HOW TO BUDGET SUPPORT DOLLARS FOR A RESTAURANT SOUND SYSTEM

Playing music at your business can achieve a number of positive results, ranging from increasing dwell time to actually bringing in greater profits. Of course, as with any investment, your restaurant’s sound system comes at a cost. Among other things, you need to budget for support dollars to ensure it continues benefiting your establishment for years to come.

Before going through the installation process, make sure you have room in your budget for monthly support, too. Here are 7 questions we recommend asking while you look for a professional audio installation partner.

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO PLAY MUSIC FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

Fortunately, it’s extremely affordable to secure music for your business. Here are some popular providers and the monthly prices for using their services:

Custom Channels: $35.00
Rockbot: $24.95

Although each service is different – and, thus, you should do more research before choosing – none of these costs should overwhelm your company’s budget. Each service offers a free trial period, as well. Depending on your unique restaurant audio system, you may need to stream more than one play list at once. For example, you might want separate lists for your dining area and bar. Most streaming services can accommodate this, but you’ll most likely need to budget extra for it.

Despite all of this, if you’re tempted to simply connect your phone to your restaurant’s sound system, you should know that it’s illegal and there can be some extremely stiff penalties for doing so. Better to pay a few hundred dollars a year than risk having to part with thousands.

BUDGETING FOR NETWORK SUPPORT

Don’t stop at the music for your business. It’s just as important that you invest in network support, too. This way, you’ll never have to worry about the music for your restaurant cutting out or experiencing other problems related to your connection. Again, the good news is that this is another relatively affordable investment. You literally just need to pay for an Internet connection, so your hardware connects to your network.

DOWNLOAD OUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO DESIGNING AUDIO FOR YOUR RESTAURANT.

BUDGETING FOR HARDWARE

Obviously, no commercial audio setup would be complete without the actual speakers, amplifiers, and other hardware required to play the music for your restaurant. While the amount you spend on your restaurant’s hardware will depend on the sound system’s unique features, budgeting for support dollars shouldn’t be an issue. The hardware involved can easily last for 20 years and operating expenses are minimal (basically, it’s just the electricity).

BUDGETING FOR MAINTENANCE AND UPDATES

In the event that your sound system or hardware becomes damaged, due to normal wear and tear, accident, or misuse, carving out funds for ongoing maintenance is important, and will help you avoid having your sound system down for a length of time. You may also want to consider what approach to upgrades or updating system components you would like to see for your establishment. Your professional, commercial A/V partner can offer you insight and talk you through details that would best fit your business for updating or upgrading your system to accommodate growth, and maintain a fresh perception among patrons. Here is a short informative info write up that walks through what great service after installation look likes.

CREATING A BUDGET FOR THE MUSIC YOUR BUSINESS NEEDS

As you can see, playing music for your restaurant is extremely affordable. After your installation is complete, your ongoing expenses are largely confined to what you’ll spend on a streaming service, Internet connection, and the actual electricity itself. In return, you’ll be able to offer your clientele a better customer experience and enjoy greater profits as a result.