IT at AMOA Expo

IT at AMOA Expo

Golden Tee EXtra, Big Buck Hunter II kits, and Touch-IT were the talk of the show during the AMOA International Expo held last week in Las Vegas. "These are the right products at the right time. In fact operators have already updated almost half of the 2004 Golden Tees in the field," said Don Pesceone, IT's director of sales. "Operators have continually asked over the years for a Golden Tee product that can boost earnings in the Fall, and these new courses are just the ticket. With no minimum order and our interest-free payment plan – there's no reason to wait!"

When asked about BBH2 kits Mr Pesceone said, "Again, operators have asked for an affordable Big Buck 2 kit, and we've delivered. There are a lot of low and medium resolution monitors out there and this kit fits in anywhere. It connects to ITNet with an ordinary phone line allowing players to track their BBH2 stats just like they've been doing on Golden Tee. And operators can conduct contests using our new FACTS program," he said. "Every month this game is at or near the top of the charts. I encourage operators to really take a hard look at BBH2. These kits make it a no-brainer."

Mr Pesceone concluded by saying that VIP play, where players can track their game scores on national leaderboards and on IT's website www.itsgames.com, is now available on Touch-IT, IT's hot new touchscreen countertop, and all Touch-IT operators qualify for the new VIP play CD upgrade. "All they have to do is call IT and we'll send one right out," he said.

Incredible Technologies' booth at the Expo was standing room only for seminars that offered operators new ways to increase their earnings. The three seminars, held both Wednesday and Thursday, educated operators on the new Michelob Light Closest-to-the-Pin program, the benefits of FACTS (Free Automated Contest and Tournament Software) and the best way to Win with Promotions.

· Brian Sweet of Nevada Beverage Company, an Anheuser-Busch wholesaler, introduced operators to the new Michelob Light Closest-to-the-Pin program. MLCTTP is the first national sponsorship program designed so operators directly benefit. AB wholesalers have special cards that convert Golden Tee games into a closest-to-the-pin mode, and they rent the machine by inserting $25 per hour directly into the game. An additional benefit is that the operator need not be present for the event – saving him time and money.

· Andy Kniaz, director of product support for IT, and Don Pesceone, director of sales, previewed FACTS, the latest version of IT's Custom Player Report software, due for release in November. According to Mr Kniaz, "FACTS is a powerful software package that's free, easy to download and easy to use. With FACTS operators can run contests on their Golden Tee, Big Buck Hunter 2, and Touch-IT machines from the convenience of their office," he said.

· Marguerite Kirby, national promotions manager, and Gavin Fay, Southeast sales manager, gave pointers on how to run successful promotions, and dozens of operators shared their promotional secrets and experiences with their colleagues in the "Win with Promotions" seminar. "When manufacturers tell operators how successful something is, it's always taken with a grain of salt," said Ms Kirby. "But when they hear it directly from their peers, it carries a lot more weight. It was truly exciting to hear so many success stories during the seminar," she said.

On Thursday afternoon, a special ceremony was held in IT's booth as three new members were inducted into the Golden Tee Society. The Golden Tee Society was created to honor those individuals who help create, promote, and succeed at Golden Tee. Inductees include IT employees, National and World Champions, and distributors and operators. The three latest members are Len Keywood, President, and Gary Walters, Chief Operating Officer, of ITS Canada in Toronto, and John Stergides, Managing Director of Electrocoin Automatics in London. These men were inducted as the first International Partners for their efforts in expanding Golden Tee and the International Tournament System into their countries. Membership as an International Partner is denoted by the Latin words: mundus, particeps, and patronus which translate to international, partner and promoter. There are now nineteen members of the Golden Tee Society.

PICTURED: Incredible Technologies' CEO, Elaine Hodgson, and Executive Vice President, Richard Ditton (far left), congratulate Gary Walters, John Stergides (center), and Len Keywood on being inducted into the Golden Tee Society. The three men sport their Golden Tee Society bomber jackets – signifying their membership in the society.