Play Meter

LAST WORD
HEY FOLKS ...
IT'S SHOWTIME!
By Sharon Harris
"My kind of town, Chicago is ... " That song rings
true for me each year at convention time when it's
held in Chicago .
The annual AMOA show is eagerly anticipated
by thousands of people throughout this country .
Why? The answer is simple ; the convention meets
the needs of everyone attending , no matter what
segment of the industry.
What is the purpose of any convention? It
mainly serves as a forum where information can be
gathered and shared . This is accomplished in two
ways :
First , the trade show/ exhibit portion of the
convention provides the manufacturers the oppor-
tunity to debut new equipment to a mass audience
of both distributors and operptors. They can give
first-hand instructions and demonstrations of the
games, answering all questions on the spot. It's a
rare opportunity for manufacturers to deal with
operators .
Some manufacturers hold extracurricular activ-
ities such as breakfast meetings to formally present
new product to distributors via the use of slides and
other visual effects. This approach is beneficial
because it emphasizes each machine separately. As
anyone who has walked a convention floor can
verify , all the machines begin to look alike after a few
days ; like a singles bar on a Friday night.
A convention is an ideal time for factory execu-
tives to discuss and resolve financial arrangements
with their distributors . I've walked by many a booth
where people were huddled , deep in conversation ,
inside the glass booth that doubles as an office .
More can be accomplished here than through
phone calls.
Second , seminars are geared primarily for
operators . The agenda should reflect the most
timely issues , utilizing the talents and expertise of
people I experienced in a specific area . This year's
schedule of seminars looks comprehensive , judging
112
from the preliminary program book . Everyone
should be able to glean new facts from these
workshops .
However, all work and no play would make
anyone very dull , so a good convention has to
include social activities. Cocktail parties are held ,
and dinners are planned . A banquet brings the Expo
registrants together for an evening of celebration
while also rewarding those deserving of industry
honors. This year's music/ game awards presenta-
tion and the professional stage show should be
enjoyable .
Coordinating a convention the size and magni-
tude of AMOA is a massive job. As many of you
know (through the extensive press coverage over
the summer), the board of directors of the Pennsyl-
vania Amusement and Music Machine Association
(PAMMA) held a summer expo in historic Valley
Forge , Pennsylvania . I am a board member, and I
can adamantly confirm that it was a mammoth
undertaking. Knowing firsthand the hours involved
in putting a state show together , I applaud the orga-
nizers of the national show.
Why do we at Stan Harris & Company go to the
shows? Aside from the above reasons and the fact
that we have a great time , it has always proven
advantageous. I can 't remember a convention
where we didn 't make some new contacts that led to
a profitable business relationship . What better
environment is there to put together and finalize a
deal? However, make no mistake ... it doesn 't just
happen . The smart individual attending the conven-
tion searches out opportunities . And believe me , it
involves hard work but is worth the effort .
So, as we travel from all parts of this country to
Chicago on this Halloween weekend , keep this
thought in mind : We are the lucky ones ... we stuck it
out a n d survived . Hopefully , conditions have
improved enough that we will no longer be spooked
by the ghosts and goblins of the past few years . •
PLAY METER. Octo ber 15, 1985