2019年,我在瑞銀集團(tuán)(UBS)擔(dān)任股權(quán)研究分析師。我非常喜歡打乒乓球,但在搬到紐約市之后,我發(fā)現(xiàn)很難找到一處可以打球的地方。于是我產(chǎn)生了創(chuàng)建PingPod的想法:每周7天每天24小時按需提供的乒乓球設(shè)施,且無需在現(xiàn)場安排全職員工。
我們生活在一個體驗比商品本身更有價值的世界,也就是所謂的“體驗經(jīng)濟(jì)”。目前,大多數(shù)美國人優(yōu)先考慮的是體驗,而不是商品和產(chǎn)品。但向人們提供體驗,尤其是在城市地區(qū),可能成本高昂且極其復(fù)雜。我們的自動化運營模式提供了在城市市場增加乒乓球設(shè)施的技術(shù)解決方案,而且該模式也適用于其他運動。
最初,我們只有位于曼哈頓下東區(qū)的一處PingPod場館,這里成為后來美國18處(而且還在增加)PingPod場館的模板。
它們的運營模式是:每個場地沒有工作人員,場地內(nèi)實現(xiàn)完全自動化運營。用戶通過應(yīng)用程序預(yù)訂場地,而且只能通過智能手機上的代碼開門。(出于安全原因,我們利用了另外一種趨勢:外包。下文將詳細(xì)介紹。)自動化模式不僅能降低成本,還能延長場地可用的時間。
我們致力于為消費者提供最佳體驗。我們從零開始,開發(fā)出驅(qū)動PingPod的軟件棧。我們始終相信,總有一天,我們的系統(tǒng)可以授權(quán)給其他場館經(jīng)營者使用。去年,我們將技術(shù)資產(chǎn)打包,組建了一家軟件即服務(wù)(SaaS)全資子公司PodPlay Technologies。
目前,PodPlay系統(tǒng)已經(jīng)有70多家簽約場館(包括18處PingPod場館),涵蓋了乒乓球、臺球、棒球練習(xí)場、匹克球、板式網(wǎng)球、足球、高爾夫球模擬器、賽車模擬器等不同項目。任何出售預(yù)訂時間段的場館都是PodPlay的潛在客戶。事實上,在體育和休閑領(lǐng)域,許多創(chuàng)業(yè)者都有類似的想法,他們對于以勞動輕量化的模式經(jīng)營場館很感興趣。
最初的一處自動化乒乓球設(shè)施,變成了一家體育科技公司,特許經(jīng)營PingPod品牌,并對外許可PodPlay系統(tǒng)。
2022年3月,我們獲得了1,000萬美元風(fēng)險投資,用于幫助我們拓展規(guī)模。去年,我們的收入達(dá)到360萬美元,今年預(yù)計將達(dá)到約600萬美元。根據(jù)去年完成的最近一輪融資,我們的估值達(dá)到約5,000萬美元。
以下是我們經(jīng)過實踐驗證的成功秘訣,以及我們?nèi)绾卧跀U張的過程中繼續(xù)打造出色體驗:
在城市空間內(nèi)運用現(xiàn)代化技術(shù)
PingPod在紐約市、新澤西州、費城、邁阿密、波士頓和芝加哥有“場地”,在英國和菲律賓有衛(wèi)星場地。由PodPlay驅(qū)動的自動化運營模式,推動了公司業(yè)務(wù)的快速擴張。
人們對于體驗的渴望,以及千禧一代、Z世代和Alpha世代生活在“數(shù)字優(yōu)先”世界的事實,意味著在城市環(huán)境中會有更多零售空間被改造成以體驗為核心的場館。
在PingPod成立之前,紐約市的乒乓球市場提供兩個選擇:要么去為餐飲消費設(shè)計的大型“餐飲娛樂”場所,要么去地下室風(fēng)格的“道場”,即專門的乒乓球場地,這些場地從上世紀(jì)90年代以后就沒有進(jìn)行過翻新。
PingPod介于兩者之間——它提供了一個可以打乒乓球的舒適場館,而且價格實惠、使用方便。我們提供的并不是一處有30張球桌的大型目的地,而是分散在城市各處的十多個小型場地。
降低運營成本
自動化或半自動化運營對企業(yè)主而言是一個顛覆性因素。自動化模式除了降低人力成本以外,還能降低對體力勞動的需求,因此可以減少對場地經(jīng)營能力的約束。大多數(shù)PingPod場館每年365天每天24小時營業(yè)。
自動化經(jīng)營模式解決的根本問題在于地點單位經(jīng)濟(jì)效益。城區(qū)的租金高昂,但可變勞動力成本通常是一筆更大的開支。自動化經(jīng)營模式可以幫助限制人力成本,使公司的經(jīng)營只需要滿足最低人員要求。
