i-rewards available to all
By Paul Vang
Montana Tavern Times
Century Gaming, headquartered in Billings, unveiled a new player rewards and casino management system at the 2009 MTA Convention Trade Show.
Heidi Schmalz of Century Gaming outlined to the Montana Tavern Times the concept of their new system.
“It's a players award system, and to participate, players get an 'i-Button,' for logging in and out of a gaming machine.
“It tracks machines, players, and employees. In addition, it helps employees get to know their customers. It generates management reports to the back office, including reports on complimentary items that employees give to customers.”
As customers continue to come in and play at a casino, players will earn points for their machine play, which will be tracked by the system (i-Track), including putting them in “virtual buckets” for special drawings. In addition, players earn points for their play, which they can exchange for cash or for additional machine play the following day.
The system comes with video monitors, which can be programmed to display seasonal messages, promotional signs, or birthday greetings.
In summary, the i-Rewards system manages machines, employees, players and drawings, and highlights promotions and player incentives, Schmalz said.
There are other player reward systems, of course. What is unique about i-Rewards is that while the system was developed for Century Gaming, one of Montana's larger route operators, it is now available to non-route customers as well. A feature, which makes it attractive to non-route customers, is that the system will also generate Tier Two state reporting.
Cottonwood Computer of Billings, a software development firm headed by Brock Williams and Jeremy Stricker, president and vice president, respectively, developed the system for Century Gaming.
Stricker demonstrated some of the system's features, especially the i-Button, which is a metal device, which can go on a key chain. “I've gone through a half dozen grocery store cards in the last ten years, but one of these i-Buttons will outlast them all. In addition, they can use their i-Button in several locations, if they're using the same system.”
Stricker and Williams said their company has been around since 1996. Until now, one of their specialties has been accounting systems for the trucking industry, and heavy equipment industry. As Stricker puts it, “It all comes down to data. All business software is based on collecting data and then reporting it.”
Their partnership with Century Gaming is a big step forward for their business, and makes Century Gaming their biggest client.
Century Gaming has a wholly owned subsidiary, United Coin Machine Co., a route operation in Nevada. Heidi Schmalz said “We're beginning to test it in Nevada. There are different state laws there, so our system has to be tailored for Nevada.”
Incidentally, Stricker said that their use of a lower case I, as in i-Button, i-Track, and i-Rewards, doesn't violate any copyrights. The Apple Company also uses the lower case I's in some of their products such as iTunes, or the iPod and iPhone, but apparently doesn't have a monopoly on the letter.