Technology Delivered Customer Service 1998

Speech prepared for the Technology and Gaming Conference on how changes in technology will create enhanced customer satisfaction.
By Andrew MacDonald
Casino Manager, Conrad Jupiters, 1997

The competitive edge of the 90s. | Firstly, it is important to analyse the existing impediments to providing exceptional Casino customer service. | How then are comps generated, collated and disbursed? | The problems associated with the system are… | How then might these issues be resolved? | Now that we’ve got the person into the Casino, provided them their game of choice and given them back some added value in complimentary benefits its time to see what they think of us. | Firstly, it can be used to establish customer demographics… |

Yet like virtually all initiatives these days we see competitors benchmarking and imitating the very systems we put in place to differentiate ourselves. Walk into most Australian Casinos, Clubs, Hotels or other business and you’ll notice this occurring. Which individual facility is truly unique and if successful maintains that position for any real period of time. The same is true everywhere and what better form of flattery exists in any case. Look at one of the most successful new Casinos in Las Vegas, New York: New York. A “replica” of the famous city in the middle of the desert, with the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, Coney Island Rollercoaster, Empire State Building and “New York Slot Exchange” (rather than stock exchange). Incredible, new, exciting and a true innovation in terms of Casinos. Guess what? This year Hilton opens its Paris project in Las Vegas. The Eiffel Tower, Arce de Triumphe and other famous French landmarks not too far down the famous Las Vegas strip. So products tend to equalise based on success, as do pricing, promotion and distribution systems. Sure, barriers to entry are sought to restrict replication but the inventive amongst us find ways. So Managers have turned to service as the way to set themselves apart. But again, how do you set up a truly unique and successful service system and philosophy that maintains a point of difference. You probably can’t long term, but the first step is to be bold, inventive and test “conventional wisdom”.