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internet cafe figuresSubmitted by Jinoturistica on 17 November, 2006 - 20:16.
figures for last month in case you are interested in running a cyber cafe
Income is 12 cordobas per hour per machine, 3 cordobas a printed sheet or photocopy, 15 cordobas a color print. With less than 6 machines, it cannot possibly pay. Using realistic traffic analysis, the minimum number of machines is 8. I have 5. If you factor in depreciation and repairs on the machines, toner and ink for the printers, you can use very old used equipment, go bust or jack the prices up to about 18 cordobas an hour. The other 16 cyber cafes in town charge 10 cordobas an hour so even at 12 cordobas I get people walking out. If I didn't live in the office, these figures would be farcical. The photocopy place next door AND the one across the street were charging 1 cordoba a copy and BOTH have folded their cards when their copy machines busted on them - couldnt afford the repairs. The morale of this blog is that if you want a business opportunity here, teach classes on basic economics, business planning or thinking ahead. But dont operate a cyber cafe or a copy shop :-) |
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Gracias Tony
For allowing me to see into the inner works of your shop. Now i know what it takes to operate a cyber-cafe in Nica.
It is an educational blog for anyone desiring to set-up a bussines in Nica.
Since Jinotega is a relatively small city, you'd eventually get to know it's people and establish your own clientele.
Good Luck,
Al
reality check
It is so refreshing to see someone give the "gonna make a million" people a reality check.
knowledge is power
January
January figures in cordobas
total 6729 or about $368 or $12 a calendar day
Last Sunday, a group of tourists visited, the internet was down but they did 3 loads of laundry - 38 cordobas cada - and bought a book for $2.50
Its still a marginal operation but with the corrected alcaldia taxes and suplementals from laundry, books, and phone its starting to look more sustainable.
If I was just retired here, the figures might run like this
total 2089
so, since I live in the office, lets slice this basic living 2089 off the actual cost of 6729 to make an office-only figure of 4640 and a burn rate of 155 cords a day.
For $8 a day, my office is open and entertaining people walk in and talk to me. Or I could save $8 a day (big deal) and be bored outta my skull in 3 weeks flat.
I love it here !
Tony
glad you...
are doing something you like. sincerely, i am happy for you! my dad was doing something he enjoyed before he passed away, he was a walmart greeter. he liked people.
How can you get bored?
You've always got NL
Thanks again Tony
for giving us an update on your "Adventures" in business. I wonder what R.O.I. Figure you would book for the "Bored outta my skull factor". Do you still see the Office Manager that you fired, being that it's a relatively small town?
Cyber Cafes
I would be carefull about doing any financial business on a Nica cyber cafe computer.........as Keyloggers could record all your passwords and personal information....I just bring my laptop to hot spot areas like Plaza Inter....
that holds for all computers including your own
Tony X Robins, Jinotega Tourist Office, www.jinotega.com 663 4125
flogging a dead horse
and enjoying it. Thanks for this post Austin, Its welcome to gain a little insight into one mans business(In Nicaragua) and that you are sharing it with a touch of Irony. I would imagine if one was really serious about making a profit in your game they would have to move to a location that generates a lot of traffic. go along with the notion that you have to beat the competition, meanwhile, reminding yourself why you are doing it every day.
comparisons
Can you give us the figures on how the Alcaldia came up with the 4000 cords? or was it a random number they pulled?
I suppose it helps when you just don't pay the Alcaldia! As many cyber cafes do... (not to say its right)
Do you make any money off of phone calls?
The cyber cafes I visit in Managua vary in many aspects, here are some comparisons.
