Innovate Gaming Review 2013/14 Edition 1 | Page 12

INNOVATE GAMING | PRODUCTS INNOVATE GAMING | PRODUCTS Konami Gaming - Synkros™ Konami Gaming presents its fully integrated slots and tables management system Synkros™, next generation to the company’s Konami Casino Management System (KCMS) that is used by operators to control the entire casino operation. Synkros™ empowers casino management to “synchronise” gaming operations with potential revenue. Significant enhancements to KCMS apply to the advanced marketing capabilities, which have substantiated inline with market feedback and operational experience. The powerful system architecture pulls player tracking data in real-time, performs detailed analysis that segments the market and provides management with player information, trends and marketing opportunities. Analytics can be effectively used to deliver personal and targeted messages and promotions, directly to a player at the terminal. “For years, Konami has offered the industry’s most reliable system because it was constructed on architecture inspired by best practices found in industries like banking and national defence,” explained Tom Soukup, Konami Gaming VP of Systems R&D. “With Synkros, we started with KCMS and added new marketing horsepower on top of a system that has been celebrated for its unparalleled reliability.” Steered by its solid system, Synkros utilises gaming analytics to drive coin-in and casino loyalty, enabling dynamic business decisions to be articulated through innovative marketing efforts in real-time. Analytical tools have been enhanced in the new system, allowing casino operators to better understand their players. A series of bonus applications have been added to further optimise customer experience. Casinos have the ability to increase visitation during downtimes, by segmenting customers and rewarding them at certain times. Highly sophisticated bonusing tools can be customised to a casino and offer free play, tournament events, bonus points and multipliers at the terminal. Data can be used to fuel both online- and offline-marketing campaigns that speak to players at the casino, by post, email or mobile. The ability to communicate with players directly at the game is unmatched, thanking patrons for their visits, providing resort-wide promotions, offering bonus awards to soften the effects of losses or encourage additional play. Synkros goes one step further and allows a full media-set to be delivered to the terminal, including sporting events, in-house advertising channels and live drawings in real-time. An enhancement to employee information helps the gaming floor run efficiently and utilised at all times. Machine monitoring information acknowledges device type, individual device, game and play denominations, bills and tickets inserted, jackpots, fills and device metres. Playing patterns and views of the casino floor throughout the day can assist staff to carry out an enhanced customer experience. Comprehensive monitoring of cage, cash and vault processes gives casino management effective financial control. Extensive foreign exchange capabilities feature variable buy and sell rates, jackpot processing and patron credit limits. All denominations and currencies can be tracked property-wide, as well as casino cage transactions including checks, markers, credit, funds on deposit and TITO tickets. Synkros also introduces the Synk Box™ communication interface, a powerful device that connects, captures and controls slot machine processes. The single hardware unit, which supports SAS, G2S, X-Series QCOM protocols, combines slot monitoring with player tracking and enables delivery of the new BonuStream games, Super Series games and marketing animations available as part of the system. “The Synkros system has a reputation in the industry as being incredibly well engineered; operators love the fact that it’s hardly ever down,” added Michael Ratner, Konami Gaming Director of Product Management, Systems. “What sets us apart is the marketing abilities, the horsepower within the system to market directly to players, direc