When you’re looking for a partner in the Georgia skill gaming industry, if anyone tells you their Class B Coin Operated Amusement Machines (COAMs) ALWAYS run smoothly and NEVER break down, that should raise big red flags. These are machines and, no matter how finely they’re engineered, machines break down. The key is to minimize the problems that can arise through preventative maintenance.
What is preventative maintenance? This practice involves the routine examination of a product or system to minimize future breakdowns of equipment. For COAMs, this can entail everything from cleaning the exterior of the machines to replacing internal parts — tasks that are typically, but not always, performed by Master License Holders.
Beyond those scheduled check-ins, preventative maintenance ideally includes meticulous record-keeping of past inspections and specific servicing performed for each and every COAM. If this information is accurate and up-to-date, this means routine inspections, tests, replacements, and upgrades should take place in timely fashion and can help technicians diagnose and find fixes for issues when they arise.
What does preventative maintenance for skill gaming machines look like in practice? Take Accel Entertainment’s program: Introduced in 2014, it was designed by one of the service technicians when he discovered a few recurring issues in some of the machines in a licensed Illinois video gaming locations. In this preventative maintenance system – now shared with Tom’s Amusement -, trained members of our staff visit customer locations every 30 to 45 days to perform comprehensive checks of equipment, perform routine maintenance and thoroughly clean the skill gaming machines in your establishment. These appointments typically take less than an hour, and we’re generally able to schedule them outside of peak playing hours. After implementing this relatively simple regimen, the number of calls to our customer service line was dramatically reduced, as were the spot repairs required for the machines.
Preventative maintenance might be a simple concept, but it’s powerful, and it can be a real game changer for your skill gaming operations. At the end of the day, both the Master License Holder and your business have a vested interest in the routine maintenance of COAMs – from a customer satisfaction and skill gaming machine revenue standpoint.