Cyber 1
10 cords per hour, 15 for 2 hours
old machines (maintained)
over 20 machines
always has electricity (uses Generator)
BW copies 3 cords
Color copies 5 cords
Good workers and usually 2 there at a time
always filled with people
Phone calls local 4 cords a minute
international 1 cord a minute
Cyber 2
10 cords per hour
Practically right next door to #1
about 10 machines
Newer machines (not maintained and filled with viruses)
BW copies 4 cords
Color copies 7 cords
1 useless person working in front looking up porn
Local calls 4 cords a minute
International 1.5 cords a minute
Cyber 3 (also pharmacy)
1 block from other 2
about 10 machines (maintained, but slow)
10 cords an hour
BW copies 4 cords
Color copies 5 cords
local calls 4 cords a minute
International 1.5 (bad reception)
Cyber 4
3 computers (extremely new, and well maintained 1 gig ram on each)
15 cords an hour
Good help (except he, and his children like to look over your shoulder)(however buys customers snack items as the vendors pass by, haha)
BW copies 5 cords a print
Color 7 cords a print
Local calls 4 cords a minute
International 5 cords a minute (he uses phone cards rather than Internet services?)
Cyber 5
Across the street from #4
about 10 machines (old, slow, and loaded w/ viruses)
Employees don't want to work there and have quit in the middle of my sessions, leaving it to the only customer to close up when I was done?)
10 cords an hour 15 cords for 2 hours
BW prints 2 cords
Color prints 5 cords
Local calls 4 cords
International 2 cords
Cyber 6
6 computers (old and not maintained)
10 cords an hour
1 Employee usually occupied
BW prints 4 cords
Color Prints 7 cords
Local calls 4 cords a minute
International 2.5 cords a minute (bad reception)
There is about half a dozen additional Cyber cafes in the area (that I know of) I also have not tried yet.
All of these cyber cafes are within about 8 blocks of each other.
Other services in which I see they have made some money. Typing letters for people, organizing notes in WORD, creating invitations, selling donuts in the cyber, selling office and school supplies.
I don't think I would want to create a business like this, I just thought I would give you some comparisons from what I have seen.
wow! thank you for that info; stuff I can work with
Not all that sure failing to pay alcaldia is a good idea since I am a tourist. If I was a permanent resident, I could feel a little more confident but right now I want to be seen as doing the right thing. Severla people in Jinotega have raised their eyebrows at the 4000 cords figure so perhaps I will go over there with my cash book and do some grovelling.
Telephones didn't look attractive until I realized the rates are per minute and the PC rates are per hour. So a profit of 'only' 20 centavos is in fact 12 cords an hour - same as a PC but no desk, no electric, no viruses.
Amazing number of people cant type at all, or can but very slowly. Inputting a document seems like it will be a future offering when my spanish is good enoung.
Recovery step one is getting rid of the apallingly bad COSMONET dis-service and getting onboard with a decent internet service. Step 2 is using SKYPE for my calling service.
A friend of mine lives here and said it would be a good business to get into and I took her word for it. Whatever gave me the idea that 14 years in the USMC intelligence section* gave her business smarts? My fault entirely; the advice was meant well but I should have verified. (* oxymoron if ever there was one)
Tony X Robins, Jinotega Tourist Office, www.jinotega.com 663 4125
Can't Type
"Amazing number of people cant type at all, or can but very slowly. Inputting a document seems like it will be a future offering when my spanish is good enoung."
I thinks you are right to focus on this. Most people who are not wealthy have no cost-effective way to acquire the skill of typing. I cant comment on where you are but of the places I know of in Managua and Tegucigalpa people have a considerably smaller tax assessment all things considered, and they often do not pay it anyway. Same with electricity. Eventually I assume they have to pay them but it is rare for a place not to have a gigantic bill hanging on them. I oftens wondered even with "cheating" how some of the places stay in business espcially in Honduras where the cost is only $0.50 per hour, and less if you buy a card for $2 or $5.
Hey Austin
How did you get in to this business in the first place?Is the correct 4000 for alcaldia taxes? it seems high.Which town are you operating?
Can you turn in to something else?
NICALIBRE Jacko
prepare to die laughing ...
as everyone knows, my spanish is pretty bad.
Turns out the joker at the Alcaldia was kidding me. Its 200 cordobas a month NOT dollars. Ha ha.
Makes my cyber cafe somewhat less of a money pit and brought a big smile to my frowning face.
I'll post this months figures as soon as I have stopped laughing.
Tony
So,
had you already paid a few months rent? If so, will they credit you?