Casino International: There's a lot going on for GPT at the moment, but first tell me something of the company's background.

Stephen Nevitt: Well, GPT is a company with a rich history, and a legacy in the casino market. They were one of the original designers and manufacturers of currency acceptance systems when they were first used in slot machines some 20 years ago. GPT’s reputation was established by supplying quality products using innovative technology. They have also been perceived, at times, of lagging behind their competitors, when it came to the marketing vision necessary to compete successfully in a complicated global market.

We hope to change that. GPT will attempt to capitalise on its 20 year history of serving the global casino market. We have a brand that people in the industry know, worldwide. That means they who know who we are, and what we do. We are working on some technology that appears to hold some promise for new validator products in the future, so things could get quite interesting.

CI: So in terms of the way forward it’s a question of almost marketing more effectively the strengths that have always been there; your technology and the development of technology haven't ever flagged?

SN: Well we are a technology company, so we live or die by our ability to deliver new products that feature innovative technology. Fortunately for GPT they have consistently done that. In fact GPT has recently applied for patent protection on a new optical technology for currency validators.

CI: The optical technology you're talking about, it's on two of the new GPT products isn't it?

SN: No. The Falcon, which was officially launched at G2E, is a new product that will ship in February of next year. It is a versatile new validator that can be used across many channels of distribution; vending, kiosk, and gaming as well.

The Eagle has a prospective launch next summer, and will feature GPT's new optical suite.

CI: What's the company's turnover and what proportion of it goes back into R&D?

SN: Turnover is about $14m right now. In developing this new generation of product we've planning to spend about $1.8 to $2m. That is a high percentage based on the current turnover, but we're anticipating that we will be able to capture market share with a very good product.

CI: How do you plan to improve your machines though - GPT says products get 95+% note acceptance.

SN: That's the standard for reading the major currencies in the world today. We are expecting the bar to go even higher.

CI: Have you ever had to sacrifice speed for accuracy, as both are an issue for the casino operator?

SN: No, we added speed to accuracy. One of our current products, the SA-4, is considered the fastest, and one of the most accurate validators on the market. At GPT we have long recognised the importance of both these features to the casino operator.

And speed really does matter; as gamblers tend to be impatient, so the faster they can begin their play the better.

CI: Of course, fractions count, if you are in a casino that is open 24 hours then those fractions add up.

SN: It's increased play for the machine over a period of time especially when they are really busy.

CI: And of course someone's only going to try a bill a couple of times before they get annoyed and go off to the next machine or whatever.

SN: Of course, which is why we choose not to sacrifice one for the other - we aim to include all the features that please both the operator and the player without compromise.

CI: Tell me about the management changes in the company.

SN: I came on board in November of last year and I have changed the entire management team, the GPT senior management team. There's a new chief financial officer, and a new vice president of operations from Symbol Technologies, Inc.

CI: So how has recruiting those guys strengthened GPT?

SN: Well one of the issues for GPT was not having the ability to deliver new products to market on a clean schedule; that's the primary thing that we are refining in the beginning is our ability to deliver a world-class product on time.

CI: In terms of aftersales, some of your competitors are being quite innovative with training people to look after the validators on site, educating the customer and empowering them. They're gearing so that the operator, the slot manager can do a lot of the care and a lot of the diagnostics so they only have to come out if it's absolutely dying on its feet. How are GPT set up in terms of after sales care?

SN: One of GPT's strengths has always been customer relations and support. Like all our competitors we spend time with the end user to ensure that they have the necessary training and information to get the most from our products. We are continuously enhancing our website so it can provide free software downloads and a wealth of technical information which is readily accessible to all our customers. GPT has five major offices, supported by an ever-growing family of distributors and service centres globally.

CI: When the new optical suite in the Eagle 'hits the shelves', how are you planning to raise casino operators' awareness of the product?

SN: The process has already begun, we are having on-going dialogue with some major OEMs and operators, involving them in the design process and ultimately in the field tests. Once the product is ready to ship everyone will hear about it, but in the end the product will speak for itself.

CI: Most large manufacturers have their preferred acceptor or supplier - you're going to have to break into that, aren't you?

SN: Yes, GPT was once a market leader and we aim to be again. Breaking back in is a very tough job, we have no doubts about that, even with a world-class product. But we have the product in the final stages of development and the processes in place to do just that.

CI: When you re-establish these relationships by targeting key manufacturers and generating buzz, what happens then? Production increases, but what about support for your existing suite of products?

SN: That continues unabated. We have tens of thousands of machines, old and new that we are prepared to service, if need be.

CI: So the prospects for the company are good - a new approach, a new attitude and new product.

SN: We are optimistic.

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