We `Champion` Innovation

Transcription

VOL. XI, ISSUE II
V
ideo King
is among
the
world’s
largest
providers of electronic
gaming systems, Bingo hall
equipment and innovative
games. Reaching a global
market, Video King’s entertainment systems can be
found aboard luxury cruise
liners, throughout Indian
Country and in thousands
of charitable, commercial
and military establishments
around the world.
Read All
About It!
n CHAMP-e Charge Rack, Tablet
Generating Industry Buzz ... 1
n Gaming Site Offers 6-Month
Trial Through Video King ... 1
n A Word From Tim Stuart,
Video King President/CEO ... 2
n Swinomish Casino & Lodge
Amid Natural Splendor ... 2
n OMNI’s Power Versatility,
Constant New Features ... 3
n Video King To Exhibit
New Products at G2E ... 3
n Join Us At BingoWorld,
Held May 3-5 in Biloxi!
n Family First For Musical
Customer Service Rep ... 4
n Philanthropic Filmmaker
Gives “Voice” To A People ... 4
n Dorsey, A Proven Leader,
Placed At Help Desk Helm ... 6
n Bar-Coded Paper, New Videos
Now Available On YouTube ... 7
n Video King Now Offering LED
Flashboard & Upgrade Kits ... 9
Copyright 2015 VKGS LLC
All Rights Reserved
VKN
Get a ‘Charge’
out of CHAMP-e’s
wireless charge
rack, CHARGE-e!
VIDEO KING NETWORK
FALL 2015
We ‘Champion’ Innovation
W
Wireless Charge Rack, New Tablet Generating Buzz
ant to get a real “charge ...”
We certainly have ... in more ways
than one. Video King is excited to
introduce one of the most technologically advanced types of charging systems in the industry today.
Known as the CHARGE-e,™ this patent-pending device
will be used to power the CHAMP-e,™ our newest Android
gaming tablet, using wireless technology – with possible
applications beyond the gaming industry.
This new charging system is virtually foolproof, theftproof, as well as incredibly
easy to service, according
to Dan Free, Video King’s
CTO and Vice President
of Electronics.
Among its many
exciting features, the
charge rack has a sliding
door that can be keylocked
to ensure tablets can’t be
removed, further enhancing security measures.
Capable of holding
Video King 10 tablets per rack, its
new power supply and
mechanical workings are all serviceable from the front,
greatly impacting maintenance ease.
And why would this be generating such a
buzz ... “If you have 250 tablets in your hall, with
20 charge racks, and the middle rack goes out,
The CHAMP-e gaming tablet and its new, wireless
charge rack (left) are being touted for their ingenuity.
Video King
Our Android tablet performs a whole new bag o’ tricks
with increased levels of animation, featuring “Champ,”
our canine mascot, brighter 1280-x800-pixel screen,
Champion/See Page 6 greater processing power and 10-plus hour run time.
Gaming Site Promotes Charities, Halls
N
Boom Bingo Offering 6-Month Free Trial Through Video King
o, the world hasn’t gone to the
dogs. But Boom Bingo™ has ...
These canine critters are
among the most popular Bingo callers,
beating out the likes of washboard-ab
men or gorgeous, somewhat dangerously
curved, women, clad only in bikinis.
Maybe it has something to do with
the German shepherd, speaking with
a German accent, or perhaps the Irish
setter, with an Irish brogue.
Don’t worry, the beach scene is all PG
fun, as well as the other themed caller
characters, and will make perfect sense,
and, in fact, designed to make a lot of
cents – for those who invest in this new
Home Of The Champs!
Boom Bingo/See Page 10
2
FALL 2015
VKN – VIDEO KING NETWORK
Swinomish Casino & Lodge
Resort Amid Sea Of Natural Splendor
T
CHAMP-e
Tablet Ready
To ‘Perform’
New Tricks ...
W
e try
very
hard
to take
earnest,
well-meaning advice from all of
our customers. We get a lot of
great
advice
from
avid
Bingo
players,
Bingo
callers,
Bingo
room
managers,
you
name
Tim Stuart
’em.
So now our reward for being
such good listeners is our
newest 10-inch Bingo/gaming
tablet release. We called this
puppy, “CHAMP-e.” (See
“Champion” Article, Page 1.)
So now we want to show
CHAMP-e to the world ... We
want CHAMP-e to show you all
of the new tricks that he has
been training for.
Please call us for a demonstration. We hope that you will
like what you see. All of us here
at Video King are seriously proud
of our newest invention. Thank
you all for your continued support.
We could not continue to
grow without you all feeding us
all of the GREAT ideas.
Tim Stuart, President & CEO
VKGS LLC (dba Video King)
1045 N. 115th St., Ste. 200
Omaha, NE 68154
[email protected]
(800) 635-9912, Ext: 7777
Cell: (voice) (402) 578-1475
Text: (only) (402) 575-8387
VideoKingNetwork.com
Facebook.com/
VideoKingNetwork
A Word From Tim Stuart
hey come from all over the world to capture breath-taking views of Padilla Bay,
the San Juan Islands, Mount Baker, the
Olympic
Range and the magnificent
Coast Mountains of British
Columbia, touted as one of
the most beautiful places
in the country to visit.
They number in the millions to partake in “Oyster
Run,” the largest motorcycle
event in the Pacific Northwest, view the famed Skagit
Valley Tulip Festival, enjoy some of the best regional
dining found, luxurious lodging and Vegas-style casino
action, featuring Video King’s Bingo equipment,
deemed an innovator in the field.
Oh, did we mention whale watching – a truly
mammoth event – RV Park, golf and fishing
packages, numerous other excursions,
live entertainment, big-name acts, and
a host of promotional festivities, held
throughout the year ...
Where ... None other than the
Swinomish Casino & Lodge, owned and
operated by the Swinomish Indian Tribal
Community in Anacortes, Wash.; descendants
of an ancient band of people, who hold a special
kinship with the land in which they live.
To learn more, we asked Terrie Hendrix, Slot
/Bingo/Keno manager, to give us a personalized tour
of the property, located in the mist of all the splendor,
evoking their Native American themes throughout
its décor.
n Describe the
Swinomish Casino
& Lodge: Located
on Fidalgo Island,
a prime destination,
the Swinomish
Casino & Lodge
offers something
for everyone, whether
you’re here for business, pleasure, or we
certainly hope, both.
For your comfort, the
resort features 98
luxury rooms, all in
elegant Native AmeriThe resort offers among the can décor. The 9,000square Wa Walton
finest regional cuisine at
your choice of restaurants. Event Center offers
ample room for meetings, as well as weddings and other special occasions.
For your dining pleasure, the resort offers among the
almon has always been at the heart of the Swinomish
culture and ceremonial life. And they have successfully
woven ways of the old with ways of the new.
A community of Coast Salish peoples, the Swinomish Tribe
first descended from groups and bands originating from the Skagit and Samish River valleys, coastal areas, surrounding waters,
nearby bays and numerous islands, according the tribal Web site.
“For thousands of years, these tribes maintained a culture
centered around abundant salt-water resources, that included salmon, shellfish, marine mammals, as well as upland
resources, such as cedar, berries and wild game,” they said.
Today, the Swinomish Community, a federally recognized
tribe, is composed of approximately 900 tribal members, with
the majority residing on the Swinomish Reservation on Fidalgo
Island in Puget Sound or nearby Skagit County, located about
70 miles north of Seattle.
Swinomish/See Page 8
Land/See Page 8
The Swinomish Casino & Lodge, with its breathtaking views, is nestled in Puget Sound, Wash.;
touted among the most beautiful places to visit.
