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Customer loyalty called a must-win for casinos
Wednesday, July 28, 2010 | 2 a.m.
Phil Satre
Gary Loveman, CEO of Caesars Entertainment
Beyond the Sun
Sun archives
The increasing popularity of gambling and casinos as mainstream entertainment is a double-edged sword for casino operators that must compete with properties offering the same games and similar entertainment options.
This makes casinos more dependent on marketing — and the battle for customer loyalty all-important.
Harrah’s Entertainment founder Bill Harrah took this to heart more than 30 years ago with the introduction of Premium Points — a predecessor of the company’s Total Rewards loyalty club that distributed paper tickets to customers who won slot jackpots, redeemable for products such as TVs and golf clubs.
Customers hoarded these tickets, the low-tech equivalent of last century’s S&H Green Stamps, saving up for bigger-ticket items and returning to Harrah’s to accumulate points playing mechanical slots, former Harrah’s CEO Phil Satre recalled at a recent conference.
Satre, who lives in Reno, retired in 2004 but is still in demand for his business insights. He serves on numerous corporate boards and made a rare appearance in Las Vegas last week.
Satre imparted some marketing lessons to casino operators at the sixth annual Casino Marketing Conference at Paris Las Vegas.
“Change creates an opportunity to learn,” he said. “It’s in these times of great change that those who capitalize on it create inordinate wealth.”
Satre joined Harrah’s in 1980 when the company had only two casinos. When Nevada’s casino industry viewed the fledgling business of riverboat and Indian casinos with trepidation, Satre saw opportunity. Under his tenure, the company grew exponentially, transforming from a small, regional casino operator to a nationwide casino chain.
If Harrah’s hadn’t taken advantage of the spread of casino gambling, others would have — and did, he said.
Much of the company’s growth can be traced to Total Rewards, a 12-year-old loyalty program that has boosted profit at Harrah’s casinos relative to competitors lacking a comparable program. Believing that the company’s future lay in its marketing strategy, Satre hired a Harvard University marketing professor, Gary Loveman, as the company’s chief operating officer, setting up an epic battle between Loveman, now Harrah’s CEO, and his team of marketing technicians and old-line casino operators.
Despite his belief in the superiority of marketing, Satre had never taken any college or graduate courses in the subject.
“In my 25 years at Harrah’s, I never had a job with the word ‘marketing’ in the title,” said Satre, who graduated from Stanford University with a psychology degree before getting a law degree.
Although Harrah’s stumbled in 2008 with an expensive leveraged buyout that left it saddled with more than $19 billion in debt, Total Rewards is still paying dividends. Recently, Harrah’s executives said revenue has increased at Planet Hollywood, a cash-strapped resort purchased in February, despite job cuts there.
Even in better times, Satre questioned the casino industry’s increasing emphasis on luxury and high-end customers, saying there may not be enough of them to support such investments. He has also suggested that operators focus on developing attractions for middle-class, budget-conscious customers.
Satre serves on the boards of NV Energy, Rite Aid, Nordstrom and, since last year, International Game Technology. All, he said, are using marketing techniques to boost business.
NV Energy is undergoing a major change as it adopts new ways of generating energy and encouraging savings, he said.
Through the use of smart meters and energy-saving techniques, he said, customers are exerting more control over their energy bills.
Rocked by an accounting scandal in the 1990s, Rite Aid is a distant third to drugstore chains Walgreens and CVS. As a result, Satre said, it has lacked the resources to grow a network of stores to compete. Instead, he said, the company has moved rapidly to invest in its website and online shopping mechanism.
Nordstrom, a century-old retailer, began making its inventory available online last year, he said.
Customers can order online and pick up merchandise at stores, he said.
“Shopping across channels is more convenient” for customers and more efficient for companies, he said.
Likewise, casinos — which are most similar to retailers among other American companies — must focus on selling rooms and other offerings online and engage with customers using social media networks, he said.
