With over 40 years of experience installing and repairing cinema theatre components, CLACO Equipment & Service has deep roots in the industry and a comprehensive understanding of maintaining and installing cinema equipment. Located in Salt Lake City, Utah, CLACO services theatres throughout the Midwest and into California.
With customers spread across multiple states, CLACO was looking for a solution that would allow them to remotely monitor and troubleshoot projector issues more effectively, reducing the time the team spent traveling to sites. Ultimately, CLACO selected Cinergy, a cloud-based theatre management platform.
Prior to switching to Cinergy, CLACO used multiple programs to connect to their client’s systems but were limited by their capabilities. “There were a lot of hoops you had to jump through to access all our customer's equipment,” says Chad Bateman, technical sales manager, CLACO Equipment & Service, Inc.
As a result, Bateman began looking into other solutions. “When I went to other companies, no one offered a solution to remotely access, manage devices or even the possibility to implement these capabilities quickly.”
With Cinergy, Bateman found a flexible, scalable software platform that’s constantly evolving to meet the needs of its subscribers. “We were looking for a solution that could be customized in a relatively short amount of time to include all the features we were looking for, like PuTTY FTP, SSH, and VNC.”
Bateman notes that with Cinergy’s remote monitoring and management platform, he can connect to a screen with a single button click. “Previously, we were trying to remember the IP address or pull up a sheet to figure out what screen is where, which can be complicated. So now you just select the customer or screen and click connect.”
Additionally, CLACO can monitor customers’ screens in real-time and remotely access their equipment to resolve issues without requiring a technician or staff member to be present. “It’s what’s given us the most benefit,” says Bateman.
Cinergy features easy-to-use tools, including key delivery and trusted device list management, system health monitoring, and secure remote access, to help keep screens illuminated and deliver the best experience for audiences. Cinergy also seamlessly and securely integrates with cinema equipment, regardless of the manufacturer.
The number of CLACO’s customers implementing Cinergy is growing rapidly. “We’re showing our customers how Cinergy can help their business,” adds Bateman.
One of CLACO’s customers recently had a projector go dark, which Bateman was able to resolve remotely before showtime. “I received a warning [from Cinergy] that reported a projector had disconnected from the server, and I received that notification before the customer. That allowed me to contact the site to alert them, correct the problem, and get the system back online before the first show.”
Bateman resolved the issue with a remote system reboot which reconnected the projector server without the staff needing to be involved. “Their customers could stay and watch the movie, and most importantly the customer didn't lose ticket sales.”
“We’re in a position where we are getting ahead of the problem to keep customers in the theatre, especially at this time when there is such limited content. When we can draw customers to the theatre, we want to make sure they stay there.”
“We’ve worked closely with CLACO and Chad for a number of years to develop a solution that meets their requirements,” says Tracy Anderson, director of account management, Christie. “With Cinergy, CLACO can automate routine tasks, drive informed decision making, and resolve potential show-stoppers before they happen, which allows exhibitors to focus on delivering the best experience to their audiences.”
Cinergy can be used by service providers and exhibitors alike, and more exhibitors use Cinergy than any other solution. It supports more than 26,000 screens, monitors 60,000 devices, and delivers 2,000,000 KDMs per month.
CLACO is looking towards growth for its business, including more customers using Cinergy. “CLACO, after all this time and all these customers we've been servicing for 40 years, we're excited to be able to take our service and expertise into the future. That's the exciting part for us,” says Bateman.
