CyberCafePro Pricing Setup & Features

This internet cafe software gives you the option to sell your PC time ahead of time or after the person is done with the computer.

There is also a large array of pricing options within the pricing option but luckily the setup makes it easy to setup the basics and then dive into the complex areas later.

This is the simplest of all the pricing modes. The person walks into your location and sits at one of your CyberCafePro Client Stations. After the person is done doing what they want on the internet, he/she approaches the front desk and pays the bill. This is obviously not the best way to ensure you are always paid, but it may be what your location uses or needs.

Continue onto the below setup ONLY after you have an Admin Employee Setup.

Timecode Mode

Timecode mode is a prepaid method of payment designed to give the customer a quick may of getting on the computer while ensuring you get paid.  The timecode is a minimum 5 digit alpha-numeric code which is stored on the CyberCafePro Server.  The client station and the server station constantly talk to one another to make sure the code is updated.

As an example, if a customer buys an hour code and then logs out after 20 minute, that person can return for another 40 minutes.  There are many options such as expiry dates which can ensure the pay structure is exactly as you want.

Account Mode

Account mode is pretty much identical to Timecodes but the prepaid time is attached to a username and password.  This is great to promote return business or to setup a membership program for discounted rates.

In the video below I run through the basics of setting up your pricing structure.  It shows examples of how to setup both Play & Pay and Timecode modes.  Enjoy!

This video show you how to setup a User Account in CyberCafePro. This method is great to promote return business!

CyberCafePro Timecode Mode and Account Mode Setup

The most popular method of charging customers in an Internet cafe or timed business is pre-paid.  This method ensures the owner get paid for the time the customer uses.  CyberCafePro gives 2 option to pre-charge customers.

To setup your options for the Timecodes and accounts you will need to login to the CyberCafePro admin account.  This is a core setting so as an owner please ensure only your trusted employees have access to this area.

Navigate to CyberCafePro Server > Admin > Setup > Accounts/Codes..

The "Accounts/Timecodes Setup" windows allows the administrator in the cyber cafe to setup the following:

1. Define the length of the Timecodes - You can choose the length of each time code you issue to the customers appears to be.
2. The Default time when creating Accounts/Timecodes - Choose how the default time when your employee needs to generate a timecode or account for a customer.
3. Allow Timecode Merging - Decide if a customer can take 2 or more timecodes and merge them into a single code.
4. Define the Amount of Time when a User logs in - Subtract time when a session starts to avoid quick logins.
5. Allow Overtime Mode? - Can the user's session continue past the purchase time.
6. Deduct time for printing - Choose how much time is deducted for each print job.
7. Allow the user to modify his/her personal information from the client screen - This allows the customer to adjust their own personal information that appears in the user account.

Setting the correct options is an important step in your setup process.  The correct options will make sure your location is setup to charge exactly how you want.  To see the setup and get tips on what each feature does, please watch the video below.  Enjoy!

How to Prevent Time Theft in CyberCafePro?

CyberCafePro is a very secure software package but unfortunately it has to play within the restriction and rules of the operating system.  This can cause security holes but luckily this security hole is very easy to fix.  Many of the customers who look to steal time know this trick.

I call it Time Stealing when a customer is able to use the Internet while not being deducted time or being charged.  The only known method of doing this is by accessing the Internet through a program that runs at the Windows Startup.  CyberCafePro closes all programs at the end of a Client session unless it is seen as an essential program which started with Windows.

The solution... do not start any programs with Windows except your security programs such as an Anti-Virus program.  Programs such as Skype etc. that have an option to "Start with Windows" or something similar.

Make sure to go through your programs which are installed on the CyberCafePro Clients to ensure none start with Windows.  You can instead have a button in the CyberCafePro Launchpad to start these programs.  Doing this simple step will close the Time Stealing hole and maximize your profits.

Skype is mentioned in this article but is obviously not the only program which has this very handy functionality.  It saves the average PC user a bunch of time everyday as the program is ready to go after a restart.  Cyber cafe owners look to restrict the access unless time is purchased which makes starting with Windows a hassle.  Luckily it is a simple fix.

Allow or Restrict Internet Access in CyberCafePro?

Some locations such as community centers do not always want the users to be able to access the Internet from the public access station. CyberCafePro allows a few ways to disable access to the Internet.

Disable Access to Specific Types of Accounts

CyberCafePro allows the Admin to choose what an account type can access (ex User Accounts, Timecodes, or Play and Pay). In each type you can choose to enable/disable:

• If the account type is enabled (when disabled the option will not appear to the employee)
• Desktop Access
• Internet Access
• Launchpad

Our focus here is on the Internet Access option in Area 2. If you wish to disable Internet Access to the entire location, you can simply uncheck all the boxes under the Internet Access category. You can also choose to allow User Accounts to have access but not Timecode users. There is several scenarios.

Decide Internet Access for Each User Account

CyberCafePro Internet cafe software allows the employee to decide if a specific User Account should have Internet access. You can enable or disable Internet access in the Account properties of each account.

Look to area 5 where you create/add an account. Choose No Internet Access if you wish to disable access for that specific internet cafe software user.

CyberCafePro Customer Account Pricing Setup

Setting Up Accounts Pricing Parameters

Navigation: Admin icon>Setup>Accounts/Codes

Accounts

To set up default pricing parameters for new accounts:

Define the length of each Timecode.  The code will appear as a unique alpha-numeric code which your customer will input into the CyberCafePro Client machine.  This code will store and update the prepaid time.  The "Remote Servers" mentioned in the software are part of an old phased out feature.  CyberCafePro need to update that text.

Define the default time for each addition of time. Shown above as 1 hour (in the format of 0001:00 minutes). You can change this to, for example, 30 minutes by selecting the hour or minutes field and clicking the up and down arrows.

Define the minimum time a user has deducted from their account when they log in. Shown above as 5 minutes.

Define what happens when an account user runs out of time. CyberCafePro (and so do I) recommends selecting Terminate Accounts. (This universal default setting can be overridden in the Account Setup of any given individual User Account.)

To charge for the value of any printing done by deducting the equivalent monetary value (that is, to deduct the equivalent value but in minutes of time), use the Setup button.

• If you use this option, some customers may not understand why their time has been “used up”. If you do not use this option, the customer pays separately for all printing as shown in the POS receipt details of the amount due.
• You can allow or disallow users to modify personal account fields that are shown when they log in. suggests you do not allow users access to modify account fields (other than to allow password changes, which are automatically permitted).