Category: Interviews

IdealOne Expands Its Support In Europe

Posted on by IdealOne Marketing Team

John Murphy has recently joined IdealOne as a customer support representative.

Located in Ireland, John will provide front line product support for our customers in the EMEA region and will work alongside the support team in the USA.

“In response to our rapid growth in the region, IDEAL ONE has added support in Europe as we grow the number of clients in the region and we have recently boosted our support team in the USA too.

IdealOne places top priority on customer service and continually expands it’s capabilities in that area to keep pace with expanded use in additional countries as we continue to grow the business globally.

The value of a dedicated, knowledgeable and responsive support team is something that is often overlooked and sometimes not realized until it’s too late.

We are pleased to welcome John to the team and he will work alongside the US team to deliver our promise of true 24/7 support for our products” said John Vallis, VP International Business Development.

John Murphy on joining IdealOne stated “I’ve been in and around the Amusement and entertainment industries from a very early age and I have first-hand experience with the IdealOne Cashless & Redemption system. IdealOne offers a wide range of exciting solutions and I am very much looking forward to talking with our customers as part of the global support team.”

Kilkenny Bowl goes Cashless with IdealOne

Posted on by IdealOne Marketing Team

After almost a year of closure due to the Pandemic, Kilkenny Bowl in Kilkenny, Ireland (K-Bowl KK), reopened its doors on September 20th, having installed the IdealOne Cashless and Redemption system into the Amusement Arcade during the latest lockdown.

“We had been thinking about going Cashless in the arcade for a while and after evaluating the different systems in the market we decided to install the Cashless System from IdealOne” said Shane Murphy, owner of K-Bowl.

“We wanted to modernize our arcade operation to not only improve the guest experience but to also streamline the arcade operation in general.

Now our customers will simply purchase or top up their game cards and Tap to Play the games and also store their redemption points on their card too, taking cash out of the Arcade will save us so much time and money and will also allow us to be more creative with our game pricing and giving us the chance to offer Happy Hours, upsell different packages and other promotions & benefits to our card holders.”

“The installation was straightforward and managed remotely by the teams at Ideal and K-Bowl and I have to say that from the initial briefing they really took their time to understand what we were looking to achieve and supported us all the way through from planning to installation and training to going live,” explained Murphy.

John Vallis, IdealOne’s VP International Business Development said, “We are delighted to welcome Kilkenny Bowl to the IdealOne family and would like to thank Shane and his team for their close cooperation and dedication during this first phase of the project.”

“Cashless systems are fast becoming part of the overall evolution of the Family Entertainment industry. The systems not only enable operators to remove cash from the game floor, which streamlines the operation and improves the guest experience, but they also allow operators to fully manage the business using one system to unite all aspects of the business. We look forward to working with Shane and the team to implement our Party Booking software and F&B POS in the near future,” Vallis concluded.

Interview with John Vallis, International Business Development

Posted on by IdealOne Marketing Team

How did you get connected with Ideal?

I first met with the IDEAL team four years ago. I was visiting the IAAPA show in the USA on behalf of my previous employer SUZOHAPP. At that time SUZOHAPP was looking to find a systems company to represent in Europe. The IDEAL team was very friendly and professional and left an excellent impression.
I’m extremely proud to represent such a knowledgeable, passionate and dedicated team of people who literally live and breathe our products and who are constantly striving to provide robust and workable solutions for our customers.

What are your goals for International expansion?

I am very excited about our global opportunities. IDEAL has been in business for 37 years and has a great track record in the USA. That means a great deal and it gives a positive feeling to potential new customers who can see that our system is not only tried and tested but has unique benefits as well.

Our strategy is to build up a global distribution network. Apart from the UK and Ireland where we sell directly, we are right now actively seeking companies to support us.

To quote a cliché…Rome wasn’t built in a day, however with a great team back at base, a great suite of products and the commitment from the company to expanding our market presence, we are certainly headed in the right direction.

What are some accomplishments you’ve already made?

Our first installation outside the USA is at King’s Bastion Leisure Centre in Gibraltar. John Azzopardi is the Managing Director there, please let me share his comments with you: “Market feedback showed us that installing a cashless system can increase our revenue by up to 15% on a permanent basis. All these benefits convinced us to take this step and invest in IDEAL.
IDEAL is future-proof. We are already planning our next steps to make the most out of opportunities it offers us, including introducing a loyalty programme and enabling our customers to top up their cards online. We truly believe that our customers will see the benefits of cashless play. We have already received positive feedback from parents who appreciate the option of putting a set amount on a card for their children to enjoy.”

Outside of the USA we are starting to establish the company name, the brand and just how comprehensive our product offering is and we are working on a number of exciting projects at the moment so watch this space……………

How have your experiences at the tradeshows gone?

Outside of the USA, we have been present at the AALARA conference in Australia, the InterFun Expo in Leeds, UK and most recently at the IAAPA Expo Asia in Shanghai.
Our experience so far has been very positive.
Visitors to our stand really appreciated the fact that our system covers all requirements – as our company logo says – ONE system that does it all. As John in Gibraltar said, our system is future-proof. Furthermore, we have an excellent track record – as I said previously – we have been selling systems successfully for 37 years now.