歸根結(jié)底,在降低運營成本和提高產(chǎn)能的雙重影響下,我們業(yè)績最好的場館的經(jīng)營利潤率超過40%。
保證客戶的安全
自動化場館的設(shè)計可以做到運營盡可能簡單。PodPlay系統(tǒng)支持小型設(shè)施由專屬業(yè)主兼經(jīng)營者一個人就可以運營。
在我們剛剛創(chuàng)建PingPod時,確實有關(guān)于安全問題的擔(dān)憂。保證客戶的安全始終是我們的首要任務(wù),而且我們?yōu)榇瞬扇×嗽S多措施。首先,PingPod場館的所有門默認(rèn)為鎖死狀態(tài)。進(jìn)入場館的唯一途徑是預(yù)約。其次,預(yù)約意味著客戶已經(jīng)付費,而且我們已經(jīng)記錄了用戶的信用卡信息,以便于收取任何附加費用。第三,PodPlay系統(tǒng)在菲律賓有一個專門的視頻監(jiān)控團(tuán)隊。位于馬尼拉的監(jiān)控團(tuán)隊會監(jiān)控所有PodPlay自動運營場館,并在必要時提醒本地團(tuán)隊成員。經(jīng)過五年的運營,我們有數(shù)十個場館和數(shù)萬個小時的預(yù)訂,可以說我們的經(jīng)營模式達(dá)到了預(yù)期。
創(chuàng)造無縫客戶體驗,培養(yǎng)客戶社區(qū)
自動化經(jīng)營的場館讓客戶可以自行設(shè)定環(huán)境的氛圍。場館內(nèi)配備了完全一體化的音視頻設(shè)備,因此客戶可以獲得“游戲化的”體驗。PodPlay為場館配備了即時回放和比分跟蹤功能,為專業(yè)和業(yè)余球手帶來更出色的體驗。
特別是即時回放,對于客戶和場館經(jīng)營者而言都是具有顛覆性的功能。它可以捕捉到精彩瞬間,但不會中斷比賽過程??蛻舨槐丶芷鹑_架,裝上手機進(jìn)行拍攝。只需要按下場館內(nèi)的一個按鈕,視頻回放就會被投影到桌面顯示器上,并通過郵件發(fā)送給客戶,同時也會保存在他們的賬戶中。
客戶使用回放功能的頻率有多高?人們會經(jīng)常使用。在2024年,PingPod的客戶爭相使用這個功能,回放按鈕被按下的次數(shù)超過10萬次。它給場館所有者帶來的好處在于,許多視頻最終會被上傳到社交媒體,客戶會與更多潛在用戶分享自己的經(jīng)歷。
自從我們成立PingPod以來,注冊客戶已經(jīng)超過10萬人,使用場館的時間超過26萬個小時,這為人們提供了一個與本地社區(qū)的新老朋友聚會的好去處。(財富中文網(wǎng))
本文作者大衛(wèi)·西爾伯曼是現(xiàn)任PingPod及其子公司PodPlay的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人兼首席財務(wù)官。
Fortune.com上發(fā)表的評論文章中表達(dá)的觀點,僅代表作者本人的觀點,不代表《財富》雜志的觀點和立場。
譯者:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
2019年,我在瑞銀集團(tuán)(UBS)擔(dān)任股權(quán)研究分析師。我非常喜歡打乒乓球,但在搬到紐約市之后,我發(fā)現(xiàn)很難找到一處可以打球的地方。于是我產(chǎn)生了創(chuàng)建PingPod的想法:每周7天每天24小時按需提供的乒乓球設(shè)施,且無需在現(xiàn)場安排全職員工。
我們生活在一個體驗比商品本身更有價值的世界,也就是所謂的“體驗經(jīng)濟(jì)”。目前,大多數(shù)美國人優(yōu)先考慮的是體驗,而不是商品和產(chǎn)品。但向人們提供體驗,尤其是在城市地區(qū),可能成本高昂且極其復(fù)雜。我們的自動化運營模式提供了在城市市場增加乒乓球設(shè)施的技術(shù)解決方案,而且該模式也適用于其他運動。
最初,我們只有位于曼哈頓下東區(qū)的一處PingPod場館,這里成為后來美國18處(而且還在增加)PingPod場館的模板。
它們的運營模式是:每個場地沒有工作人員,場地內(nèi)實現(xiàn)完全自動化運營。用戶通過應(yīng)用程序預(yù)訂場地,而且只能通過智能手機上的代碼開門。(出于安全原因,我們利用了另外一種趨勢:外包。下文將詳細(xì)介紹。)自動化模式不僅能降低成本,還能延長場地可用的時間。