Respecting Their Land
S
FALL 2015
OMNI’s True Power Its Versatility . . .
Debit/Credit Cards, Bar-Coded Paper & More!
W
ith an influx of continuous new features, designed with direct input
from Bingo managers,
with varying needs, from diverse jurisdictions, in all sizes of halls, one of its
biggest strengths is how versatile it is.
Of course we’re talking about OMNI,™
Video King’s multi-functional, MICs-compliant Bingo management system, widely
lauded for its supreme tracking ability,
among many things.
First introduced in 2006, today
more than 300 of our customers are
using various aspects of the OMNI
system, each custom designed to fit
their specific needs. To illustrate just
how powerful this system is, we asked
Dan Free, Video King’s CTO & Vice President of Electronics, and John Mowat,
OMNI Product Manager, to comment
on how it can enhance your business:
What Is OMNI’s Scope: OMNI is a
“Bingo hall management system,”
which means that any part of running
your business, we try to automate and improve, including
speeding up your work,
making it easier to do,
and more accurately.
Some Of OMNI’s Key
get comfortable with using it quickly.
Components Include:
n What’s The Initial Feedback:
After a few sessions, we often hear
n Point of Sale
from managers that using OMNI’s
n Inventory Control
real time $-account balancing for
n Cash ManageBingo employees has simplified the
ment
session-balancing process and made
n Player’s Club (point
it
faster.
With OMNI, managers and audirewards, marketing,
advanced promotions) Debit/Credit Card tors always know who is responsible for
Processing
every penny and piece of paper.
n Gift Certificates/
After the hall has been using OMNI for
Vouchers (design-your
$$$$$$
a month or two, we start to hear about how
-own securely)
the reporting has improved their analysis
n Where Is It Applied: It’s used in
of the “business” side of their Bingo.
hundreds of sites, from local charity and
Particularly in inventory control, pull-tab
small for-profit games, to bowling lanes
performance and promotion usage.
and military sites, up to the biggest and
And, seeing the profitability of each
most sophisticated tribal casinos.
game is a happy surprise to some of our
n What Is The Key Draw: You decide
new users, who haven’t been able to get
how much of the system to use. Any
that level of insight with their previous
features that aren’t used, the screens
systems. OMNI “just does it” without
just “hide,”so they are never in the
adding any extra work for Bingo staff!
way, confusing you.
n What Are The Most Popular Modules:
n What Makes It Unique From Other
Systems: The first thing we often hear is
The most widely used parts of OMNI are
how easy to use OMNI is. It’s bright and
certainly the POS, reporting and player’s
graphical, a far cry from the old “spreadclub. Those are things, which are viable
sheet” style programs many folks are used and effective for even the smallest Bingo.
to. The fact that most of the “back office”
screens are designed for a touchscreen
OMNI/See Page 7
(not just the POS) really helps people
3
Video King
Debuts New
Products At
Gaming Expo
B
e sure to stop
by Video King’s
Booth, No. 3030,
to view our latest product line
at the Global Gaming Expo,
Sept. 28- Oct. 1, in Las Vegas.
Held at the Sands Expo
& Convention Center, G2E
is world’s premier event for
the casino gaming industry,
newly expanded to include the
“Integrated Resort Experience.”
Each year, the event showcases the latest developments
in gaming technology, along
with educational seminars,
high-caliber entertainment and
keynote addresses by highprofile leaders from within and
outside the industry,
Video King is among the
world’s largest providers of
electronic gaming systems,
game designs, both cash and
credit-based – including QuickShot themes, now with more
animation, free cards and bonus
rounds – digital signage and
wide variety of Bingo equipment
to suit all types of venues.
This year’s show will spotlight
the most extensive and diverse
collection of exhibitors to date,
according to show organizers.
Video King will showcase
everything from our electronic
gaming devices, including our new
Android tablet, the CHAMP-e,™
and wireless charge rack, to our
Bingo consoles, OMNI ™ Bingo
hall management system,
packed with new features, and
TriplePlay Bingo Display,™ designed to “SuperSize” your game.
Be sure to enter our contest
drawing as a way of thanking
you for stopping by ...
For show information, log
on to: www.globalgaming.com.
For Video King information,
call (800) 635-9912 or visit us
online: VideoKingNetwork.com.
And, be sure to follow us on
Facebook for more updates &
promotions!
4
FALL 2015
S
Red-Horse Gives ‘Voice’ To A People
Philanthropic Filmmaker Pays Tribute ...
he’s the owner/founder of “Red-Horse Native
Productions, Inc.” – which has become the
pre-eminent
collaborator
with American
Indian tribal nations –
bringing important
Native stories, accurately and respectfully, to the screen.
“Her body of
work spans over two
decades of film and
television creative
content and production; always providing
Red-Horse
insightful, sensitive
and unique perspectives for both the historical and contemporary indigenous story,” according to her recent bio.
She also happens to be one of the few Directors
Guild Feature Film members of Native American descent.
She is Valerie Red-Horse, whose creative endeavors
and humanitarian efforts have been woven together, to give
voice to a people, to reach a larger audience, in a way they
may have never been heard, in hopes others may care.
Her company's premiere feature film, “Naturally Native,”
was an official Sundance Festival selection, at one of the
Submitted Photo
Family First
For Mom With
Performance
Aspirations ...
Coleman
n Name: Amanda Coleman.
n Title: Customer service
representative.
n How Long With Company:
Three years.
n Job Description: There is so
much to say! LOL. We do a lot.
n Most Common Customer
Questions/Concerns: There
are multiple from the tech
side to billing to pricing to
quotes to order processing.
n Best About The Job: Love
the people and the customers.
n Most Difficult Aspect:
Nothing is in black and white.
n Did You Ever Play Bingo
Before You Started Here: No.
n What’s Your Impression Of
Bingo Today: It’s a big industry.
Way more than what I expected.
n If You Had A Bingo Hall, What
Would You Do To Promote Business: I would use the Internet.
n Place Of Birth: Pensacola, Fla.
n Family: I have three children:
Day’Janae, age 13; Joshua, age
11; and Sunny, age 4; my mom
and one sibling.
n Past Employment: I worked
at Fontanelle Hybrids in the seed
industry – under the umbrella of
Monsanto and Hewlett Packard.
n Education/Area Of Expertise:
I obtained my bachelor’s of science degree in business management. I want to gear toward
organizational development.
n Interests/Hidden Talents: I
can read music and know how
Family First/See Page 5
Valerie Red-Horse is directing/producing a documentary for PBS on Wilma Mankiller (above) first woman
elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.
Cherokee National Historical Society; Tahlequah, Okla.
largest independent film festivals in the United
States, which she wrote, produced, co-directed,
starred in and distributed.
Red-Horse followed with the WWII PBS/ITVS
award-winning documentary, “True Whispers: The
Story of Navajo Code Talkers,” produced with her
friend and collaborator, Gale Anne Hurd of Valhalla
Entertainment.
“Known as the “First Lady of Sci-Fi,” Hurd
is producer of Academy Award-winning films and
Emmy-winning programs that shattered box office and
ratings records,” she said. “They include “Terminator,”
“Aliens,” “Dante’s Peak,” “The Incredibles” and most
recently “The Walking Dead,” which currently reigns as
the most-watched scripted drama.”
Red-Horse has also produced/directed a follow-up
program, again with Hurd, “Choctaw Code Talkers,”
(Vision Maker Media/PBS).
In addition, Red-Horse is also owner/founder of
Red-Horse Financial Group, Inc. As a registered securities
professional, she has more than 30 years in-depth experience in the financial services/investment banking industry
with a “unique expertise in tribal and gaming finance, including debt restructuring, taxable issuance, private placements, municipal issuance, high-yield bond transactions,
leveraged finance and management turnaround,” she said.
