p58-60 hermes.qxd:p58-60 hermes.qxd 16/01/2009 16:33 Page 60
HERMES SOFTLAB
our customers what they truly needed: an integrated the channels. The importance of this cannot be
system worthy of their growing businesses. We looked underestimated. Without the ability to move their
at the problem from the point of view of our cash around between land-based and online, it meant
customers. We know from our discussions that what that all the work on look and feel could well be
they needed first of all were systems that were more wasted completely.
agile and more responsive to the business
environment. This is even more, true now than when Then there are the more obvious entertainment
the discussions were first undergone. aspects for the players, including the enhanced
multi-player gaming experience, including such
Importantly, this agility isn’t just for its own sake. features as chat, across all channels. Functionality is
What also emerged from our discussions with important, but entertainment is central to the
operators across both online and land-based was that propositions of our customers and so our new
integrated systems were a must have – they would integrated system had to have this concept at its
provide the backbone that would allow operators to heart.
provide the entertainment their customers
demanded. It was only by providing top-notch The benefits needed by the casino/operator
service, without a hitch, that customers would be stakeholder are probably more obvious but they need
enticed to come back for more. Whatever business stating all the same. First, the integrated system would
you are in, repeat business is all. This is even more so need to provide a single view of the customer. This
with gambling businesses where the danger is that could be the same user of the land-based casino, the
you take too much from your customers, providing online offering or the hotel customer. This would lead
them with a poor experience which they will not want to enhanced customer relationship management
(CRM) possibilities, allowing the operator to
Ales Gornjec joined HERMES understand the habits and spending patterns of the
SoftLab in 1996 as a software customer, putting them squarely in the sights of the
developer and designer after marketing offering. After all, once you know what
graduation from Faculty of games entice a customer, both in a casino or online,
Electrical Engineering and when they play them and for how long, it makes the
Computer Science, University of job of enhancing their experience so that they come
Maribor. Ales is the Business back for more that much easier.
Development Manager for Gaming
and is responsible for 80 engineers The single view of the customer obviously leads to
in the field of slot machines, casino a single point of administration. All content channels
management, sports betting and can be tied in, leaving the operator with a holistic
online poker software. view of each and every customer through the doors
or the website. Just as important, though, is that an
to repeat, at least not with your business. After all, integrated platform offers the possibilities of offering
the only thing worse than losing a customer, is losing a wide array of content. Games from multiple vendors
a customer to one of your rivals. and suppliers can be added or subtracted depending
on choice. To aid this process, the integrated
From our point of view, and from the point of view platform should obviously also be open source, in
of our customers, once you understand your order to facilitate and enable the additional content
businesses better, it will help you manage your from a multiplicity of providers without having to buy
businesses better. So to facilitate all these proprietary platforms from each and every supplier.
requirements we came up with the technical Lastly, but vitally, the integrated system should also be
requirements of the new generation of gaming standard based, as specified by new GSA standards
platform that would be needed to cover both the and S2S/G2S supported.
land-based and the online areas of the business.
This then was the challenge, and this is what
All the features were organised in terms of the HERMES SoftLab has delivered. If ever the proof was
benefits to each stakeholder in the process. First in the pudding, then it is with our integrated systems.
there are the direct benefits for the players. We As a quality-driven organisation we combine a strong
needed a single-user experience across all the domain expertise and leadership in key technologies
channels, from land-based EGM to the internet to with proven excellence in delivery to guarantee fast,
mobile. This experience had to encompass similar flexible, risk free and cost effective solutions to our
lobby and game selection feel and look, with the customers. We have a blue-chip level of development
same content crossing across the land/online divide. expertise and attention to detail. This gives our
This would make the customer feel more comfortable clients the opportunity to use key technological
and at home with both products, giving them a sense resources, such as software design and development
of security and familiarity. teams, and proven business processes which decrease
time-to-market, increase operational flexibility and
Then importantly we need a single wallet across all reduce risk.
60 FEBRUARY 2009
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70