Larry
ElbertIn 13 short years, Iowa operator Larry Elbert of Camden Amusement has established himself as a progressive member of the coin machine community.
Larry is well known, due to his involvement in industry organizations and associations. He currently serves as the President of the Iowa Operators of Music and Amusement (IOMA), and as Secretary of the Club Lucky Group of operators. He graduated from the Amusement and Music Operators Association (AMOA) Notre Dame Management Program--Class XII and Masters Class I--and served on the Board of Directors of the AMOA (his term ended in 2007).
In addition, he is a strong believer in the power of contests, tournaments, and leagues to attract and keep customers. He is aware of the commitment necessary to see these organized events grow into major contributors to a company's bottom line. When contacted about his selection as Play Meter Operator of the Year 2008, Larry was about to travel to the Iowa State Dart Tournament, of which he is a staunch supporter.
He had nothing but praise for the event. "It was fantastic, with excellent attendance," he said, adding, "The players were enthusiastic, and everyone had a good time. It's the type of event that culminates a great league season. Operators in Iowa have strong league systems, and that's the backbone of our industry. The tournament's success is a testament to our operators and to the tournament committee."
Larry is often asked to speak at meetings such as the Incredible Technologies (IT) Operator Summit, where he freely shares his experiences in promotions. He is known for his hands-on approach of literally pulling players out of a crowd and showing them how to play a game. In this way, he actively cultivates--and hopefully enlarges--his player base.
Larry also works with bar owners and their staff to emphasize the value of promotions and to encourage players to participate. His philosophy is to get everyone in the location involved, and be present to motivate and guide. It works.
"It's the little things that we do for our customers that make the difference," said Larry.
Getting established
Larry transitioned from the legal profession (he graduated from law school in 1993) by way of purchasing The East Side Maid Rite bar as a side business. There he met Richard Raymon, also an attorney, and owner of Camden Amusement, which served the location. Richard's desire to concentrate on the law coincided with Larry's father, Von, looking for a new business project. In four months, father and son were at the helm of Camden Amusement, a company with a 45-year history.
Play Meter interviewed Larry for a "Coinman" feature in March 2005. At that time, it was clear that Larry was forward thinking, from his quick action to join the digital jukebox revolution early on, to his interest in promotions as the path to long-term success.
In 2005, Larry operated over 125 TouchTunes digital jukeboxes; today that number has risen to 180. He readily embraces new technology, and recognizes that players are not only more knowledgeable about technology, but also expect the latest technology in entertainment products.
Camden has also expanded operations into western Illinois. When an employee moved to that region, Larry turned a disadvantage into an advantage. What started with one location has developed into a solid route.
As the company has grown geographically, so have its league systems and tournaments. "We try to have a tournament once a week to keep players more active," said Larry.
In the past two years, Camden has expanded its automated teller machine (ATM) business. Larry explained, "We entered the ATM business because we could see that taverns were underserved. The only ATM providers at that time were banks, which did not typically serve that market. There are still locations that need to be served, and we will continue to grow our ATM business."
Also added to the equipment mix: cranes and bulk racks. "As we grew, it became a full-time job to keep track of the different kinds of inventory," said Larry. Camden has two employees devoted to organizing merchandise, filling machines, cleaning machines, and making sure that items are placed correctly.
Bouncing back
Larry is no stranger to adversity. In June 2008, Midwestern floods claimed a considerable amount of Camden's equipment, which was housed in the company's basement and warehouse. While Camden suffered initially, the problems continued when locations closed down and some customers moved away.
Larry and his staff have worked diligently to restore former locations. In eight months they managed to replace 22 of 36 customers. Larry predicted, "We will probably get another five or six back in the next six months. The rest will be gone forever."
On a positive note, because of federal aid that came after the flood, the area did not see the downturn in the economy as quickly as the rest of the country.
Does Larry have any advice for fellow operators regarding natural disasters? He offered, "Be prepared. We've changed our computer system to handle back-up procedures. Equipment aside, our biggest losses were our locations. There is no way to prepare to lose your customer base; you can't insure against it. But you can get all of your equipment out of harm's way."
Despite that setback, and the current economy, Larry is optimistic about the future of the industry. "The industry is forever changing," said Larry. "We are not in the business of placing machines and collecting them. We are in the entertainment industry. It's our job to help bring people through the door. It's our job to get the guy off the bar stool and to engage him in our equipment."
He continued, "We have plenty of products right now that allow us to do that. They have become traditional pieces--darts, pool, video golf games--all promoted through contests, leagues, and tournaments. As the jukebox segment has developed, there is more interaction between the player and the jukebox, and there is more encouragement to spend that extra dollar. It's our job to promote it all. Promotions have to stay constant in our industry. In addition, routes have to stay fresh."
Education
Education is a priority for Larry, and he values his experience in the AMOA Notre Dame Management Program. "I miss the experience," he said. "It keeps you sharp. Every operator should look at pursuing this program."
What most impressed him about the program? He responded: "I took away two things. First, the classes represented a good base line of knowledge for operating in this industry. And second, spending five weekends with the same class provides you with friends and compatriots in the industry who will always be with you."
"We are forever learning from all aspects of this industry," said Larry. He mentioned trade shows: "Going to trade shows is another way to gather knowledge from other segments of the industry. I was not able to attend the Nightclub & Bar Show this year, but that's a good show to attend because you get the perspective of the location. As operators, we have to pay attention to location owners and employees because these are the people who help us promote our equipment and drive players to the games."
Larry is a charter member of the Club Lucky Group, which was founded in 2006. "It started as a promotions group and expanded into other areas," he explained. "Promotions remain the main focus of the group. As it has grown, each new operator member has provided input and perspective on the industry. It is a group of like-minded operators who have come together to fill that part of the industry that isn't served by other organizations."
He continued, "Membership in Club Lucky has helped us all to develop promotional programs, and to combine our experiences and ideas into creative promotions that have proven successful."
Home and family
Larry stays grounded in family. He and his wife Carrie celebrated their ninth anniversary on March 11, the day he received the Play Meter 2008 Operator of the Year Award. They have three children: Emma, age 8; Dylan, age 3; and Cayden, age 2. Larry and Carrie are active in their church, and in their children's school.
His dad continues to work at his side, and his mother, Darlene, is the Office Manager. Larry considers the 25 employees of Camden as extended family. "It's a family business," he said. "We have a great group of employees who have pulled together, especially in the last year."
Important issue
When asked what he considers to be one of the most important issues facing the industry in 2009, he responded, "On an industry level, we need better communication. Keeping the channels of communication open promotes sharing ideas, developing new promotions, finding ways to get customers to play the games, and bringing the next person through the door."
He added, "For many customers, we get only one opportunity to entertain them. We need to provide an experience that makes them want to come back again."
Larry noted, "There are five levels in our industry: manufacturer, distributor, operator, location, and the ultimate customer who puts his or her dollar in the machine. We need to know why customers put their money in, or why they choose not to put their money in our machines."
