JERSEY JACK

By Jack Guarnieri, PinballSales.com & ShuffleAlley.com

Listen and Learn to Stay Ahead of the Competition

September is "Back to School" time for many of us and maybe "Back to Reality" time for many others. For me, it's always been a time of new beginnings.

For our daughter Jen, September is a new beginning as she heads off to college. It seems like yesterday when I was her age. September 5th marks my 30-year anniversary in the business. Some of my friends have retired from their first career and are working on a second one. I'm more fortunate than that.

My summer was very busy and productive. We had some great weather in central New Jersey. The white corn was sweet, the tomatoes were juicy and the peaches were soaked in wine. The pool was always perfect, and Joanne and I hosted lots of company. We took our yearly family vacation to our favorite place in the sun. Now, we're back, and I'm ready to go!

I am still working on new beginnings, which I'll get into more in coming months. I always need a few extra projects to keep me going. At present, we are preparing for our busiest time; the fourth quarter for us is much the same as the final period of a basketball game. In spite of the fact that we have more competition and lower margins, we are fortunate to have many loyal repeat customers who are willing to pay a bit more for the value in what we do and how we do it.

When I took lifesaving as a kid we were taught that a drowning victim is likely to panic and try to grab the highest thing they can, even the approaching rescuer. We were taught how to break a hold and save the victim. You can sense when your competition is drowning too. You'll see them doing the dumbest things in a panic. If you see these things, you can be like a shark smelling blood. Not that it's personal; it's business. If you continue to execute your plan and win your customers one at a time, you will defeat your competition.

September is the time for the AMOA show. This is another opportunity to begin anew. Every manufacturer will be ready with their latest and greatest in hopes of attracting attention and sales. Many manufacturers are not happy with the current status of distribution in the U.S. marketplace. These factories want their products sold in an open and free market, not in a vacuum. Some are still looking at the road that I.T. went down, and some are just frustrated that they have great games that are not getting the attention they deserve. Look around at the show and take the time to exchange ideas. Learn something new and take some advice from the well respected.

A wise man in coin-op told me a long time ago, "Whatever Lola wants, Lola gets." Lola is the cashbox; if it fills up, you must buy that game no matter who built it or who sells it (thanks to Al Kress from Benchmark for those words of wisdom and the great products that your company designs and manufactures).

I know a very sage operator who is always recycling - not cans and bottles, but games that other operators have not been able to get the most out of. The titles range from deluxe video to redemption, from almost new to almost antique. Somehow this guy and his able-bodied-taller-alter-ego assistant Richie Listash find a way to beat their competition almost every time. They keep their heads down and without blowing their own horn give their customers the best. They do it by experience, determination and great use of resources and chutzpah. Bruce Kawut of Monduce is one of those gritty, determined operators who day in and day out live for the business. His catch phrase with others is "sleep quick," and trust me, when I tell you that his competition won't often find him asleep at all.

Another one of my coin-op heroes is Gary Stern. This silver-haired maverick who was born into the industry is a person you can learn a lot from, with topics ranging from politics and where to have a great meal to making the impossible look easy, like building a pinball machine! If traveling to South Carolina or South Africa can promote pinball, he's there. Gary is an amazing manager supported by a handful of dedicated, multi-tasking people whose talent and passion outnumber that of a small army. The people at Stern Pinball tirelessly promote fun in the form of a silver ball rolling around wildly on a mechanical action game that we know and love as pinball.

These names popped into my head as I thought about those people who are seemingly always teaching others who want to learn. Their common thread is they do not give up. They did not give in to competition, and they survived hard times. They will certainly weather difficult times to come by being stronger, smarter and better. You as individuals have the power to make your dream a reality if you work hard at it and don't give up.

Take advice and counsel from others who have been down the road before. It makes things easier; don't try to reinvent the wheel. You don't know everything. If you believe you do, you will stop learning. Believe that you will be smarter tomorrow than you are today and take time to listen to others. That's how you learn.

Remember, always work to be better than your competition but never think that you are better than your customers.

Jack Guarnieri started fixing electro-mechanical pinball machines in 1975 and has been involved in every phase of the coin-op game business since then. He operated a substantial game route in Brooklyn, N.Y., developed amusement centers and was called in as a consultant to manage Mondial Distributing and State Sales in New Jersey. In 1999, he founded PinballSales.com to sell coin-op to the home market. In 2002, he founded ShuffleAlley.com and released the Parker Bohn III Pro Bowler game, reviving the shuffle alley. His positive attitude, honest insights and opinions have made him a popular figure in the trade. While managing and growing his businesses, he still consults inside and outside the industry, and his marketing, promotional and business management expertise are widely sought. He's very active in his church, community and charitable causes as well. You can learn more at his websites (www.PinballSales.com and www.ShuffleAlley.com) or by phoning him at 866/323-JACK. Email is Jack@Pinballsales.com.

© All contents of this page and the entire RePlay Magazine website at http://www.replaymag.com and http://www.replaymagazine.com Copyright 2004 RePlay Magazine. All rights reserved.