Page 54 - Public Gaming International September/October 2017

“This new technology is transformative. From “We developed this technology as a tool for
the smallest mom-and-pop stores, to the the retailer, to significantly improve the way

largest national convenience store chains they sell lottery instant games. It reduces the

across multiple states, we sat down with them time it takes to sell a game to a customer by
and listened to their feedback about selling and up to 70 percent.”
managing lottery products. And we developed

a real solution.”

Jeff Sinacori, VP, Retail Development, Randall Lex, Director, Program Management,
Scientific Games Scientific Games

player. In the convenience store channel, the lottery player Another area of concern for retailers is shift accounting for “Scientific Games’ technology has led the way for lottery insights This makes it even more important to optimize the visibility of
visits a location three times more per week than the average instant games. and loyalty programs in the U.S. Now we have innovated instant games at retail, so the retailer knows what inventory
consumer. Customizing processes and making lottery easier to technology that provides real-time sales – a whole new set of is accounted for and what is missing. And this security goes
incorporate into their existing business has been a top priority “There are some basic tools available on the market that allow rich data that we’ve never had before,” says Lex. “This is sales data beyond surveillance cameras.
to Sinacori and Scientific Games. the retailer to account for instant games within a given shift; as its happening. Retailers can see what lottery products are
however, this is not a real solution to this very common pain selling by specific game type, licensed brand and price point. Scientific Games’ new technology reports to the retailer the
“If we are focused on retailers, let’s optimize the retailer’s point at nearly all lottery retailers across the globe. These tools, This revolutionary technology creates a new layer of actionable moment a ticket goes missing. The store manager or security
operations,” says Lex. “We developed this technology as a tool although a step in the right direction and better than doing business intelligence for the retailer and state lottery.” staff can receive a text or an email. The alerts can be customized
for the retailer, to significantly improve the way they sell lottery pen and paper math for each ticket, still require the clerk or to a broad range of retailers, from owners who operate just one
instant games. It reduces the time it takes to sell a game to a manager’s time to scan tickets at the beginning and end of This kind of information optimizes any predictive order so that store, to regional chains with 100 stores, to large corporations
customer by up to 70 percent. The solution we focused on for every shift for every game on sale and every bin with a hand- it is a real, valid order that works for the specific retailer, even to with 10,000 stores or more.
retailers is simple, sell more, do less.” held scanner,” shares Sinacori. the point of merchandising the product. Instead of restrictive,
one-size-fits-all planograms for instant games, product displays “Our system provides visibility into the products. If there’s a
One of the most time-consuming aspects of selling instant Scientific Games’ new technology not only provides retailers can be planned and designed based on actual sales data. shortage, the retailer knows immediately – not at the end
games is inventory management. Scientific Games’ new with the ability to easily track all the lottery products they sell, it of the day, week or month,” explains Sinacori. “Most retailers
have to look through weeks of surveillance camera footage
technology provides retailers with real-time insights into their reduces a 15-to-30-minute process down to just a few seconds. “If it sounds magical, it is. Retailers will know what games
product inventory – not only what they need to stock displays With most corporate chains running three shifts per day, it is a they’re selling, how much they’re selling of a particular game, to know if theft has occurred, which is a very reactive way to
that day, but in the coming days. The system effectively huge savings in labor time and cost. Clerks can focus on selling and when they’re selling it. This is an intelligent system that lets secure valuable products. Our system provides them with
minimizes the opportunity for out-of-stocks. and on keeping all of the store’s other products stocked and them serve their customers, who in some cases are coming proactive security.”
available for their customers. in multiple times a week and buying lottery instant games,”
“Out-of-stocks for many retailers can average 15 to 20 percent, explains Sinacori. Marketing & Promotional
and if you do the math it means they are missing out on “Never before has a lottery or vendor actually customized lottery Opportunities
thousands of dollars if not hundreds of thousands of dollars accounting procedures across an entire retail chain. Currently, Security The new system manages the entire ecosystem of the instant
in sales and commissions depending on the size of the store each corporate chain in each state operates in a silo with its own As retailers well know, instant games are a prime target for theft game, and has the capability to include data from all lottery
or chain,” explains Lex. “Just imagine if you had a tool that accounting procedures within a particular state or jurisdiction,” whether displayed on top of the counter, beneath the counter, touch points. A major component is the ability to enhance
forecasted what games you need, how many, and when you says Sinacori. “Now, Scientific Games’ new system creates one or behind the register. loyalty programs, as marketing and promotions are key to any
will need them. In retail, being prepared with inventory for any format for accounting procedures across their entire chain, the successful loyalty program.
product is crucial. Otherwise, it’s very reactionary. If a product is same customized reports across state lines or lottery jurisdiction. “Unfortunately, we have people in this world who will reach
not available for sale, you can’t sell it.” around displays, under the counter, or whenever they see
Like ordering your favorite drink
Insights instant games hanging out of a dispenser, and will grab as at Starbucks, consumers can buy
many games as they can and run out of the store. Currently,
In recent years, lottery analytics have improved. But the industry the way the industry displays instant games at retail, clerks must an instant game and just scan
still does not have the level of analytics available to other stand guard at all times at the ticket display. And then there is their phone to get loyalty credit at
consumer-packaged goods industries. When Amazon sells a small minority of clerks who commit theft the point of purchase. The system
a product, they know when they sold it down to the minute. from the other side of the counter because can accept draw games as well.
They know where they shipped it, even to whom they sold it’s tempting to play the games and not This frictionless transaction process
the product. Lotteries ship instant games to retailers, and even pay for them,” says Lex. “It’s retail shrink, incentivizes consumers to engage
those with loyalty programs, don’t have this kind of real-time and it happens everywhere.” in loyalty programs.”
information about how their products are being purchased.