Embed’s Support Superstars
Training & After-Sale Efforts Build Top-Notch Customer Experiences
There have been countless pages within RePlay devoted to debit card and other cashless options for operators, and those stories are typically chock full of features and how one system differentiates itself from others. The special section this month is certainly a case in point.
But seldom do these articles focus on what happens after the sale and how a company sets out to ensure the best answers to a location owner’s “Now What?” questions, whether that be from a first-timer who has just made the leap from tokens or a veteran who’s made a major investment in upgrading an existing card system.
In this month’s Cover Story, the team at Embed set out to educate readers on their approach to helping fun center operators learn the ins and outs of their systems, what steps need to be taken to maximize the benefits of them, and understand how to get help when something goes wrong. For Embed, being able to answer questions and provide full, after-sale support is all about delivering a consistent customer experience. At the end of the day, it all comes down to its people.
The Training Team – Giving the Knowledge Needed to Succeed
Sharing the knowledge fun center operators need to succeed with Embed cashless systems is an elite team of trainers: Kara Anderson, Allen Amey and Travis Allen. With experience in the entertainment industry (some having worked in FECs), they appreciate the challenges inherent in running a successful entertainment center. Every customer who purchases a new system or upgrades an existing one receives a customized series of consultations with a training team member designed to set them up for success, right from the start.
Above, a look at the latest gen of Embed’s smartTouch reader which works with a tap or a swipe. The smartTouch range is chock full of standard features, among them the ability for customers to check their balance at any game in the location.
“Training is often a customer’s first taste of the product they have purchased,” said Anderson. “A couple of months before their scheduled installation, we introduce the customer to their system and create a customized training program to get them familiar with it. We also run through and configure all their operating settings to get their system ready to function according to how they want to run their business.
“We don’t just train them to use the features, we get to know their business model and help them use the system in a way that supports that,” she said.
The team’s main goal is to alleviate the stress customers feel when opening a center or employing a new card system, and Embed says its training sessions are conducted in a way that is fun and comfortable for the trainee. They’re also flexible and can be scheduled at the customer’s convenience.
Allen said, “There are so many moving parts, and we want to make sure they feel confident about our system. We are their main point of contact and want them to know we’re here for them whenever they need us with questions or help on how to set things up. I think of it as a concierge service where each training is customized to what the customer wants and needs.”
Training is mainly conducted through desktop sharing software, so the trainer can demonstrate how to do something, then the customer can take over and learn to do it themselves. With what can feel like an intimidatingly large number of available features, training on the system is broken down into manageable parts, so customers aren’t overwhelmed with information. Sessions are about an hour long; the typical installation involves up to five sessions depending on the purchase and particulars of the venue.
The Embed emONE is the self-contained debit card solution for unattended game rooms which can fully integrate with self-contained prize centers
“We become their employee in a way,” continued Anderson. “We learn their ways, support them and we’re here for them as long as they need us, even after their installation is complete.”
Amey added, “Not only do we help them get up and running, we assist them with training, marketing, and a review of their operations to maximize sales. We are dedicated to assisting our customers with making their operations as successful as possible.”
In addition to full training on the system’s capabilities prior to installation and launch, customers receive complete training on REPORTS, Embed’s robust reporting and analytics system, one week after launch. This allows them to make any tweaks to their system that are needed.
Embed also has an on-demand learning center for their TOOLKIT software suite available 24-7 called INSIGHT. There customers can find videos and tutorials created by the training team on myriad topics as another way to get the support they need. If they need a refresher course, or have a question outside of business hours, they have a resource they can turn to.
Training from Embed’s team of professionals or access to their self-help resources in INSIGHT are included at no extra charge with the purchase of an Embed system. On-site training is available for an extra fee; customers can also visit Embed’s training center in Dallas for in-person training with the team.
Support – Getting Back on Track ASAP
Leah Davies is Embed’s support manager who joined the team just over a year ago. A specialist in call center support, Davies was brought in to grow and modernize the Embed support team, as well as its processes.