To date, she has led more than 50 financial mandates,
totaling in excess of $3 billion dollars in transactions
for American Indian Tribal Nations and commercial
gaming clients.
Recognized as an Indian Country expert, Red-Horse also writes
several gaming and tribal finance
focused columns for various industry publications and is currently
host for Casino Enterprise Management’s “Native American Gaming”
live Web cast.
“The monthly talk show
brings analysis, updates and
insight related to the most talkedabout trends and issues facing
tribal gaming leaders today,”
she said.
In 2014, Tim Stuart, Video King’s President/CEO,
was a featured guest, giving his perspective as a long-time
exhibitor at the Global Gaming Expo, the industry’s largest
tradeshow, held annually in Vegas.
In recognition of her vast achievements, Red-Horse
was inducted into National Association of Women Business
Owners Hall of Fame in 2008. She is also the founder of two
nonprofit organizations and heads a ministry serving the
elders and children of the White Earth Ojibwe
Community in Cass Lake, Minn., as well as a
ministry serving women in rehabilitation
in downtown Los Angeles.
Red-Horse/See Page 5
FALL 2015
Red-Horse –
Continued From Page 4
My journey to find my roots
is the topic of my first feature film,
“Naturally Native,” which was a Sundance Festival selection and is now
thought of as a bit of a classic in
Native cinema classes.
I also just spent time in Tahlequah
at the Cherokee Nation filming the
Mankiller documentary and being
there is very special for me; meeting
n As a child, what did you want to be:
A filmmaker and mother/wife. I am all
three now, as well as an investment
banker, the latter was a surprise later
in my professional career.
n Did you feel a sense of pride being
of Native American heritage as a
child, and what does that mean to
you today: Actually, I was sometimes
teased about my name and didn’t
have a community around
me, so it was difficult at
times. But I always
cherished my heritage as
something special, and
my mother taught me to
respect it.
But as you’ve probably gathered,
her story doesn’t end there ...
Married since 1982 to former NFL
pro Curt Mohl, Red-Horse, a mother of
three, has even more notable projects
to do and avenues to explore.
They include:
n Producing/directing, in collaboration with Hurd, a documentary for PBS about Wilma
Mankiller, the first woman
elected Principal Chief of the
Cherokee Nation, a revolutionary figure, likened to Eleanor
Roosevelt and Rosa Parks, omitted from many history books.
n Financing housing
developments
in Indian
Country by working with HUD to leverI am
age grant funding into
very proud
tax-exempt bonds.
Submitted Photo
of who I am and of my
n Leading their ninth annual
Of
all
her
endeavors,
Valerie
Red-Horse
is
most
proud
ancestors. I am delighted
mission to help the people of
of her children. Daughter, Chelsea, is an elite level that my children also
White Earth Cass Lake, where
unemployment exceeds 60 per- beach volleyball player, hoping to play on a D1 team. embrace their heritage.
n Do you feel a sense
cent, winters are extremely hard,
so many Cherokee people and leaders, of responsibility to Native Americans.
and there is a lack of basic services,
while being immersed in tradition,
If so, to do what: As a Christian, I feel
she said.
a responsibility to God and my family
But she still managed to take time, as well as progress, was an amazing
experience.
and to fellow human beings of all
during a layover, to answer the follown
Today
the
Cherokees
number
races and to be the best person that I
ing questions, as she journeyed
about 300,000, what is their status:
can be. I have a deep love for people in
between here and there ...
The Oklahoma Cherokee Nation is
general. I have chosen work dedicated
n What is your heritage: Half Cherothe second largest tribe in America
primarily to the Native community bekee/half English.
(second to Navajo). They have an
cause God seems to lead me there, and
n I heard your father was an imporI have been welcomed and embraced by
tant chief: That’s funny ... My dad was a annual budget in excess of a billion
dollars, have the No. 1 health care sys- many tribes, which is a true blessing.
full-blood Cherokee, born in Tahlequah,
Okla., in 1889, but he was not a chief or tem of any tribe in the nation and have n What did you major in, in college:
many diversified industries as part of
Theater, Television and Film (TTF) at
any tribal leader – everyone called him
their government business. They are a
UCLA; filmmaking has always been my
“Chief” as a nickname though ...
true role model to other tribes.
passion, and I am so fortunate that I am
n Where were you born and raised:
able to make a career out of it – even
My dad was brought to California from n It’s a matrilineal society. Is that
rare in Native American societies.
though it is only one of my many careers.
Oklahoma in the ’40s on a relocation
What is the role of women in tribal
n Who has made the biggest
program by the BIA (Bureau of Indian
societies; has that changed as elseimpact(s) on your life: I have had
Affairs) – It was a failed program, but
where: Women played a strong role
the great fortune of so many wonderful
I benefitted as I was born and raised
in Cherokee culture and governance
people in my life – an early pastor
in California and now live on the
historically, but after the Trail of Tears (Ed Sivas) that taught me about the
beach in what I believe is the most
removal (forced relocation of Native
Lord’s love, that will forever be a shinbeautiful place on Earth!
Americans) and the control by the BIA, ing light in my life story; my mother,
n Were you raised observing Native
there was a period of appointed chiefs who lived until 93 years old, and
American traditions. Can you speak
and male dominance within the tribe,
taught me so much about health and
the Cherokee language: No, to both
rife with sexist attitudes.
nutrition (She didn’t need a doctor
these – I was raised primarily by my
But in 1985 Wilma Mankiller beuntil she was 90; she was a vegan
mother, who was English, as my father
came the first female Principal Chief
and mother divorced when I was 3
/raw foodist); my husband, Curt, who
of the Cherokee Nation and was an
years old. However, I went back to the
is my partner, love of my life, best
amazing leader for three terms. I am
Cherokee Nation as an adult to find
currently directing/producing a documy roots and family and became very
involved in Indian Country after that.
mentary film for PBS about her life.
5
Family First –
to play the violin. I actually was
interested in theater – performing. We did a lot of musicals in
high school, and I was in concert
choir. Loved it. “Fame,” “Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat”
and a few others ... My daughter
was a contestant in the National
American Miss and won state
finalist, but we were unable to
go, due to lack of funding.
n What People Don’t Know
About You: Before I had kids,
I was going to New York for
performing arts.
n Most Memorable Time Of Your
Life: All of my children’s births.
n Most Daring Or Interesting
Thing You Have Done: Got
married, LOL.
n If You Weren’t Doing This:
Stay-at-home mom.
n How Do You Unwind:
Shower and TV.
n What’s On Your Bucket List:
Financial freedom.
n Favorite Place To Be: Home.
n Life’s Motto: We are where
we are because of the past decisions in life.
n As A Child, What Did You Want
To Be: I wanted to be a singer.
n Favorite Season: I love the fall
because of the colors and summer because of the late nights.
n Favorite TV Shows: I like
“Walking Dead,” and I enjoy
watching “Cut Throat Kitchen” –
just entertaining.
n Movies And/Or Entertainers:
Really don’t have a favorite
movie. However Sandra Bullock
is my favorite actress.
n Given A Choice, What Would
Your Last Meal On Earth Be:
I love tacos (homemade tacos
not Taco Bell.)
n Favorite Song/Songs: I love
’80s and ’90s music.
n Favorite Cocktail Or Drink:
Amaretto Sours & Hennessey.
n Person You Most Admire,
Real Or Fiction: My mom – She
was a single mother and raised
my sister and me.
n If You Could Be Anyone Or
Thing For A Day, What Or Who
Would It Be: I would be 17 again.
n Best Gift You Have Ever
Gotten: My kids.
