Wyong makes it a perfect 10

If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that being agile and quick to react to rapidly evolving circumstances is crucial. And there’s no better example of this than in New South Wales, where the MAX team recently helped one of our key account groups grow, despite the odds.

The Wyong Group previously consisted of 8 venues, all MAX customers and utilising the Metropolis gaming system. The recent addition of Woolgoolga Golf and Diggers would see the group’s portfolio grow to 10, once onboarded to Metropolis.

It was these two venues who experienced first-hand the complications that COVID-19 could dish up, but more importantly, how a truly collaborative partnership works.

From hardware delivery delays resulting in shifting installation dates, to capacity and access restrictions, which saw reduced trading hours and caps on who could travel to and attend the venues, one may have been forgiven for thinking that it was possibly just not meant to be.

To ensure that both MAX and the Wyong Group were kept up to date with the latest developments, weekly meetings were established, with a core group in attendance from both teams. These meetings provided an opportunity for both parties to provide key updates, or raise any changes or anticipated challenges, then accept the best course of action before moving forward.      

L to R: Toni Price (MAX), Cheryl Hosking, Emilie Hills, Tom Coulthard, Steve Whatson (MAX)

The MAX Customer Engagement team was able to deliver extensive training, system setup, and go-live activities. This was made even easier by the positive attitude and buy-in from venue staff, who despite lockdowns and even stand-downs, welcomed the new system, even attending the training sessions when they were not rostered to work.

To alleviate additional stress, MAX’s Technical Services team on this project, led by Charlie Wang, was able to complete all their IT activities remotely, whilst working closely with Wyong staff.

The Golf Club was onboarded first and was an immediate success. The Diggers Club go-live date changed multiple times, and even when it did take place, the venue was in the midst of extensive renovations and a new POS and SAFE management system.  It was very much ‘all hands on deck’ to help ensure a smooth transition.

Cheryl Hosking, Wyong’s Group Gaming Manager, explained how the commitment and flexibility from both parties ensured a great outcome.

“The way MAX worked so closely and openly with us definitely gave us peace of mind.” Hosking said.

“There is no playbook on how to manage the types of challenges we were facing, but knowing we had a dedicated partner in our corner certainly helped.”

“While both parties were striving for a successful outcome, and honest conversations were had, it’s also very important that throughout the journey we can both take the time to appreciate the effort being made and have a bit of fun along the way – which we certainly did!”

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