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Acres has an outstanding team that keeps everything running. In this week’s profile, we talked with Tricia Lee, Vice President of Sales, to learn more about her role, Acres’ technology, and her approach to sales.
Q: How do you describe the technology to your customers?
Acres is truly changing the face of gaming and it’s really exciting. The way I approach it with our customers is that Acres is a foundation for the future of their technology. It’s not a system but rather a foundation for the casino floor to improve their technology for the future of gaming! We really have the best solution for operators because they don’t have to spend millions of dollars to customize their technology. With Acres, we have an open API, which means any developer can build and design the platform to fit the casino’s needs. And, they can use the data to customize player experience or to enhance marketing to an individual player(s). Our customers love that.
Q: What’s your background and how did you come to work with Acres?
I’ve been in the gaming industry for almost 23 years. I worked my way up, starting out as an executive assistant, and then a sales representative. I ended up representing different gaming companies throughout my career which is how I became familiar with Acres. John Acres is a legend in the industry and I knew his son, Noah, as well. I was representing another company that wanted to explore the Acres technology so I got a demo and was flabbergasted. I couldn’t believe that a casino could just plug this in, run cashless, and get data! I knew right then and there I wanted to work for Acres.
As a sales professional, I have to believe in a product before I can sell it and I truly believe in the Acres technology. The minute I saw the product in action, I told Noah I would sell it for him. I felt like it was meant to be and I KNOW we’re going to change the entire industry.
Q: What excites you the most about your role at Acres and the technology you’re selling?
I’m most passionate about creating a partnership with our customers so they believe in the product as much as we do. When I was selling slots that offered systems there were times I was embarrassed because the technology couldn’t communicate with the games that were manufactured by the same company! But with Acres, it’s amazing. Our product is probably the best out there that can provide all the solutions casinos are looking for.
In fact, to show how incredible I think it is, I filmed a video of myself doing a live demo on the casino floor at Penn National. Seeing really is believing and I love showing the entire process to prospective customers. And the best part is seeing and hearing my customers’ reactions – they’re blown away! And that’s probably what I love most about my job – selling an outstanding product and making our customers’ lives better.
Q: How do you approach sales?
It’s important to build trust and credibility with the customer before you can even sell the product. I have to believe the solution I’m selling is honestly the best one for my customer. Because when I believe in the product, that comes through in my sales pitch and helps the customer trust us.
The next, and probably most important, thing is honesty. I think the sales industry has a reputation for not telling the whole story but I believe that you have to be honest with your customers. Even if that means sharing that a certain feature or element isn’t working the way it should. I’ll tell the customer and let them know that we’re working on it. I believe in being totally upfront with customers, partners, vendors, and everyone else I work with. Honesty speaks to character and that’s important when you’re the face of a company.
I’m also a firm believer in under-promising and over-delivering. I want to manage my customer’s expectations and make sure that I exceed them. That means always meeting deadlines and being transparent about processes and milestones. This also helps build credibility – I do what I say I’m going to do.
Q: What do you like to do for fun?
I love to cook and take care of my garden. Before the pandemic, I loved to travel and I’m looking forward to getting back to that. Although I have twins – a boy and a girl – that keep me busy so we’ll see if that’s possible!
Since I’m in the gaming industry I love to research and learn about new games that are coming out. And it’s important to keep up what the competition is doing so I can speak intelligently with customers and peers and understand the landscape.
Q: Any final thoughts?
I’m so excited to be selling a product that is disrupting the gaming industry in such a positive way. I believe that this technology is a game changer and will help casinos stay relevant in a changing landscape while also improving the player experience. I look forward to showing more and more customers the power of our product!
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