Family First/See Page 7
6
FALL 2015
Champion ––
that could be a big maintenance
headache,” Free said of the
charge rack current designs.
Using less power than
before, the CHARGE-e also has
a 2:1 charge ratio, meaning for
every one hour of charge, you’ll
get two hours of run time.
“Almost no one has 8- to
10-hour sessions. Most halls
only have 2- to 4-hour sessions,
then they would charge the
device after that,” he said of
its optimal charging time.
But how the system works,
one might say, is where we get
our biggest charge ... even
igniting, others might say,
pardon the pun, some
“mega-watt” delight.
“You simply place the
tablets horizontally on the
shelves, like you would a pan in
the oven. Once on the shelf,
there is no possibility for misalignment, there are no connectors. You can put it in straight or
crooked, as long as the screen
side is up,” Free explained.
That’s because CHARGE-e
with its seamless design, uses
conductive technology or making
contact to create the charge.
Or in simpler terms ...
“Each shelf has two connector plates about an inch apart.
The backs of the tablets have
pins to form a contact base.
“Once contact is made
between them, an indicator light
shows the charger is connected
and charging,” he explained.
Procuring the right tablet
for our customer base, along
with the new charge rack, also
factored heavily for our Research
& Development team, headquartered in Winnipeg.
“Video King extensively tests
all our tablets and handsets to
provide the highest quality
device possible,” Free said, as
evidenced in our products’ longstanding popularity and durability.
That includes CHAMP-e,
our next generation of gaming
devices. Notable features
include a sleeker Wi-Fi design,
brighter, 1280- x 800-pixel
screen, greater processing
Champion/See Page 7
T
Dorsey Placed At Help Desk Helm
A Proven Leader, Technically Astute
o some, they may just be a voice on the
phone, in their hour of need. But to Video
King, the Help Desk team – on duty 24/7,
fielding more than 20,000 in-bound calls
each year – plays a crucial role in our
company’s success.
In essence, the Help Desk team provides support of
all Video King equipment for our
customers, distributors and technical service field team, according to
Kevin Watson, Director of Technical
Services and Support for the past
three years.
“They are available 24 hours,
seven days a week, including holidays, to provide support for any of
our customers. Working diligently
behind the scenes, they are one of
the most public-facing aspects of
our company and do a great job
Watson
managing our customer issues and
providing excellent customer service,” he said.
And to give you an idea, just
how integral they are, just look
over these stats:
“Our Help Desk team stays
pretty busy with call volume.
We receive around 23,000
calls a year from customers.
“This is just the in-bound
calls to our Help Desk. We place
thousands of outbound calls to
customers to follow up on issues
that were sent in via e-mail,” he said.
Which is why Steve Dorsey was recently
selected as Video King’s new Help Desk manager.
“Steve has been with us for 2 1/2 years now,” Watson
said. “During this time he has proven himself as a leader
on our Help Desk team. During the last 6 months he has
been taking on more and more responsibilities. Steve is a
guy on our team that is well respected for his technical ability and customer service from both customers and employees alike. We are really excited to see him continue to grow
as the Help Desk Manager,” he added.
Not to mention his IT experience and military training,
which no doubt helped prepare him for the wide-ranging
complexities, inherent to the job.
“Knowing what call you will receive is impossible,”
Watson explained. “Sometimes it’s a 2-minute call just
asking to renew a license key, the next call might be a 6hour call that walks a customer through completely rebuilding a machine and reinstalling all necessary software.”
They need to be ready for anything, at any
time, at any hour of the day, he said.
“This is one of the unique things related to
our Help Desk. Their day will vary from
day to day, call to call. This is also why
all of our Help Desk team has to be technically strong in a multitude of areas.
Steve Dorsey’s IT experience and military training
have helped prepare him for the lead role as Video
King’s Help Desk manager. The Help Desk team provides 24/7 support for all of Video King’s equipment.
Video King
“We always say that we want to hire employees that
have inch-deep, mile-wide IT knowledge base. This way
they can handle any support call that comes their way.”
But if you could cite their biggest challenge, that would,
in itself, be an issue.
“It’s hard to single out one incident,” Watson said.“If
you talked to every Help Desk member, they would probably
have 10 to 15 different cases they could cite, and it would
be different for each member of our Help Desk team.
“Typically the most challenging situations involve us
driving blind. This is when we have no visibility to see what
the customer sees and have to rely on the customer relaying
all messages and configuration verbally.
“This is why we push very hard for us to always
have remote access to our systems. This allows us to see
what the customer is seeing on their end without the
customer verbally relaying all the details.
“When we don’t have this remote access, it makes
supporting a site much more difficult. Our guys are very
good at being able to walk our customers through click-byclick on how to check settings and configurations,” he said.
But the Help Desk team already has a solution in play.
“The hard part of troubleshooting this way is that sometimes the customer makes an errant click or can’t find the
configuration setting that you are asking them to check.
Help Desk/See Page 11
FALL 2015
7
Champion ––
Video King
John Mowat, OMNI project manager, demos the use of bar-coded paper in one of many videos posted on our
YouTube Channel. The video links can also be found in our Media Center at www.VideoKingNetwork.com.
OMNI ––
In larger sites, inventory, cash and
pay-out management all go hand-inhand. Every Bingo hall needs to understand these things in order to be
successful – and we are honored that
many sites use OMNI to do so.
Can You Give Some Testaments: The
marketing folks love OMNI’s ability to design your own vouchers/gift certificates,
with fun graphics and cool text. It’s like
having your own graphic designer on
staff! Some Bingo managers think that
the part with the biggest impact is our
promotions system.
OMNI lets you define “sales rules,”
and you can combine these simple little
rules into almost any sort of promotion
you can imagine ... which OMNI then
automatically recognizes and applies
to sales at the POS. It’s a big payoff for
your players, eliminates training for your
cashiers, and provides crystal-clear
reporting on how much each promotion
costs your business, and how often
players make use of it.
By putting OMNI in charge of
applying your promotions, it prevents
the unintended/unauthorized usage of
POS discounts, which can cause lost
revenue for your hall.
Some Examples: “Anybody who buys
in before 6 p.m. gets 50 bonus player
points” or “Anybody who spends $100 or
more on Saturday night gets 10
percent off Wednesday night.”
The system just does these
things automatically and gives
management complete confidence
that rewards are only being given to
players who the system recognizes
as meeting your criteria.
River Casinos is pleased
“to beGilaamong
the first casinos in the
gaming industry to make debit only
payments available to Bingo
guests. This new feature has enhanced our player’s overall guest
experience by allowing us to offer
them an additional point of service
and convenience. We have found
this new offering to be especially
popular among our younger guests
who predominantly operate cashless during our late night B.A.D.
and Bingo Eclipse sessions.
”
- Louis J. DiCampli,
Corporate Director of Gaming
for Gila River Casinos
Newest Features
n Card/Debit Cards: OMNI now
supports both credit and debit cards for
payments. We do this through an interface with Shift4, a leader in the payment
card industry. Our combined solution
allows our Bingo hall customers to
implement a PCI-DSS (Payment Card
Industry Data Security Standard)
compliant solution, including the latest
requirement to be EMV (Europay,
MasterCard, Visa) compliant as well.
n Bar-Coded Paper: (Late 2015) The
Bingo industry is evolving, and one of
the changes we are seeing is the increased
use of bar-coded Bingo paper. The bar
codes allow increased auditability and
control of the Bingo cards. This is very
important for halls that offer large jackpots, where the risk of “illegal paper“
being brought into the hall is higher.
