Monday, February 23, 2009
Operator Interface: Coin-Op's Next Frontier?
New and innovative product with improved return on investment: that's the biggest need that amusement operators continue to express to RePlay. As part of our mission to increase open dialogue between operator and manufacturer tiers, share what specific developments you would like to see come from factories to enliven coin-op's sales and image. What technological advances would you like to see play a role? What kind of thinking is needed on both sides of the coin to not just deliver new and improved product for the 21st-century consumer but to market them as well?
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9 comments:
What seems to work for us right now are things that players can NOT do at home. Things that are unique to out the of home experience.
Are most popular pieces are Stacker, Boxing Machines, Basketball Machines,Mighty Mini and Cranes. All things you can't do at home.
G T Live is doing better as more players buy into the on line IT prize program .
I have my doubts about Guitar Hero Arcade, I'm taking a wait and see, I don't need another Madden (winner of the worst game of all time award).
We operate only in bars and taverns. Our GT Live's and SSB's revenues have decreased significantly over the past year. TouchTunes and Aurora's generate 80% of our revenue and offer the strongest ROI. Most of our Aurora's are broadand conected and wirelessly linked to our TouchTunes jukeboxes. We recently connected many of our megatouches to meganet and have had a very positive(and profitable) response.
I would like to see a more user friendly, faster internet portal option for the megatouch games where players have the capability to view youtube video's, perform google searches, check sports scores, watch music videos, check email and other common internet features.
I don't think this industry or manufacturers needs technological advances. It needs to bring back good customer service. When I have a machine breakdown, getting service advice or parts is like pulling teeth. My distributor never has the part I need and the factory charges me outragous prices for shipping overnight.
Here's a thought. Because some manufacturers now share in my reveue, those companies should give me the equipment free or at a greatly reduced price just like the cell phone companies do.
And when a machines breaks, the manufacturer should either fix it for free like the cell phone companies do or at least provide spare parts for free. Let's the basics right before we get fancy with technology.
As a manufacturer I am curious. Would operators have an interest in lease arrangements of equipment based on buying pre-paid games (similar to cell phone usage)?
Are their companies that are already doing this with large pieces in the 100K range?
As a manufacturer's rep, I hear many good ideas and some that are far fetched. One of the operators I call on asked if manufacturers could have some form of remote monitoring of equipment built in. A generic, inexpensive, industry standard monitoring that would alert the operator of machine condition, revenue/lack of revenue, hours of operation, prize status, coins in/tickets out etc. Every machine in a location linked to a web portal that is accessable through a secure site. We have this when a location is on card swipe, we also have seen this type of monitoring in the vending industry. Should we have it for the amusement operators? Maybe it is as simple as remotely accessing the games stats and programming? See Tom, I really do listen!
Wish list? Quit using the cheapest goddam PC hardware on the planet? DO YOU HEAR ME RAW THRILLS AND MERIT? I wouldn't use the crap motherboards you use in my home PC, nevermind in a piece of commercial equipment that is supposed to be designed to run 24/7 and earn my income! Spend the $50 more and use an Intel or ASUS motherboard! I will gladly pay the difference; I certainly would earn in back in less downtime and lost revenue!
Hear me rant more at:
http://www.vendoramusements.com/bbs/nph-YaBB.pl?num=1234475220
Check the motherboard in the Merit Aurora - it is an ASUS motherboard
As a manufacturer I have found some operators are there own worst enemy. They want the highest dollar making equipment but, then turn to some guy in his garage and inferior parts for repair. You can't have it both ways.
If manufacturers and distributors are to remain in business they must maintain repair parts and timely repairs. However, the operator must continue the relationship by supporting the Distributor with his repair and parts business.
The same is true with the operators buying knock off equipment. Why would a manufacturer bring new products to a industry that only looks to copy his work.
Keith Heflin
CEO Worlds of Games LLC
Keith Heflin:
You are correct on your points. However, te flip side of that coin are those of us with enough knowledge and a vested interest to make a machine built with sub-standard parts into something that is more reliable:
http://www.vendoramusements.com/bbs/nph-YaBB.pl?num=1236036311
Why would I pay a premium from a distributor for a sub-standard motherboard, when I can source a much more reliable motherboard on the open market?
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