Downtime is one of the industry buzzwords that is feared, but often accepted. Half an hour with an empty ball dispenser is part of the daily challenge of running a busy range… but it doesn’t have to be.
Downtime rarely happens because of a single major failure. More often, it’s the result of small operational pressures building up behind the scenes. Pick runs being missed, balls piling up in the washroom: then the dispenser critical alert level starts to flash and the range stops selling its core product.
A closer look at the numbers…
Based on average ball prices:
A 20-bay range at 75% capacity = £1.80 of revenue every minute
Just 30 minutes of downtime per day is £54
That’s £19,000+ lost annually
The good news? Investing in solutions to fix downtime pays for itself over time.
What causes downtime and how do you fix it?
Ball Flow
Ball supply is a continuous cycle. Balls are hit, collected from the range, washed, and returned to the dispenser. When balls aren’t consistently moving through the system, the range can quickly shift to reactive management. Using automation to power the chain means operators can rely on the system to return balls, without much manual intervention from staff.
Takeaway
An efficient washroom is the backbone to a smarter range.
Inventory capacity
Even with consistent ball management, downtime can still occur if the system is short on balls to begin with. Low ball inventory means a site is always operating close to its limits, which can lead to frequent refiling and a higher risk of running empty. Upgrading storage and capacity puts more balls into the system to absorb peaks or delays, so ball availability isn’t immediately impacted when staffing problems or demand surges arise.
Takeaway
Your ball inventory should always be 10%–15% over capacity to operate within a comfortable buffer.
Customer journey
Downtime isn’t always about supply. Sometimes it’s customer flow at the point of use that causes queues, disappointment and missed revenue opportunities. Adding an additional dispenser, or upgrading to dual-front setups can significantly improve throughput by allowing multiple users to access balls simultaneously.
Additionally, streamlining the customer journey with simple booking and payment platforms cuts queues and gives operators more control over flow and management.
Takeaway
Downtime isn’t always a supply issue, it can be a flow problem that causes empty bays. Improve access and management to improve revenue.
Maintenance and Reliability
Downtime doesn’t need to be part of the schedule.
