Automatic Age

T
he
A
u t o m a t ic
great word— 'C O -O P E R A T IO N ' o f
every darn bloom in’ soul.”
The first letter invites our atten­
tion to the irony o f business in that
good machines properly placed are a
sure method o f getting rid o f poor
machines. There is no doubt about
the damage that is being done to the
coin machine business in general by
the widespread use o f old machines
in bad repair. The bad effects o f
such machines are greatly increased
when in the hands o f men just begin­
ning in the operating business. Per­
haps there is no more effective way
to discourage such business than the
roughshod method o f going after
them with better machines and bet­
ter methods.
No one could object to the desira­
bility o f somehow getting rid o f old,
w om -out machines o f every kind.
This idea o f getting rid o f obso­
lescent machines is being discussed
in many other trades than ours. But
there is a human side to this" ques­
tion, and that is the fact that in
many cases some person is endeav­
oring to get a footin g in a new and
promising industry. All the facts at
hand indicate that our trade is only
•n its infancy so far as the limits o f
its opportunities are concerned. It
may be true that in a few large cen­
ters there is keen competition in the
operating field, but in a broad sense
we can look upon the whole country
as lying out before us awaiting the
normal expansion o f a growing in­
dustry. The manufacturers o f coin
devices recognize this and they feel
keenly the need o f interesting more
and more men o f progressive spirit
and business ability to enter this
field.
Get Him to Join
Perhaps the ideal way to welcome
the beginner in the operating field
would be through the channels o f the
local operators’ association.
Each
© International A rcade Museum
A
ge
13
beginner could be invited into this
organization, where he would come
in contact with the general spirit o f
co-operation, and where no doubt he
would be open to suggestions and
would appreciate the advice o f more
experienced operators.
It must be remembered that we
were all beginners at one time and
that there is still plenty o f room fo r
men who will co-operate and who
have ordinary business judgment and
ability.
Naturally, there will be
many attempts to break into the
game by men who do not measure
up to the standards, and fo r these
the only remedy that seems to be
available is the irony o f keen busi­
ness competition.
The problem o f the beginner will
always be with us, and in many cases
no doubt these are men who start in
the operating game as a sort o f side
line, and fo r their, first investment
buy old, ill-repaired machines cast
off by some older operator. What to
do with these old machines will prob­
ably affect our trade similar to the
used car question in the automobile
world. In many cases there is no
doubt but what it would be best fo r
all concerned if the operator, already
established in the field, would just
scrap his old machines rather than
try to unload on some beginner’s
hands.
Many thanks to our friend for
making us face frankly a question
that has brewed in many another
operator’s m'nd. There is a good
operating principle in the letter that
needs emphasizing: “ I have exactly
119 different kinds o f machines and
can bring a different machine to each
location every four to six weeks and
keep it up fo r years.” That is a
definite working code, and while
there may be others just as good, at
least it shows industry and brain
work.
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