A well-run redemption operation is already baked into how most successful centers think about their arcade business. The challenge isn’t understanding its value; it’s managing the moving parts behind the scenes. With thousands of items in circulation, seasonal demand fluctuations, and constant pressure to do more with the same staff, operators are under pressure to run redemption smarter, faster, and with better insight than ever before.
Todd Maunsell, vice president of operations at Cinergy Entertainment Group, has spent more than two decades in the industry, including a long tenure with Main Event Entertainment before joining Cinergy ten years ago. Today, he helps oversee 10 locations across multiple states, with an 11th location planned to open in early 2027.
“We carry a lot of merchandise,” Maunsell explained. “At a single location, we can have seven to ten thousand units in stock.” To manage that volume, Cinergy followed a disciplined inventory process that included weekly counts and a detailed end-of-month inventory. While the process worked, it came with a significant time commitment. Weekly inventories took 15-20 labor hours, while monthly counts stretched to 30-35 hours per location. Even then, the data often reflected where the operation had been, not where it was in real time.
“By the time everything was counted and reviewed, we were looking backward,” Maunsell said. That reality pushed him to explore ways to reduce inventory time while gaining better visibility into merchandise performance. He found that opportunity at IAAPA, where BMI Merchandise officially launched its new RFID inventory system.
Watching the system in action, the potential time savings were immediately clear. The RFID system uses tagged merchandise and a handheld scanner to capture inventory wirelessly and in real time, dramatically reducing counting time while improving accuracy and visibility.
Seeing the system’s potential, Maunsell decided to act quickly. “We were opening a new location right after the show, so it made sense to move ahead with it immediately,” Maunsell said. “That way, we were getting merchandise into this new system right from the start.”
Fast Payback
The monthly inventory process was slashed from nearly 40 hours of staff time to just a few hours. “Time is such a commodity,” Maunsell emphasized, “and this system allows staff to focus on things that actually move the business forward instead of spending hours counting merchandise.”
From a financial standpoint, the return on investment was immediate. “Based on labor savings alone, the scanners will pay for themselves in one to two months,” he said.
Turning Inventory into a Non-Issue
With the system now implemented at one location, Cinergy plans to roll it out across all locations. The added benefit of greater accuracy is another win for Maunsell. Manual counts typically landed in the 85-90% range, while RFID pushes accuracy much closer to 99%. “That level of accuracy reduces stress and follow-up work,” Maunsell noted. “Managers have more confidence in the numbers and spend less time chasing discrepancies.”
“One of the biggest indicators for me was manager feedback,” he added. After their first RFID count, I got emails saying they were actually looking forward to doing inventory, even the dreaded New Year’s Eve count, because they realized how fast they could get it done. It’s one of those tools people actually like using.”
Real-Time Data, Better Decisions
While the system is still new, Maunsell sees real-time visibility as its biggest long-term advantage. “We can check product levels without waiting for reports or interrupting operations,” he said. “That changes how you manage inventory day to day.”
That visibility becomes especially valuable during peak seasons and holidays, when demand can shift quickly. “As business fluctuates, we can make quicker reorder decisions and reassess inventory heading into busy times,” Maunsell said. “That’s where you really start to see the advantage.”
Advice for Other Operators
“At the end of the day, a strong redemption operation drives gameplay,” he added. “Anyone can put games on the floor. How you operate the game room and the tools you use to support it are what make it easier and more profitable.”
For Cinergy, RFID has changed how the operation uses time, data, and management attention, turning inventory into a strategic advantage instead of a necessary drain.