Even slot machine giant IGT, Satre said, is jumping on the consumer marketing bandwagon. Despite its history of selling machines exclusively to casinos, it aims to work more closely with casino customers to promote its slot machines to gamblers.
As a rule, he said, casinos should get to know their customers by talking to them directly, and by listening. “They will give you your strategy if you listen to them,” he said.
Marketing wizardry has its limits, however.
Satre said he’s worried customer service is suffering because of casino job cuts.
Under pressure to reduce expenses to pay off debt, casinos are threatening the ambience and service that distinguished them from other types of businesses, he said.
“It saddens me a bit,” he said. “We’re going to lose that customer who was not a traditional casino customer.”
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Good to see someone admit how job cuts are hurting Las Vegas. One thing that Vagas had over all others is the service and customer treatment which each casino showed. Las vegas set the bar for this and made people want to come back and yes! spend more to do so. Stick to the basis that got Vegas where they were a few years ago and business will take care of it self. I have always felt when visiting Vegas it was a step ahead and up from other cities and casinos around the country. People are sick and tired of the corporations trying to tell us this is what you will like instead of listening to the customer and providing what they want. Las Vagas needs to keep that upper egde of folks saying nothing beats Vegas. Word of mouth advertising is the best and cheapest. I hope all of the corporate bosses read this and stop looking into their crystal corporate ball thinking less is better because if not the customer will go else where in a heart beat!!!
Wow, cater to the middle class folks (myself included), what a concept.
There are way too many high end $200+ a night rooms that 80-90% of the people cannot afford. I'm not saying we need to go the Motel 6 route and attract the people who just want cheap and don't care about service, (actually there are some Motel 6's that are perfectly fine, mostly in small towns) but there are a lot of us who are willing (and able) to pay $50-75 a night. Of course, this day in age, I generally stay at IP and the room I paid $60 for in 2005, I can now get for half. That just means we can stay longer, come more often, or come when the budget is tighter. Harrah's properties are the best to stay at, no resort fees, but I do most of my table gambling elsewhere.
At the height of the good times, the Casinos adopted the Nevada state Motto;
"We can't see the forest for the trees!"
and then decided to adopt an additional strategy;
"Let's bite off our noses to spite our faces!!!"
Well, it's back to the basics.
A refresher;
GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE.
REWARDS for PLAYERS.
BARGAIN ROOM PRICES.
LOOSER SLOTS.
The arrogance of catering to the "high end" customer AT THE EXPENSE of your "core customer" is BAD BUSINESS.
How could all these smart, HIGHLY COMPENSATED EXECUTIVES lose sight of that kind of basic, winning strategy???
I think they should build an AD CAMPAIGN around such a strategy, and spend some BIG BUCKOS.
With today's "suits" running the hotel/casinos, "customer service" has become an oxymoron. The gaming commission bears some of the responsibility by allowing companies to grow so big they literally monopolize the industry. The monopolies then cop an attitude that if you don't like it, where else can you go? Well, for one, I can avoid your casinos like the plague. I don't need you; you need me, or have you forgotten? No need to answer. All of us already know the answer.
Educated college guys with no gaming experience are running amuk in the industry once ran by operators with actual gaming experience. These guys just juggle expenses to pay themselves more millions while firing hundreds of staff and affecting hundreds of families lives so save a buck. I think the Harrahs boss has made at least 200,000,000 in the last couple years. How many families were displaced during this time?? How many customers were made to wait in line or get bad service?
"As a rule, he said, casinos should get to know their customers by talking to them directly, and by listening. "They will give you your strategy if you listen to them," he said."
This isn't something Harrah's does...no way, no how. They are probably the single worst thing that happened to the Las Vegas market.
Their properties are sterile, there is no ambiance, they rely on marketing emails instead of speaking with and listening to their customers...just overall, a bad, bad experience. I can't for the life of me figure out how/why they sell rooms considering all of the other solid options available in Las Vegas.
