one starter multipass. This minimum covers 80–90% of first-month scenarios and immediately generates the data you need to expand. Adding rates before you have data means designing demand you have not yet observed.
How do I calculate the night rate price?
Work from your target AOV (average order value per visit). The night unlimited typically sits at 55–65% of the AOV for a comparable daytime session. Night is a 6–8 hour window, but guests rarely play the full time. Psychologically, the night price should feel noticeably cheaper than buying 3–4 daytime hours separately.
What size should the starter multipass be?
Small package = average session length × 4–5. If the average session is 2 hours, the package is 8–10 hours — enough visits for the guest to feel the value, but not so many that they disappear for months.
Should I create a VIP zone with separate pricing at launch?
No. Zone pricing is a second-step move. First, collect data at a single price point, confirm demand for a premium zone exists, then add separate pricing in the rate card. Premature complexity confuses cashiers and fragments your analytics.
When should I add a student or group rate?
When you have data on the share of the audience you want to discount. In IZI, a student rate via a customer group with an automatic discount takes three clicks — it is not urgent at launch, it is a week 4–6 addition.
Can I add a launch-promotion rate?
Yes, but treat it as a temporary rate with a sales schedule limited to 1–2 weeks. Do not confuse it with your standing rate set — permanent rates must work on their own without promotions. When the promo ends, simply remove it from the schedule.