我們致力于為消費者提供最佳體驗。我們從零開始,開發(fā)出驅(qū)動PingPod的軟件棧。我們始終相信,總有一天,我們的系統(tǒng)可以授權(quán)給其他場館經(jīng)營者使用。去年,我們將技術(shù)資產(chǎn)打包,組建了一家軟件即服務(wù)(SaaS)全資子公司PodPlay Technologies。
目前,PodPlay系統(tǒng)已經(jīng)有70多家簽約場館(包括18處PingPod場館),涵蓋了乒乓球、臺球、棒球練習(xí)場、匹克球、板式網(wǎng)球、足球、高爾夫球模擬器、賽車模擬器等不同項目。任何出售預(yù)訂時間段的場館都是PodPlay的潛在客戶。事實上,在體育和休閑領(lǐng)域,許多創(chuàng)業(yè)者都有類似的想法,他們對于以勞動輕量化的模式經(jīng)營場館很感興趣。
最初的一處自動化乒乓球設(shè)施,變成了一家體育科技公司,特許經(jīng)營PingPod品牌,并對外許可PodPlay系統(tǒng)。
2022年3月,我們獲得了1,000萬美元風(fēng)險投資,用于幫助我們拓展規(guī)模。去年,我們的收入達(dá)到360萬美元,今年預(yù)計將達(dá)到約600萬美元。根據(jù)去年完成的最近一輪融資,我們的估值達(dá)到約5,000萬美元。
以下是我們經(jīng)過實踐驗證的成功秘訣,以及我們?nèi)绾卧跀U張的過程中繼續(xù)打造出色體驗:
在城市空間內(nèi)運用現(xiàn)代化技術(shù)
PingPod在紐約市、新澤西州、費城、邁阿密、波士頓和芝加哥有“場地”,在英國和菲律賓有衛(wèi)星場地。由PodPlay驅(qū)動的自動化運營模式,推動了公司業(yè)務(wù)的快速擴張。
人們對于體驗的渴望,以及千禧一代、Z世代和Alpha世代生活在“數(shù)字優(yōu)先”世界的事實,意味著在城市環(huán)境中會有更多零售空間被改造成以體驗為核心的場館。
在PingPod成立之前,紐約市的乒乓球市場提供兩個選擇:要么去為餐飲消費設(shè)計的大型“餐飲娛樂”場所,要么去地下室風(fēng)格的“道場”,即專門的乒乓球場地,這些場地從上世紀(jì)90年代以后就沒有進(jìn)行過翻新。
PingPod介于兩者之間——它提供了一個可以打乒乓球的舒適場館,而且價格實惠、使用方便。我們提供的并不是一處有30張球桌的大型目的地,而是分散在城市各處的十多個小型場地。
降低運營成本
自動化或半自動化運營對企業(yè)主而言是一個顛覆性因素。自動化模式除了降低人力成本以外,還能降低對體力勞動的需求,因此可以減少對場地經(jīng)營能力的約束。大多數(shù)PingPod場館每年365天每天24小時營業(yè)。
自動化經(jīng)營模式解決的根本問題在于地點單位經(jīng)濟(jì)效益。城區(qū)的租金高昂,但可變勞動力成本通常是一筆更大的開支。自動化經(jīng)營模式可以幫助限制人力成本,使公司的經(jīng)營只需要滿足最低人員要求。
歸根結(jié)底,在降低運營成本和提高產(chǎn)能的雙重影響下,我們業(yè)績最好的場館的經(jīng)營利潤率超過40%。
保證客戶的安全
自動化場館的設(shè)計可以做到運營盡可能簡單。PodPlay系統(tǒng)支持小型設(shè)施由專屬業(yè)主兼經(jīng)營者一個人就可以運營。
在我們剛剛創(chuàng)建PingPod時,確實有關(guān)于安全問題的擔(dān)憂。保證客戶的安全始終是我們的首要任務(wù),而且我們?yōu)榇瞬扇×嗽S多措施。首先,PingPod場館的所有門默認(rèn)為鎖死狀態(tài)。進(jìn)入場館的唯一途徑是預(yù)約。其次,預(yù)約意味著客戶已經(jīng)付費,而且我們已經(jīng)記錄了用戶的信用卡信息,以便于收取任何附加費用。第三,PodPlay系統(tǒng)在菲律賓有一個專門的視頻監(jiān)控團(tuán)隊。位于馬尼拉的監(jiān)控團(tuán)隊會監(jiān)控所有PodPlay自動運營場館,并在必要時提醒本地團(tuán)隊成員。經(jīng)過五年的運營,我們有數(shù)十個場館和數(shù)萬個小時的預(yù)訂,可以說我們的經(jīng)營模式達(dá)到了預(yù)期。
創(chuàng)造無縫客戶體驗,培養(yǎng)客戶社區(qū)
