How does quality of your escape room depend on the ER-supplier?

Any ER owner has first-hand experience of players’ (read Hulk’s pals) abilities. Furniture becomes broken, decorations and props go through real ordeals… When you choose an ER-supplier, it’s important to remember that you’ll definitely need the maintenance service. If you don’t maintain your room, it won’t have time to make back! In our experience there’s a huge number of examples when one owner had a room perfectly functioning for three years while the lack of attention made another owner’s room non-operating after only 10 months of using. When players break something – it should be fixed so the next players don’t feel any discomfort.

Does ER-supplier provide this service and is it included in price? Let’s make it clear.

How are they made? The answer is that they appear after many attempts, a lot of mistakes, numerous tests and upgrades of every gadget. It’s impossible to predict everything when you have only an idea. That’s why the main factor here is the production volume. For instance, now our company produces approximately 15 escape rooms per month. For more than 5 years we have made dozens of copies of the same rooms and gadgets so we know all the imperfections and improve them with every new project. Personally, I test each element on the final step, trying to damage it. All the things that fail the test are remade so we can hit with them with a hammer and not to break it.

Meanwhile, I see that less experienced suppliers produce gadgets which become non-functioning after 10-20 games.

Only with numerous tests. For example, we have specialists – testers. They are the people who play the ERs all day long, following the especially prepared instructions. They check the accuracy of all gadgets work, sounds, light and, of course, anti-vandal characteristics. Tests of each game take several days, and during this time all the bugs are fixed. Unfortunately, not all the suppliers are ready for that as it’s additional labor input.

We have made an absolutely new system of remote game control. You need fewer wires and we can connect and reprogram any puzzle no matter where you’re located. It concerns simple installation and also fast maintenance of gadgets, if it’s necessary.

It’s field proven, that everything breaks down whether it’s the latest iPhone or an escape room. Of course, our products can break down too. Apple has technical support all over the world but what to do with ERs? How fast and easy can you improve everything? Somebody just sends repairs and that’s it. That’s why the process of fixing can take longer time – several days or weeks, in case you’re a specialist in escape room props programming.

We’re the ex-owners of a chain of more than 50 escape rooms and we clearly realize that time is money. Because of that, out tech support group is online 18 hours per day. Programmers can remotely connect to any gadget and correct it’s work, if there’s any problem. The same thing happens, if the owner wants to change the game logic. You need to message us and we’ll appoint a video-session at any time that suits you. Our warranty is valid for 12 months, but even when it’s over we always support our clients and help to solve their problems. By the way, 5 years ago when we just started, our warranty was valid only for half a year. We were able to double it because of our test and support groups.

Also, if a client wants, we can send our engineer group to your location, no matter where you are – in Australia, the USA or Europe. Normally, it’s necessary on the installation stage but it’s possible at any other time to renew a game.

Another one important point which is rarely paid attention to when the facilities are chosen – repair capability. The gadgets should be constructed with simple access to “brains” of a gadget. I saw many times that it was necessary to saw up to understand why it was broken… How it happens here: at the beginning we make a design-project of a puzzle and its technical modeling. Even before the details will be in the machine-tool, we know absolutely everything – where we put a maglock and where the circuit is hidden. Players won’t have access to the circuit, but an administrator will.

What else do you think the supplier can do, so your room functions as right and long as possible?