People rarely tell you what you’re doing wrong, but they are more than happy to talk behind your back. When you have great customer service, they will talk behind your back in a manner that benefits your business.
Martin R. Baird
Robinson & Associates, Inc.
mbaird@casinocustomerservice.com
480-991-6420
It’s the little things that make a big difference in providing outstanding casino customer service. Little things add up when a customer forms an opinion of the experience they had at your casino: keep the property clean, smile while working and interacting with guests, make eye contact with guests, have a positive attitude, listen when guests talk to you, look approachable and alert, be proactive for your guests.
Martin R. Baird
Robinson & Associates, Inc.
mbaird@casinocustomerservice.com
480-991-6420
Casinos that place an emphasis on customer service do special things for their guests that surprise and please them. This sets those casinos apart from the competition.
I call this the X Factor. Theres no common name for this. Its just a matter of doing something that makes a casino stand out in the eyes of its customers. The important thing is that guests appreciate it and remember it.
X Factor. The X Factor is that variable, that thing you do at your property to make it stand out. Its the something thats a little better or a little different. Its the way you do things that creates a memorable experience for your guests. It may be something small like the way you fold towels or something much bigger like free entertainment. Whatever it is, the X Factor makes a huge impression on your guests. Sure, theyll remember if they won and if they had a good time, but theyll also remember those little things that add up to something special. Thats the X Factor.
Excellent. Guests are always on the lookout for anything thats excellent. They want to feel excellent, they want the property to be excellent and they want their service to be excellent.
Exceptional. Every guest wants an exceptional experience. When theyre treated like theyre the only person on the property, they feel exceptional.
Extra. What small things can you do to make your guests feel extra special? To make them feel extra important? To make them feel that their money and time were well spent and that they cant wait to come back?
Martin R. Baird
Robinson & Associates, Inc.
mbaird@casinocustomerservice.com
480-991-6420
To improve customer service at your casino, create a 360-degree perspective by augmenting your own opinion of your service with the guests point of view. Know what customers think, see and feel when theyre at your property. Go beyond comment cards by mystery shopping your customer service. Its the only way youll get the unbiased data you need.
Martin R. Baird
Robinson & Associates, Inc.
mbaird@casinocustomerservice.com
480-991-6420
Great casino customer service makes everyone feel good those who give it and those who receive it.
When you provide good guest service, it not only gives you a feeling of gratification, it makes your guest feel good, too. That warm feeling inside is something you cant buy. You help someone with physical needs carry a tray or find a restroom. Someone is a little down in the dumps and you make their day a bit brighter. It feels good to help others. Thats gratification.
Martin R. Baird
Robinson & Associates, Inc.
mbaird@casinocustomerservice.com
480-991-6420
Many casinos conduct research to determine if they are on the right track for future growth but they dont realize they are using the wrong approach. If they think customer satisfaction and customer loyalty surveys will give them the data they need, they are wrong!
Today, I am introducing new methodology that will give casinos critical information for predicting growth and profitability the Advocate Index.
Research shows there is no correlation between customer satisfaction and future performance of any business. Even measuring customer loyalty is not good enough. Casinos need to know the degree to which they have guests who are willing to be advocates and Advocate Index, a management tool for predicting future growth, gives them that number. All they need is this one powerful number to chart their course for success.
Heres how I explain guest advocates: An advocate is someone who is willing to risk their reputation on a casinos behalf. If they are willing to be an advocate for a casino, they can be counted on to play at the casino again and frequently. That boosts profits and higher profits generate growth. Through a very simple survey, we can tell a casino the degree to which is has guests who are advocates. That is the casinos Net Advocate Index score. The higher the score the better because Advocate Index is a statistically proven method for predicting future growth.
Once casinos have their score, additional work likely will be needed to improve it. Most casinos will be shocked at how low their score is. Studies show that world-class companies have a score of 75 to 80 percent while the mean score for companies that do not use this methodology is 11 percent. Employees play a critical role in bringing the score up because they deliver the quality service that helps turn guests into advocates.
Through analysis of the data and implementation of our employee training programs, we can help a casino create more guest advocates and raise its score. The beauty of Advocate Index is that it is easy to implement and communicate internally. Management and employees simply focus on raising the score ever higher. They only need to know one number. That is about as simple as you can get!
Advocate Index is new to gaming but not to other industries. Companies such as Dell, Intuit, Enterprise Rent-A-car, Symantec and Harley Davidson use methodology similar to Advocate Index to chart their future growth and they are leaders in their industries. This methodology has been written up in Harvard Business Review and is the result of 10 years of research of more than 4,000 customers in 14 industries.
Advocate Index is completely new to gaming. It has never been done before. But if gaming executives want to improve their casinos and move them forward, they must look outside their own industry for fresh answers.
Gaming executives tend to be jaded. They look only within gaming for solutions because they believe theyve seen it all and done it all. But I was heartened by response to a presentation I gave on Advocate Index at the recent Global Gaming Expo in Las Vegas. After my presentation, I was swamped by members of the audience. They were keenly interested and wanted to know more. Advocate Index struck a nerve. I honestly believe this methodology will revolutionize gaming.
For more information, visit our Advocate Index Web site at www.advocateindex.com. A white paper on Advocate Index may be obtained by calling 206-774-8856.
Martin R. Baird
Robinson & Associates, Inc.
mbaird@casinocustomerservice.com
480-991-6420
There are two simple things casinos can do to bolster their customer service and set themselves apart from the competition help guests who are lost and keep the property sparkling clean.
A lost guest is a great opportunity for a wonderful guest-service experience. They may be looking for a restroom, the buffet or a way to get downstairs. Whenever the guest is lost, you have a chance to lend a hand and make them feel special. Instead of telling the guest where the restroom or buffet is located, take the extra minute and walk them to it. This makes a lasting impression.
Take a lesson out of the Disney handbook: cleanliness is an integral part of customer service. If your guests have a good experience but the casino is dirty, it will be difficult to get them to come back. How many people get up in the morning and say, Lets go over to that dirty casino. You want them to have positive thoughts about your property, not negative.
Martin R. Baird
Robinson & Associates, Inc.
mbaird@casinocustomerservice.com
480-991-6420