自動化經(jīng)營的場館讓客戶可以自行設(shè)定環(huán)境的氛圍。場館內(nèi)配備了完全一體化的音視頻設(shè)備,因此客戶可以獲得“游戲化的”體驗。PodPlay為場館配備了即時回放和比分跟蹤功能,為專業(yè)和業(yè)余球手帶來更出色的體驗。
特別是即時回放,對于客戶和場館經(jīng)營者而言都是具有顛覆性的功能。它可以捕捉到精彩瞬間,但不會中斷比賽過程。客戶不必架起三腳架,裝上手機進(jìn)行拍攝。只需要按下場館內(nèi)的一個按鈕,視頻回放就會被投影到桌面顯示器上,并通過郵件發(fā)送給客戶,同時也會保存在他們的賬戶中。
客戶使用回放功能的頻率有多高?人們會經(jīng)常使用。在2024年,PingPod的客戶爭相使用這個功能,回放按鈕被按下的次數(shù)超過10萬次。它給場館所有者帶來的好處在于,許多視頻最終會被上傳到社交媒體,客戶會與更多潛在用戶分享自己的經(jīng)歷。
自從我們成立PingPod以來,注冊客戶已經(jīng)超過10萬人,使用場館的時間超過26萬個小時,這為人們提供了一個與本地社區(qū)的新老朋友聚會的好去處。(財富中文網(wǎng))
本文作者大衛(wèi)·西爾伯曼是現(xiàn)任PingPod及其子公司PodPlay的聯(lián)合創(chuàng)始人兼首席財務(wù)官。
Fortune.com上發(fā)表的評論文章中表達(dá)的觀點,僅代表作者本人的觀點,不代表《財富》雜志的觀點和立場。
譯者:劉進(jìn)龍
審校:汪皓
In 2019, I was working as an equity research analyst at UBS. I am an avid ping pong player, but when I moved to New York City I learned how difficult it was to find places to play. That’s when I had the idea for PingPod: 24/7 on-demand ping pong facilities that could operate without the need for full-time employees on-site.
We live in a world where experiences are valued over goods—aka “the experience economy.” Today the majority of Americans prioritize experiences over goods and products. But it can be expensive and complex to deliver experiences to people, especially in urban areas. Our autonomous operating model offers the technological key to creating more ping pong supply in urban markets—and it works for other sports, as well.
We started with a single PingPod location in the Lower East Side of Manhattan—the template for the 18 (and counting) U.S. PingPod outlets that would follow.
Here’s how they work: Rather than having staff man a location, everything on-site is automated. Users book the space with an app, and they can only unlock the door via a code on their smartphone. (For security we tap into another trend: outsourcing. See below.) The autonomous model not only cuts down on cost, but also expands the times of day a venue can be used.
