|
 |
 |
||
 |
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|||
 |
||||
|
COMPANY OVERVIEW Merit Entertainment® is a worldwide leader in touchscreen entertainment devices. Building on a strong tradition of introducing innovative, industry-leading technology, Merit continues to expand its product line and to provide ongoing hardware and software support to operators. Merit's products appear globally in a wide array of venues and they appeal to an almost limitless demographic. They also utilize the Merit MegaNET® connectivity system for player ranking, customization, updates and operational support. MISSION STATEMENT Merit’s mission is to deliver to its customers fairly priced equipment that produces a high R.O.I.. Merit does this by providing both software and hardware conversion kits that extend the earnings life of Merit touchscreen games beyond the standard. This philosophy has made Merit the premier company in the industry for operator support. By giving them the opportunity to refresh existing game cabinets with the latest content and features, Merit has helped the street operator segment remain extremely healthy during challenging times. COMPANY HISTORY Merit’s first products were tavern-oriented games based on the timeless themes of casino card games. Through a variety of software enhancements and innovative packaging, Merit created new applications for these products. Merit developed the first multi-game countertop machine in 1981, brand-named Pit Boss™, which was responsible for establishing the countertop niche in coin-op. Merit’s Trivia Whiz™ was introduced in 1985 and stormed the industry with its immediate success. It proved that in the world of video games like Ms. Pacman™ and the like, a simple, clever, question and answer game was still timeless fun. Merit began its upgrade philosophy with the initial trivia upgrade for Trivia Whiz™, a cornerstone of Merit’s business that has endured for nearly 15 years. In the late ‘80’s, Merit combined the Pit Boss™ & Trivia Whiz™ games to create the Pit Boss Super Star™, the first multi-game unit to combine both amusement-card and trivia content. This game was the foundation for Merit’s first touchscreen effort, the Super Touch 30™. TOUCHSCREEN VIDEO With the advent of touchscreen technology, Merit games entered a new level of earnings performance in the form of Megatouch®. The intuitiveness of the touch interface was magical and attracted droves of new players. This, combined with the decline in popularity of the venerable pinball machine as a tavern game, rocketed the Megatouch® to a high level of popularity, thanks to the game’s appeal to both men and women. Megatouch® grew in popularity as it grew in application. From the first Megatouch®, which was built on the same technology as the PitBoss™, to the e.V.o.™, which eliminates the need for a separate processor kit and features a built-in modem for Web connectivity, Merit has continued to add new games, features and applications to its products. Still supporting backward compatibility for the older products whenever possible, Merit has an award-winning complement of conversion kits to keep earnings at their peak. The new e.V.o. and Fusion Upright products boast patent pending Revenue Tower™ engineering, plus Merit’s “Watchdog” multiple-CPU system. All Merit products are home to a continually growing family of increasingly high-tech games and player-pleasing entertainment. MEGANET® Merit’s on-line strategy goes beyond the informative company Web site. Connecting the existing coin-op units in the field via the Internet to the TournaMAXX™ Global Player Ranking System has taken game operators’ machines to exciting new levels. Following the initial TournaMAXX™ release, Merit launched a full complement of Internet capability called MegaNET® in April 2002. MegaNET provides “Pay-Per-Play” premium channels like Hot Topics Direct Downloadable Content™and the new Entertainment Channel, featuring daily horoscopes, comics, celebrity birthdays, facts and quotes. Remote Control™ operator interface, Video Poster™ operator-controlled advertising, My Merit player data tracker, Merit Money, Promo Credits and Coin-less Coin-op features have again raised the bar on earnings. 2003/2004 saw the addition of MegaWeb, which provides players with high-speed connections to the Internet, and provides operators with advance downloads of upcoming Merit content. Through a partnership with Arcade Planet, Merit also offers Prize Zone™, a player prize system that allows winners to select prize merchandise directly from connected Megatouch®® units. SALES AND MARKETING Merit sells its products predominantly through an established distribution network. A national sales team services this network, and supplements distribution efforts via in-the-field contact with operators and distributors. An inside sales team enters and ships orders to customers, and supplements the outside sales team with the materials needed for a successful program. Merit’s network also caters to a significant international market, which includes distributing its games in over 20 different languages to countries worldwide. The marketing department is responsible for all company communications. Its primary functions are tradeshow management and directing all advertising and public relations. The department is also responsible for the development of creative materials and business growth strategies. Advertising is directed mainly to industry trade press and specialty publications. ENGINEERING This department is solely responsible for all hardware and software development and the mechanical design of Merit’s products. From the conception of innovative ideas to the creation and testing of product, this group is the backbone for all Merit product development. The engineering division employs technical, software, and mechanical engineers, as well as game designers, sound technicians and graphic artists. The engineers have over fifty years of collective experience in the gaming industry. Together, they use various programs to develop new software and hardware systems, and to create the "look" of the game units. CUSTOMER SERVICE / TECHNICAL SUPPORT The customer service department is designed to aid operators and distributors with questions regarding Merit’s products. The customer service representatives handle phone calls, taking orders for parts and kits and relaying questions to technical service. The technical support specialists are the key people to which all technical questions (hardware and software) should be directed. They travel to various operator and distributor locations to explain the inner workings of Merit’s products, pinpoint trouble spots and decipher technical language. This kind of customer service and support is just one part of Merit’s formula for success. CONTACT MERIT MERIT ENTERTAINMENT® 155 Rittenhouse Circle, Bristol, PA 19007 Phone: 800-523-2760 • Fax: 215-826-1401 Web site: http://www.meritgames.com |
|||
|
 |
|
|