The bar codes also allow cashiers
to make sales as fast or faster than
before so the increased auditability does
not hamper the speed at the cashier.
n Desk/Paymaster Integration:
Integrated Callers Desk and Paymaster
functionality allows the caller to automatically provide all winning prize amounts
to the paymaster so there is less work for
the paymaster to do and reduced chance
of any errors.
n Jackpot Accruals/Signage: A prized
feature, that’s quite progressive in terms
of Bingo management systems, OMNI can
now manage and update your progressive
prizes automatically. It’s just the latest in
a series of features that help keep your
eye on the ultimate prize, your bottom
line. Not only can OMNI do the math for
you, but it automatically sends the prize
data to digital signage. The data can also
be exported to be printed on a prize board
hand-out to give to players to build
excitement before the games begin.
n Cite An Example Of Improved
Operations: My favorite story is from the
very first hall we ever took OMNI to,
back when it was first being built. It
was a small tribal game, which had
tried to use various hall management
systems before giving up and reverting
to pen, paper and spreadsheets.
The Bingo manager and supervisor
told us that even though Bingo finished
around midnight, they’d never left before
2 a.m. because that’s how long the
paperwork would take for each session.
The staff was understandably skeptical of
using a system after their previous experiences, but the very first session we ever
ran with them, was completely balanced
and lights out just after midnight. The
manager and supervisor were so excited!
OMNI/See Page 10
power for more complex patterns
and 10-plus hour run time.
Touted as a whole new dimension in gaming, the CHAMP-e
is also capable of playing both
cash and our highly popular,
credit-based games, featuring
dynamic themes, now with free
cards and bonus rounds.
Now in its final design
stage, the 10-inch device
will be enclosed in a rubberized
casing, with adjustable stand,
much like our previous tablets,
for added protection against
drops and breakage.
And, we’d be remiss not to
mention its rather unique fun
factor, indicative of our entire
Champ line of gaming devices.
In addition to more enhanced, high-resolution
graphics, this portable,
touch-screen tablet
will also include a
series of animations,
featuring our canine
mascot, “Champ,” in
a variety of new poses.
So don’t be surprised when
this rascally critter pounces his
paws up against the screen to
greet you, pops up randomly
during games, or playfully wags
his tail each time you “Touch
Screen and Yell Bingo!”
As you can see, when it
comes to electronic gaming,
Video King continuously strives
to lead the charge, bringing you
the most satisfaction and maximum level of entertainment.
To learn more, contact us
at (800) 635-9912 or e-mail us
at [email protected].
Family First–
n Best Thing Ever Invented:
The printing press – It revolutionized the world.
n If You Had A Superpower:
I would fly or read minds.
n What Are You Most Thankful
For: My family.
n If You Could Change One
Thing About The World, What
Would It Be: People being mean.
n If You Won The Lottery: I
would go underground and hire
an attorney.
8
Land –––––
Like many Native Americans,
they have a special kinship to the
land in which they live. The reservation, approximately 15 miles in
size, is surrounded by 27 miles of
salt-water shoreline and bounded
by Skagit Bay on the west, Swinomish Channel on the east, and
Padilla Bay on the north.
“With 10,000 years of knowledge of our ancestral waters behind us, our dedication and sense
of responsibility toward managing and protecting the bounty of
the Salish Sea and water resources beyond it is just as vital
to our heritage today as it was so
many years ago,” they said.
“While a number of tribal
members still rely on salmon
fishing and shellfish harvesting
for a portion of their livelihood,
such traditional subsistence
methods are no longer the sole
means of support for many
tribal families.”
Hence, the tribe has become
one of the five largest employers
in the county with more than 250
employees in tribal government
and roughly 300 employees in its
casino and other enterprises.
In addition to the Swinomish
Casino & Lodge and RV Park,
they include:
n The Swinomish Chevron,
Smoke Shop and Liquor Store
n Ramada Ocean Shores Hotel
and North Shore Grill
n Swinomish Fish Co. Inc., a
seafood wholesaler, retailer and
custom processing plant, featuring NativeCatch, all natural,
wild and sustainably harvested.
As a community, they
approach their self-governance
with one fundamental question
in mind:
“How will our decisions affect the next seven generations.
“We make decisions based
on our belief that ‘we are as
permanent as the soil,’ and ‘our
grandparents’ blood rights and
our children’s sovereignty are
found in our lands, waters and
resources,’ The decisions we
make and actions we take uphold our way of life,” they said.
To learn more about the
Swinomish Tribal Community,
please visit their Web site:
www.swinomish.org
Swinomish –
finest regional cuisine at your choice
of restaurants, including the Two
Salmon Café, 10 Sports Bar, The Deli
and 13moons, prepared by a master
chef, with fresh delicacies from the
land and sea.
Our 24/7, Vegas-style, casino action offers more than 800 of the latest
slot titles and table games, including
Black Jack, Craps, Roulette, Pai Gow,
along with a Keno room and 400-seat
Bingo hall, featuring Video King’s
premier line of gaming equipment.
And, when you’re ready to hit the
greens, the resort’s all-new Swinomish
Golf Links and Callaway Performance
Center can customize and outfit any
of your golfing needs.
n What is the area known for: The
Swinomish Casino & Lodge overlooks
the San Juan Islands, Mount Baker
and the Skagit Valley, offering breathtaking views. Located in Anacortes,
Wash.; an outdoor paradise, the area
is known for whale watching, a famed
tulip festival, hiking and
fishing, drawing millions to the resort
each year. It is widely considered one of
the most beautiful places to visit.
FALL 2015
and engage with our visitors, friends
n When was it established:
and fans across a number of platSwinomish Casino & Lodge opened its
forms, including Facebook, Twitter,
doors as a Bingo hall in 1985. Subsequent additions included the Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube,
LinkedIn, TripAdvisor, Yelp and more.
casino in 1994, followed
You can find Facebook pages for
by the lodge in 2012.
the Swinomish Casino & Lodge, as well
n What is it best known
as 13moons Restaurant, Swinomish
for: Not only are we
Bingo and Swinomish Golf Links.
known for stellar
n Any social media tips for others:
customer service,
but stunning views Think of your social media pages,
not simply as a place to advertise, but
of Padilla Bay.
as an online community where you can
n What type of
engage with your players, guests,
customer does it
employees and friends.
attract: We are a
n How popular is Bingo there: Bingo,
destination nestled
which opened in 1985, remains highly
in the beautiful
popular among our guests. Our Bingo
scenic Northwest.
facility is conveniently located adjacent
Because of our
unique location and to the casino floor, allowing easy access
for guests to enjoy the many other
our abundance of
amenities found throughout the resort.
amenities, our visitors range from
n How often is it played: Swinomish
a local to an international clientele.
Casino & Lodge offers Bingo Tuesday
n Any recent changes/additions:
through Sunday, featuring 15 sessions
To better accommodate our guests,
per week. To play Bingo, one must be
we recently expanded our designated
16 years of age. To play casino games,
parking area, with the addition of
one must be 18 years of age.
more than 100 new spaces.
n What are some of your most popn Any additional plans for the
ular Bingo promotions: Many of our
casino: With our growth potential,
promotions are immensely popular
we’re considering adding new infrastructure to
our back-ofhouse operations and
expanding
the Wa Walton
Event Center
and RV Park,
proven to be
a popular
destination.
n What are
some of the
most popular
features at
Swinomish:
The Swinomish Casino & Resort custom-designed their
Every year
PowerPlay 500™ Bingo console with one of Video King’s
we host a
“wraps,” to enhance their new stage area. The removconcert to
able vinyl decals are also available in stock designs.
coincide with
with our players, including Color Ball,
Oyster Run, the largest motorcycle
event in the Pacific Northwest, attract- Dab n’ Win, Colossal Bingo, Bonus
Ball Bingo, Bunny Blitz, Treasure Trove,
ing tens of thousands of visitors.