Our focus was to create the best consumer experience possible. We built from scratch the software stack that powers PingPod. We always believed that one day we could license our system to outside venue operators. Last year, we bundled our technology assets into a wholly owned software-as-a-service (SaaS) subsidiary called PodPlay Technologies.
Today, PodPlay has over 70 venues (including the 18 PingPod outlets) signed up on the system across table tennis, billiards, baseball batting cages, pickleball, padel, soccer, golf simulators, racing simulators, and more. Any venue that sells reservation time slots is a potential PodPlay client. As it happens, there are many like-minded entrepreneurs in the sports and recreation space who are interested in running their venues in a labor-light fashion.
What started out as a single automated ping pong facility has transformed into a sports-tech company in which we are franchising the PingPod brand and licensing the PodPlay system.
In March 2022, we received $10 million in VC funding to help with our expansion. Last year, we reached $3.6 million in revenue, and this year we expect to hit about $6 million. Based on the most recent round of financing completed last year, our valuation is around $50 million.
Here’s how we’ve proven success and maintained the magic in the experience as we’ve scaled:
Modernize tech in urban spaces
PingPod has “Pods” in New York City, New Jersey, Philadelphia, Miami, Boston, and Chicago, with satellite locations in the U.K. and the Philippines. The autonomous operations powered by PodPlay enabled that rapid scale.
The desire for experiences combined with the fact that millennials, Gen Z , and Gen Alpha live in a digital-first world means we can anticipate more retail spaces in urban environments turning into experience-focused venues.
Before PingPod, the table tennis market in NYC offered two options: your giant “eatertainment” facility designed for F&B consumption, or your basement-style “dojo”—a specialized place for table tennis—that hasn’t been renovated since the ’90s.
PingPod is an avenue in between—a comfortable place to play ping pong that is affordable, accessible, and convenient. Rather than a giant destination facility with 30 tables, we offer a dozen smaller-format locations physically dispersed throughout a city.
Reduce operating costs
Operating autonomously or semi-autonomously is a game changer for business owners. In addition to reducing labor costs, autonomous models also lessen the need for physical labor and therefore reduce capacity constraints. Most PingPods are open 24/7, 365 days a year.
The fundamental problem that the autonomous operating model solves is location unit economics. Rent is expensive in urban locations, but variable labor costs are often an even larger component of the cost stack. Autonomous models help to limit labor costs and allow the business to run with minimal staffing requirements.
What it boils down to is the double-whammy of reduced operating costs and greater capacity, which yields over 40% operating margins in our highest-performing Pods.
Maintain customer safety
Autonomous venues are designed to be as simple to operate as possible. The PodPlay system enables small facilities to be run by a single, dedicated owner-operator.
When we first started PingPod, there were valid concerns around safety and security. The safety of our customers is always our utmost priority, and we have devised multiple ways to ensure it. First, all PingPod doors are locked by default. The only way one can access the space is by having a reservation. Second, having a reservation means that you paid and that we have your credit card on file to account for any ancillary charges. Third, the PodPlay system includes a dedicated video-monitoring team based in the Philippines. The team in Manila constantly keeps eyes on all PodPlay autonomous locations and alerts local team members when necessary. Five years in, with dozens of locations and hundreds of thousands of reservation hours under our belt, we feel comfortable saying that the operating model works as intended.
Create a seamless customer experience and foster community
The autonomous Pods allow players to set the tone of their outing. By including fully integrated audio and visual components, the player experience can be “gamified.” PodPlay equips venues with instant replay and score tracking capabilities that create an elevated experience for professionals and casual players alike.
The instant replay feature in particular is transformative for both the customer and venue operator. It’s designed to let players capture great moments without taking them out of the flow of their game. They no longer have to set up a tripod, mount a phone, etc. With the touch of a button in the Pod, a replay is projected onto the table monitor and is emailed to the customer and also lives in their account.
How often do customers utilize the replay functionality? A lot. At PingPod, customers are on pace to press the button more than 100,000 times in 2024. The beautiful thing for the venue owner is that many of these videos end up on social media as players share their experiences with more potential users.
Since we launched PingPod, more than 100,000 customers have signed up and more than 260,000 hours of ping pong have been played at our Pods, connecting players with friends both new and old in their own communities.
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