Coin Machine Review (& Pacific ...)

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EDITORIAi.
would like the public to believe you
are. They'll soon catch on and your
business existence will he much
• What wouldn't the operator give
to nip in the bud undesirable pub-
licity concerning his business long
before it sees the light of day? Plen-
ty we are willing to wager. Then why
do operators openly paint wrong
pictures for the general public in
their everyday behavior and the way
they conduct their places of business
or operating headquarters?
Recently we took a trip through
seven of the western states and, in
most instances, found operators doing
the unjustifiable things away from
home as we have here at home.
Let me cite an example. On a re-
cent Saturday I was invited to call on
a certain coin machine man. Arriv-
ing at the establishment I found the
chap, together with a half dozen un-
shaven, slovenly dressed operators,
gathered around a couple of empty
crates drinking whiskey. A big dis-
play window at the front of the store
permitted every passerby to look in
and the big sign "Coin Operated Ma-
chines" on the window helped every
passerby form an adverse picture con-
cerning the whole industry.
Two large markets and a huge
Catholic church bring hundreds of
people past this establishment daily
and probably not one of those pres-
ent at the drinking session ever exer-
cised enough gray matter to fully
realize the tremendous harm he was
doing to himself and a great indus-
try through his window drinking ac-
tivities.
Countless dozens of operating and
jobbing establishments are unkempt
and give the impression of cheap loaf-
ing joints for racketeers. If you can't
sweep, dust and keep your place neat
and tidy for heaven's sake paint the
windows up to six or seven feet so a
critical public can't look in and gath-
er improper impressions.
Same holds true of your person.
Shave daily, dress immaculately, use
neat and clean uniforms if necessary
and act like the business man you
• September 15th we'll lay aside
our paper and typewriters and hang
up the shutters once more for the an-
nual 10 day vacation for your maga-
zine's staff.
This year we'll fly down to Mexico
City and look the field over and try
to bring back a true and accurate pic-
ture of operating in the land of
"manana" .
Various operators have brought
back unfavorable reports during the
past few years only to have turned
around immediately and gone back
with a flock of machines. We'll try
to uncover the "why" of such antics
and give you the dope straight from
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the shoulder when we return.
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18
COIN
MACHINE
REVIEW
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M~fil.
• "Business has gone to the dors.
You can't make money in the coin
machine business any more. There
isn't any use trying." Such is the
chant of many operators who find
that the work of maintaining good,
profitable routes is a little harder
than it used to be.
There are many operators, however,
who have placed operating coin ma-
chines on a business basis. They
know there is money to he made and,
if the right principies are used, they
will get their share. In the end, al-
most without exception, they prove
their theory is right. Mason L. Col-
bert, a live-wire Nebraska operator,
is one of those "theorists" who is
right.
In a past issue of Spinning Wheels,
Colbert related 12 points for success-
ful operation. The story of this mid-
western operator, who has tried every
type of coin machine, is an interest-
ing one. He says, "I have been en-
gaged in the coin machine business
for many years, although at first only
as a side line. When I realized that
the business was one of the most re-
munerative I began devoting all my
time to it and have been fairly suc-
cessful. I operate almost every type
of coin machine today.
"Coin operation to me has all the
thrills of a hunting or fishing trip.
Each day is a new catch. You never
know just exactly what you are going
to do, but if a good hunter uses a
good gun, or a fisherman uses good
tackle and seeks a good stream he is
bound to bring home game."
Here are 12 rules that have helped
to make Mason L. Colbert a success-
ful operator:
I. Never cut the percentage, or
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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9.
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12.
try to shut out competitors by
this method.
Use the best equipment avail-
able.
Maintain a shop and give
service as quickly as possible,
no matter what the distance.
Have a girl at the telephone at
all times.
Find time to visit your loca-
tions. Get acquainted with the
man and his family, become
interested in their problems.
Become one of the family if
possible. Any favor you do
them will be amply repaid.
Study your territory and use
the equipment that is best
suited to your locality.
Do not sell machines to loca-
tions as they will spoil your
territory for obvious reasons.
A cabinet will save you mon-
ey. The hazard of burglary,
hi-jacking, and dishonest lo-
cations is greatly lessened.
See that location has plenty of
change. Supply him with as
much as he may need in busy
times.
Try and teach your location
.h ow to operate. Teach him to
watch out for slugs, glass
breakers, etc.
No matter what type of ma-
chine operated, teach your lo-
cation that the quickest way
to spoil his play is to operate
to children or young people
who have no means of sup-
port except from parents.
Do not keep one type of ma-
chine on location when it has
outlived its usefulness. Change
it, and by so doing you will
keep the good will of the lo-
cation . If a certain type of
game becomes so obsolete that
it becomes a coat rack, junk it
at once.
Use a business system. Know
which machines make money
and why.
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Inc. 1929
Zeigler Insurance Agency, Inc.
417 South Hill St.
Michigan 0961
Los Angeles, Calif.
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