In April, the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival Grand Slam Bingo, Rainbow of Riches,
draws crowds from all over the world. Party Game and Wild Wheels. We prefer
to offer interactive promotions for our
In addition to these local events,
guests, allowing them to participate –
we host live music on the main
just as they would on the casino floor.
stage every weekend and promon What type of Video King equiptions nearly every day of the week.
For a listing of events, please visit: ment does Swinomish use: For our
www.swinomishcasinoandlodge.com. Bingo venue, we chose OMNI, Video
King’s point-of-sale and Bingo mann How do you incorporate social
media into your promotions: We are
active participants in social media
FALL 2015
LED Flashboards A Triple Savings ...
Bulbs, Upgrade Kits Now Available!
V
less
power than
incandescent
bulbs and can
last up to
20 years longer.
n The LED has
a general life
expectancy of
30,000 hours
vs. only 1,000 for
the 1820 bulb.
n LEDs run about 25
degrees F cooler than incandescents, but
Swinomish –
agement system, and the TAB-e™, a
portable, touch-screen gaming device.
n Why did Swinomish select Video
King’s gaming products: Through the
process of vendor selection we found
Video King was a company that
embraced their vision for the future
in their products, service and support.
n Are you pleased with Video King’s
level of support and service: Video King
has been available to us 24/7 to support
our needs. However, the equipment is
reliable and efficient, and there has not
been a high demand for support. We find
this to be another value component.
n Did the installation go smoothly:
The installation of Video King’s equipment
was a smooth transition for our players,
as well as our team. In fact, the level of
service provided for training on the units
during our live sessions exceeded our
expectations.
Red-Horse ––
Video King
ideo King is now offering
LED flashboards and LED
flashboard upgrade kits –
which amounts to a triple
savings ... Watt! That’s right, not only can
LL LEDs save you
Lmoney, but time
L L and energy.
n LED LLLLLLbulbs are
LLnoticeably
LL whiter and
LLfour times LLLLbrighter than
LLLLtraditional
incandescent
bulbs.
n LEDs use up
LL to 80 percent
The difference is clear. LED flashboards are noticeably whiter and four
times brighter than incandescent bulbs. Contact us at (800) 635-9912
or [email protected] for pricing and upgrade information.
use only .56 watts vs. 2.8 watts of electricity, saving you more money in the long run.
And, if that doesn’t shed enough
light on their benefits, consider this:
LEDS not only lower maintenance costs,
but lessen the labor.
So Bingo hall operations, you can
stow that ladder and take a breather ...
The true cost of incandescent bulbs
is the cost of replacements, and, of
course, your time and labor!
However, due to safety concerns,
an LED upgrade kit is required before
installing ANY LED lamp into ANY existing incandescent lamp flashboard.
If you are unsure your flashboard
has been upgraded, please contact our
24/7 Help Desk at (888) 246-4609.
n What are the TAB-e’s best features: Its
overall ease of use. In addition, the gaming
tablets are lightweight and have a long
battery life, allowing seamless play from
early matinees through Cosmic Bingo, held
in the evenings. We also utilize the TAB-e’s
up-sell feature. This is a tremendous opportunity, allowing a larger realm of player
tracking that we can analyze to improve
return and rewards for our players.
n Any feedback from employees and
customers: OMNI has been customdesigned to meet our needs. The auditors,
as well as our management team also
appreciate OMNI’s desktop option feature.
n Why did you decide to do a customdesign Bingo console: The stage within
our Bingo venue serves as a focal point
for our guests. Video King’s customdesign desk added a nice element to our
newly designed stage area. We worked
closely with our in-house graphic design
team to create a design that enhanced
the overall appearance.
n What does your job entail: My job
varies daily. I manage Bingo, Keno and
electronic gaming. These multiple departments have various, specific demands,
making each and every day a challenge,
which I fully embrace.
n What is your background/work experience: I began my career in the gaming
industry back in 1987, working in the deli
at two local charitable Bingo halls.Three
years later I transitioned to floor worker,
followed by management after a couple
of years. I continued to work in charitable
Bingo in Washington until 2004.
n How does it help in your current
position: My experience and knowledge in
Bingo has allowed me ample opportunity
at Swinomish. I began my career here as
the Bingo manager in 2005. I accepted
the opportunity as Interim Cash Cage
Manager for a year and most recently accepted the Slot and Keno Manager posi-
––––––––––––––––––––
9
friend and greatest positive influence; my three children, who all
somehow turned out absolutely amazing, even
though they have some
crazy parents; my producing partner/mentor,
Gale Anne Hurd, who
is the most amazing
producer and business
woman alive; and Erma
Vizenor, Tribal Chairwoman of the White Earth Ojibwe
Nation, a leader, friend and mentor, who means so much to me.
There are many more but those
are just a few examples of how
lucky I am to be surrounded by
great people!
n You are currently involved
in a number of projects: The
film, “Mankiller (Wilma’s life
story)” for PBS, financing several casino projects, The White
Earth Cass Lake Mission Trip.
Tell us about them:
With the film we hope to
tell a story about a true American
hero, who accomplished so very
much and was able to put aside
any political divisiveness. Her
story is very relevant today, and
we hope to share it with the world.
I am structuring financing
for several projects that accomplishes economic development
and community growth.
The mission trip is philanthropic and another great passion of mine as we bring teams
up into rural Minnesota where
there is great need and are so
blessed to be able to make a
small difference every year.
n What are the most pressing
needs, in your opinion, of Native
Americans: Breaking the cycle
of poverty, educating our youth,
ending political divisiveness,
working together and partnering.
n One sees some tribes
achieve such great financial
success, while others live in
abject poverty. Can you cite
chief reasons: Every tribe is an
independent sovereign so we will
always have diversity in success.
For gaming, a lot is based on
location, and that is hard to
change, so we need to also be
looking at other industries and
economic diversification.
10
FALL 2015
OMNI –––
n How Are The Various Modules
Developed: From Day 1, OMNI
has been shaped by our users.
Members of our design team
have spent time at many Bingo
halls and casinos over the years
to get that hands-on experience
and understanding of how the real
world operates.
Some of our most popular
reports were almost fully designed
by our users, who get a lot of value
from our system and just need that
one new report, which ties everything together for them.
In particular, our “Update
Inventory” screen was put
together for one of the most tightlyrun Bingo inventory rooms in
California, and our very popular
“Pull-Tab Deal Performance”
report was done to spec for a tribal
hall in Minnesota.
OMNI has really been a team
effort between Video King and our
super-knowledgeable Bingo hall
users. With hundreds of facilities
running our system in more than
50 different regulatory jurisdictions,
one of the biggest challenges we’ve
faced – and I think, accomplished
– is to build a system, which suits
each of these unique environments.
It’s been a process of identifying common ground between all
these different worlds, and finding
which additions will provide the
biggest benefit across the board.
We’re so excited that we have
several big new pieces of the puzzle
coming out this year: progressive
jackpot management, desk and
paymaster integration and barcoded paper scanning.
What Is The Unifying Factor:
With a system as broad as OMNI,
we always strive for SIMPLICITY of
operation and comprehensive audit
and reporting.
With more than 120-plus
reports and counting, we always
pay close attention to how every
change fits into the reporting
framework. Whether we’re adding
a simple checkbox on a screen, or
an entire new feature, such as
progressive jackpot management,
making sure that it ties into the
interconnected web of the accounting in our reports is so critical.
