Savvy Casino Managers Are On to Something:
by Martin R. Baird
No matter what’s happening in the world, casino guests want one thing – an outstanding gaming experience. Casinos that understand the significance of stellar guest service are on to something.
Guests want an experience that is so memorable that it keeps them coming back even if they leave with less money in their pocket. Guests who enjoy themselves will come back and play again and that contributes to a casino’s bottom line.
Here are seven keys to improving casino guest service.
Number 1: Change Is Difficult. Improving guest service starts with changing how employees provide the service. They must step outside their comfort zone and they will find the process difficult. You must identify what will motivate your people to perform the desired behaviors you’re looking for. You must overcome the hurdle of getting a critical mass of employees to see that this guest service culture is good for them as well as the casino.
Number 2: Hiring the Best Is Not Enough. Even if you hire the best employees, you will discover they still need improvement. Guest service training is critical. The alternative is to hire people and then fire them for not providing the guest service you need.
Number 3: Be Picky About the Training. Hire a training company that makes the experience enjoyable, that encourages participation. The trainers need to know the industry and they should understand that most casino employees only make money when they offer their guests a great experience. Hire a company that specializes in guest service training for the gaming industry.
Number 4: Make It Fun. Inject a lot of fun into the training. Learning is fun and if you start guest service training with that premise, you will increase both retention and application. Children learn when they’re having fun and the same goes for adults.
Number 5: Training Is An Investment. Training is an investment in your staff. In turn, that investment creates opportunities to generate more revenue. Guest service training ultimately will increase a property’s play. Guests who have a good time will come back. It can be eight to 10 times more expensive to get a guest to visit once than it is to get them to return.
Number 6: Start With An Accurate Perspective. Before you embark upon improving guest service, get a 360-degree view of your existing level of service. You need to see things from the guest’s perspective, from management’s viewpoint and from the employees’ standpoint. When you do this, you have a clear view of what is really happening. Training must start from this perspective.
Number 7: Great Service Is An Acquired Skill. Few people inherently know how to provide great service. Good service is built over time with training. You need to offer training that shows employees that they and your property will be rewarded if they adopt these new, better behaviors. I’m talking about training that creates skills that are an investment in your employees’ future.
Date Posted: 05-May-2014
Martin R. Baird is chief executive officer of Robinson & Associates, Inc., a Boise, Idaho-based consulting firm to the global gaming industry that is dedicated to helping casinos improve their guest service so they can compete and generate future growth and profitability. Robinson & Associates is the world leader in casino guest experience measurement, management and improvement. For more information, visit the company’s Web sites at http://casinocustomerservice.com and www.advocatedevelopmentsystem.com or contact the company at 208-991-2037. Robinson & Associates is a member of the Casino Management Association and an associate member of the National Indian Gaming Association.
