Editorial

Eddie Adlum, Publisher

This is serious business!

The amusement business is suffering along with most industries right now, and no one really knows what’s at the end of the COVID-19 road, when we’ll get there or what business will be like when that happens.

With few exceptions like the crane in the supermarket, the vast majority of locations where coin-operated amusements are found have closed or might as well have been. Authorities have put time limits on this, but we all know that can and will be extended. For now, coin-op like most industries is being devastated.

Shuttered locations, people hunkering down at home and all the other steps the government has mandated have caused confusion all up and down our marketing and supply chain. But, most of the people who own or manage the nation’s routes and game centers are sharper than the average citizen, in my opinion, and will hopefully devise steps to keep their heads and their employees’ heads up during this historic crisis.

Toward that end, I beg you to share any useful thoughts you may have on this with our Instant RePlay newsletter readers. We want you to help our industry out by sharing the unique ideas you’ve put into practice in your business to survive during this “new normal”…especially ideas that are specific to coin machine operations and marketing.

We also want to know what you’re doing regarding employees, as well as making service calls (if even needed), paying bills and the other normal duties that need attention whether we’re in a pandemic or not. We all know the handwashing drill. What we don’t know are the special steps some of you are taking to meet and maybe even beat this beast.

So, please bury any fears of competitive confidentiality and get the word out via the RePlay Magazine network of readers. Drop a brief email to [email protected] telling us what your company’s doing that’s helping you that will also help others.

This is a special time in our world and in our business…a time to come together. Send your thoughts to us now and watch our Instant RePlay newsletter as it spreads your words of help and encouragement. Then go wash!

– Eddie Adlum