As Complex As It Is, How Easy
Is It To Use: We’ve had really great
feedback from our users. They tell
us that OMNI’s bright, clear, touchscreen-friendly designs are the best
around for learning and training.
Boom Bingo
Boom Bingo, a social gaming network, can be custom-designed to promote your Bingo hall or charity.
For a limited time, Video King’s clients can receive free set-up and a six-month trial, a $3,000 value.
Boom Bingo –
promotional offer, available exclusively
through Video King.
Scratching your heads ... Let’s be
even more clear ...
Boom Bingo is a unique Social Bingo
game network that allows Bingo halls to
deliver a wide range of live caller Bingo
games to players on their computers,
tablets, mobile phones and Facebook.
Not to compete, but designed to
promote your Bingo hall, Boom’s
games are purely for entertainment.
Players cannot win money or prizes
playing Boom’s games, just points and
recognition, according to Terry Debono,
the mastermind behind the site, along
with his brother, David.
In fact, Boom Bingo is an offshoot of
Boom Gaming,™ an entire gaming network
developed by the Debonos, who have more
than 25 years of experience in land-based
television and video game industries.
For a limited time, Video King’s
clients are eligible to receive free
set-up and six months of Boom Bingo,
a $3,000 savings, along with many
player perks – at no charge.
“This special offer includes the set
up of the Bingo site with your logo and
providing advertising and promotional
space to add information, specific to
your hall; typically a $750 to $1,000
value, depending on the site,” he said.
And, it’s not just Bingo – with a wide,
and wildly amusing, range of traditional
and themed callers, patterns and games.
(Who knew Dracula called Bingo ...
Perhaps just at night ... )
In addition to a chat room, leaderboard
(ever popular for bragging rights), the
site features everyone’s favorite casino
games, from keno, slots and roulette, as
well as trivia and word games, customizable for your hall, as well as gift
buddies, badges for points earned, and
other promos, prizes and perks.
So why Bingo ...
“Our history in the land-based Bingo
industry convinced us that a different
approach to online Bingo games was
necessary,” Debono explained.
“We build our games to fundamentally support Bingo halls. Not compete
with them. We are the only company that
has done this,” he added.
And what’s good for Bingo, in their
eyes, is good for the industry.
“Boom Gaming and its associated
companies have more than a decade of
research and development behind it,
and with more than 150 staff we are
constantly expanding to meet the needs
of our clients,” he said.
They base their beliefs on their concept of the Boom Gaming ecosystem.
“The concept extends the relationship
between Bingo hall operators and charities to existing Bingo players, lapsed
Bingo players and new Bingo players.
Where, in return, playing social Bingo
online drives players to visit their local
participating, land-based Bingo hall.”
And, here’s how they differentiate
themselves from other gaming sites.
“For the player, Boom’s games are
designed to integrate game play, chat
rooms and leaderboards into one compelling interactive experience,” he said.
“For the Bingo hall or charitable
operator, Boom’s games are designed
to integrate marketing and promotional
information about the land-based venue
and provide an opportunity to deliver
incentives (such as rewards and VIP
treatment), to online players, who must
redeem these offers at the hall.”
Boom Bingo can even benefit halls
or charities that already have an existing Facebook page or Web site.
“We provide a ‘turn-key’ or completed social gaming site – at a fraction
of the cost of creating a dedicated product. One that is very cost effective, yet
high in production quality.”
For further proof, they simply
analyze the stats: “Our social gaming
product dramatically outperforms static
Web and Facebook sites in both player
‘time on site’ and player ‘frequency of
visitation.’ More people visit our sites,
they spend more time at the site when
visiting or playing, and our product is
designed to get players to go to the land
-based Bingo hall to play real Bingo to
win real money,” he said.
Boom Bingo/See Page 12
FALL 2015
Help Desk ––
This is why it’s so critical for us
to have remote access to our system –
through either a dial-up connection or our
preferred high-speed connection, using
software called Teamviewer. Without
remote access, a call that would take 15
minutes can end up easily taking an hour
or more,” he said. But Watson, who leads
this SWAT team of trouble-shooters, likes
to face these challenges head on.
“This job has allowed me to work
hand-in-hand with our customers on all
kinds of projects. I like the challenge of
being presented an idea and then working with our team to come up with a solution and then work with the customer to
implement the solution,” he said.
The same could be said of Dorsey,
originally from San Bernardino, Calif.;
who is married and has one son, aged 3.
• • •
To get to know this person,
so heavily involved in customer
relations, here’s a profile on
Dorsey we’d like to share ...
n Please recap your technical expertise/prior experience. My technical experience started before even my teen-age
years. I had always been fascinated with
new technology and even 20 years later,
still am. I enlisted in the U.S. Navy in
2005 to become an Information Systems
Technician. My work in the Navy started
with exposure to radio and messaging
systems instead of computers. Of course, I
joined the Navy with the intent of working on
computers, but the communications side of
things had become very interesting as well.
In 2007 – 2008 I spent a 6-month
tour in Kuwait working on PCs for the
U.S Customs and the Navy Expeditionary
Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG).
After returning, after several years
of trying, I eventually found a job working
for a telecommunication company that
really valued my skills. I started there as
a bench tech, and within two years, I
experienced a lot of growth. It was during
this time that I met Kevin Watson, who
became my manager. In 2012, Kevin left
the telecommunication industry to come
work for Video King, and there soon became talk of starting up a second location for the Help Desk in Omaha, Neb.
Naturally, he reached out to see if I
would be interested in applying. My
family and I had an interest in moving
to Omaha, so I applied. The rest is history.
n Your experience thus far with company. What have you learned: As I mentioned before, when I started with Video
King, there was no Help Desk in Omaha,
so that meant, that the people that would
form the foundation of knowledge for me,
lived and worked more than 600 miles
away. This would present a great
challenge, but I wouldn’t be in it alone.
Shortly after I started, Guy Finley was
offered a position, and he and I would
work together to gain as much knowledge
as we could, as quickly as we could.
Even after two and a half years, we
are still learning. The world of technology
is ever changing, so there are always new
concepts to learn, you never know when
you are going to be thrown a curve ball.
Overall, I find that Video King is an
excellent place to work, it continues to
exceed my expectations.
n Has your concept of Bingo changed:
I would say that my concept of Bingo has
been turned completely inside out. I had
been to a few different Bingo halls prior to
working for Video King, but they only played on paper, and the most memorable part
was a room filled from corner to corner
with cigarette smoke. Today, even in those
halls, the scene is completely different.
n What do you think of the electronic
gaming industry in general: My answer
in one word. Complex. Sometimes the
best solution to a problem is the easiest
one, but in gaming, no matter how
simple a solution is, you have to stay
four steps ahead.
n How do you think it will change in
the future: The potential for gaming is
limitless. With the evolution of games
being what it is, I have a hard time picturing what is next. I think that we will
see a lot of enhancements to the experience of gaming, including Bingo.
n How do you feel about being
promoted: I am excited to start a
new chapter in my work at Video King.