“Our main goal is to make the support process as effortless as possible for our customers,” Davies explained. “We want to be their partner – to get to know them and be a familiar voice on the phone, via email or however a customer interacts with us.”
To accomplish this, she has implemented several improvements to Embed’s customer support resources in the last few months, including the addition of two new agents to the Dallas-based team, and an expansion of life support hours. The office is now staffed until midnight (Central Time) every night of the week. (Have a problem “after hours?” No sweat! The Embed support phone system rolls over to the company’s Perth, Australia, office where support agents are just starting their day.)
Support agents are just a phone call away.
The company has beefed up the phone system overall, and a new training program and resources have been put in place that all agents have to study and pass. The latter half of 2018 will also see the introduction of additional online resources and tools that put more information at the operators’ finger tips. (Embed teases that these will be some new ways introduced for contacting the support team “that are more instep with your busy schedules.”)
“We want our customers to know we’re here to help,” added Davies. “The key word for us in ‘FEC’ is ‘Family,’ and we really do think of our customers as family.”
Service – Supplying What You Need Quickly & Efficiently
Embed’s Service Department is primed to help operators keep their equipment operational and earning revenue. Heading up that group is Kym Jaensch, an Embed and industry veteran of 24 years.
“We always try to exceed our customers’ expectations and return their products in as good as new condition – every time,” said Jaensch. “With hundreds of thousands of readers and thousands of kiosks in use by our customers, we are kept pretty busy refurbishing and repairing them. We constantly track repairs and turn them around as quickly as possible.”
The service team has grown in recent years to ensure that turnaround times are kept to a minimum. Embed has specialists for certain products, but also actively cross-trains the team to ensure they can fill in any of the service roles. “Each member of the team takes pride in their work and strives to return a quality product every time,” Jaensch added.
Clearly with his 24-year tenure at Embed, Jaensch is believer in the company and its products, but also in his fellow employees.
“Over the past 24 years, I have been lucky enough to become part of a close-knit family that has grown globally,” he continued. “Being a part of the technological advances and products we have created makes this an always exciting –– and never boring –– place to be. I feel like one of the family!”
Remote Installations
Embed has been offering remote installations since 2013, allowing customers to deploy their own Embed system on-site. To make this possible, customers receive the equipment preconfigured to work right out of the box. All they need is power and internet in the location, their games plugged in, and they’ll be guided through the entire process by Remote Installation Manager Danny Mondragon.
“There are a lot of benefits to remote installations,” Mondragon said. “They are more cost-effective, because you avoid the expense of flying out an installation team. They are also more flexible and easier to schedule.”
The majority of customers who choose to install their own system are those employing the emONE self-contained kiosk, however Embed says any size game room can be a candidate for a remote installation if the customer is comfortable with it.
“Some prefer to have our installers on-site to make sure everything goes smoothly, which is particularly true for brand-new venues with lots of new staff. Our trained team members ensure there is one less thing to worry about on opening day,” said Mondragon.
Mondragon has been with the company for eight years total, but took a break along the way for personal reasons. “I was doing on-site installations and traveling a lot, and it got to be too hard with a young family,” he said. “But after two and a half years away, I knew I wanted to come back to Embed. We are committed to making sure our customers are happy, and I keep in touch with them after the installation to make sure they’re doing well.
“Plus,” he added, “I still get to work with my hands.”
Looking Ahead
IAAPA’s Attractions Expo held in November in Orlando is where some of the industry’s latest innovations are debuted. The team at Embed is looking forward to this year’s event where they will be announcing several product innovations that can benefit both current and new customers.
Meanwhile, with summer upon us, the friendly faces of Embed’s support team is standing by to make sure their card system performs as needed to help operators deliver great entertainment options for their guests and have a productive – and profitable – season.
Visit Embed online at www.embedcard.com.