When your work has you solving problems, at the end of the day, you’re rewarded by the satisfaction of finding
the solution. With my promotion, I will
be playing a different role in finding these
solutions. Of course, I am now presented
with another challenge, to manage the
day-to-day operations of the Help Desk.
n Your strengths: I would say that I
am a detailed problem solver. I look at an
issue and consider all of the details before
making a recommendation for a solution.
n Your biggest challenge: Thus far, my
biggest challenge has been balancing all
that is involved with managing a Help
Desk. There are certain things that we
must make time for, and time is a hard
thing to get more of.
n How do you think the technological
field will change: A lot of the improvements that we are seeing today are
incomplete. In five years, I think we will
likely be using a lot of these methods
more in everyday life. Voice recognition
and dictation will soon become more
integrated with our lives. I would say the
same for gesture-based technologies. As
technology improves, the field will require
a larger, more knowledgeable work force.
n Your advice to clients/customers:
I could offer a lot of good advice here,
but I will narrow it down to one in particular. I know that it is sometimes difficult
to arrange time to call the Help Desk for
support. Quite often, we receive phone
calls about issues that have been
ongoing, sometimes for months.
To prevent data loss and possibly a
much bigger problem, it is best to bring
these issues up as soon as possible.
If you see an error that you just don’t
know what it means, please give the Help
Desk a call. We can be reached at (888)
246-4609 or at [email protected].
n Best invention to date: There are too
many great inventions for me to pick anyone. My favorites would be the light bulb,
telephone, automobile and personal computer. It’s hard to imagine what life would
truly be like without these.
n What would you invent if you had
the resources: I would like to develop
a smartphone application that I think
might help a lot of people. The application would be used for navigating city
traffic. It would track a user’s trips from
home to work or other places.
The application will learn from the
data it records, as well as live traffic data,
to be able to suggest routes that may be
faster. This way, the app might be able
to take you a different route based on the
time of day or the day of the week, as well
as road closures and traffic patterns.
n If you weren’t in this field: I wouldn’t
mind running my own audio/visual company,
supplying and installing a wide range of
commercial and residential A/V solutions.
n When the day is done: I really enjoy
spending time with my family. Nearly
every night after work, we enjoy a
home-cooked meal at
the dinner
table.
n If you
could
change
one thing:
I would
change some
of the decisions
that I made in
early adulthood.
I should have made
going to college
a priority.
11
Red-Horse –
n What role does Bingo play:
Bingo is a great tradition that
draws a lot of people into the
casino; it is a fun game and now
has renewed interest since it can
be played online and electronically.
n Any feedback on Video
King’s products or services:
Video King has a great reputation and a team that is loved
throughout the industry.
n What accomplishments are
you most proud of: My children!!
n What do you do to unwind/
have fun: Unwind???? Ha! That’s
a foreign concept. But right now
my youngest daughter (Chelsea
Red-Horse Mohl) is entering her
senior year in high school and is
an elite level beach volleyball
player; she is in the midst of the
recruiting process for college
and hopes to play on a D1 team
(sand volleyball became an official NCAA sport in 2014). Right
now all of my spare time is spent
at her tournaments, and I absolutely love those times – being
on the beach and watching her
compete doesn’t get any better!
n If you had one wish: That I
can follow God’s plan for my life
with a happy heart and a willing
mind and love others around me
like He loved us!
Swinomish –
tions in 2013. I am very thankful
for the opportunities I have received to learn from the various
management staff and team
members throughout my career.
I believe that absorbing the knowledge available to you is an opportunity that you cannot allow to
pass by – if you desire to succeed.
n I heard you give seminars
on promotions and social media:
In the past I have had the privilege of speaking with many of
my colleagues since 2009 at
both Bingo World/Southern Gaming Summit, as well as the Class
II Indian Gaming Summit. I truly
enjoy the opportunity to share my
knowledge, as well as gain knowledge from my colleagues and
attendees. The wonderful thing
about Bingo is our ability to openly support each other and share
our successes and failures to benefit future survival of the game.
12
FALL 2015
VKGS LLC
Video King Headquarters
1045 N. 115th, Ste. 200
Omaha, NE 68154
Toll Free: (800) 635-9912
Local: (402) 951-2970
Fax: (402) 951-2990
Video King/VKGS LLC
1045 N. 115th, Ste. 200 • Omaha, NE 68154
VideoKingNetwork.com • Facebook.com/VideoKingNetwork
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE PAID
OMAHA NE
PRINTCO GRAPHICS
Manufacturing
7270 Pacific St.
Omaha, NE 68114
Toll Free: (800) 525-8380
Facility: (402) 951-2970
Fax: (402) 315-3496
Florida Affiliates
9940 Currie Davis Dr., Ste. 122
Tampa, FL 33619
Toll Free: (877) 746-6087
Local: (813) 628-4020
Fax: (813) 628-4013
Fort Lauderdale Office
3402 S.W. 26th Terrace, Ste. B4
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
Local: (954) 321-8300
Toll Free: (800) 786-2464
Fax: (813) 954-321-8262
VKGE Canada Ltd.
Research Development
1475 Chevrier Blvd., Ste. 100
Winnipeg, MB R3T 1Y7
Local: (204) 452-0100
Fax: (204) 452-0600
Help Desk: (888) 246-4609
Newsletter Editor
Carla Chance
(800) 635-9912, Ext. 5851
[email protected]
VideoKingNetwork.com
Boom Bingo –
But do people really enjoy playing,
for just points and recognition.
“Boom has over 830,000 registered
users, with the average player spending
20-plus minutes per visit. Our games are
lots of fun to play, they are easy to play, and
they have a sense of community similar to
what is found in a Bingo hall,” he said.
“In fact, our players love the live caller.
It’s not a robot calling Bingo, it’s a caller
who has a personality and a style that connects with the players. It includes a chat
area, where the players can chat with their
friends, and the leaderboard area, where
they can show their accomplishments and
achievements,” he said.
The Bingo site, which operates 24/7,
is based on the Freemium games model,
where the product is free, but money is
charged for the proprietary features,
functionality, virtual goods or additional playtime. Players automatically
earn Boom Bucks credits each day
they visit the site.
They can also win Boom Bucks credits for playing games or can purchase more
to extend playing time through Facebook,
iOS, Google and PayPal, he said.
“We also run a wide variety of content
and promotions to award Boom Bucks to
players for their accomplishments and
loyalty,” he added.
If they act now, clients, who take
advantage of this offer, can bonus their
players with additional benefits.
“Each Video King Bingo Hall/Charity
player will receive a minimum of 50 Boom
Bucks, as virtual credits each day they visit
the site. As part of this special promotion, Boom will further provide
each Hall/Charity player with
a one-month promotional Gold Package, a
$19.95 value, to encour-
Boom Gaming
Tampa Office
Boom Bingo, a social gaming site, designed to promote your charity or
hall, is offering a free, 6-month trial through Video King! A $3,000 value.
age participation. If 1,000 people register
from each Bingo Hall, that’s $19,950 of
subscription value to use,” he said.
As far as requirements, Debono points
out another highly popular perk: “Boom
Bingo will do 99 percent of the work. It’s
easy for the hall or charity to participate.
We can turn on a site within a week in normal circumstances. It’s all Web-based and
really easy to administer.”
And once it’s up and running, it’s virtually foolproof. “Any content updates made
by the authorized Bingo hall or charity reps
will not affect the Boom’s games engines.
Consequently, no updates can interrupt
game play,” he explained.
But they want the customers to be the
judge and jury and leave the calling to,
well, in this case, the dogs ...
To learn more or arrange a demo, call
(800) 625-9912 or [email protected].
To check out the site, log on to:
www.boomgaming.com/videoking
Once you sign up, you’ll be able to play
Boom Bingo free each day with an
allotment of 50BB (Boom Bucks).
As a special offer to Video King customers, each person who registers receives
a 1-Month Free Boom Gold Subscription,
which will provide additional daily
allowances, access to additional games
and additional entertainment features.
Once registered you’ll have full access to all Boom social gaming products.

We `Champion` Innovation

Transcription

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