Oh, and Gary Loveman looks like a character from an SNL bit.
As most bloggers know that my position on this subject is one of discord as far as today's corporate management goes. If just one of them stopped for a second to thinks about what made this city so successful by offering value, a good gamble, free drinks, cheap quality meals, cheap quality lodging. generous comps/rewards programs. Get RID of the 6/5 BJ rules, loosen the slots. They forgot the EVERYONE benefitted from this formula. Sadly these Management 101 types will NEVER understand this..
Customer Loyalty is relationship to casino marketing is a myth, a fable, fake, water running over one's hand. Satre, and Loveman and many more CEO are missing the mark. Las Vegas enjoyed easy business because of National Marketing, combined with individual casino mass marketing. This includes travel agencies offering Room+Flight+Entertainment+Food packages. Casino Patrons are attracted to good service, good product offerings, reasonable price food and friendly employees.
This recession clearly shows there is no customer loyalty as there guys might believe. Any casino operator can take away another casino's customer, and hold on to the customer based on quality offerings. Your dog is loyal, casino patrons look for substained quality offerings.
I would love for Mr. Loveman to explain how 6/5 blackjack, high table minimums, tight machines, etc., creates "customer loyalty?"
Let's take the Flamingo as a perfect example of how Harrah's creates "customer loyalty":
-- Check in can take 45 minutes to an hour due to lack of proper staffing at the front desk.
-- Outdated rooms with blue carpet, tube TV's, and art on the walls circa 1980's.
-- Deferred maintainence in common areas that show wear and tear all over the property.
-- An outdated sports book with bluish projection screens and tube TV's.
-- Vendors and timeshare hustlers harrassing guests at every opportunity outside the casino floor.
-- Rip off drink prices at most of the casino bars.
Harrah's customer loyalty program is a very simple formula:
1. Put up with our low standards, bad service, and worn out facilities.
2. Please gamble a lot of money.
3. Lose most or all of your money on our lousy games.
4. Please come back a few months later for more abuse. We will give you a few free rooms nights for your trouble.
Check out my LV blog:
http://jimmyhoofa-lv.blogspot.com/
what all of these executives and accountants are forgetting is this:
if i have to pay full price for my room, full price for meals and everything else...
i'll take my vacation money and go to hawaii for the same cost.
i can gamble if i get the itch at the indian casino just across town.
we are no longer a "value destination". every department must make a profit. there is no longer a loss leader as far as food or rooms. anywhere.
the tourists that used to be our lifeblood have been boiled down to "how big will my bonus be".
it makes me sad to admit that management has killed the golden goose. at least the mob understood "value" and they even actually cared about the people they employed, so long as you didn't steal from them and did a good job, they appreciated you.
today it's about "my bonus" and "i have a stack of applications 3 feet tall of people willing to take your job".
if i lived in minnesota, i'd vacation in the bahamas or hawaii... if it's gonna cost me 3 thousand dollars for the room and the meals, why come to vegas?
Totals Rewards is all Harrahs has going for it. As a member I fly to Vegas and stay a week for free twice a year at a Harrahs owned hotel/casino. I keep my points alive by a BOA rewards member credit card I pay off every month and heavily researched sports betting while I'm visiting. I don't play 6/5 Blackjack so they lost alot of action there. I really can't see how they retain their non-sports betting members in their rapidly deteriorating rip-off casinos. I casino gamble downtown and anywhere I can find the best video poker payout schedule. I think Satre understands why I don't gamble at his former employer and Loveman may understand but just doesn't give a sh*t, and that's too bad.
We have been treated very well by the Las Vegas Hilton Rewards program. Very well indeed!
Casino loyalty is like job loyalty. There is no loyalty at either. When they treat u like SH$$ u wonder why so many people don't gamble. As an example take the rip offs at BJ, slots and VP. Sports book is the best value. Then they give u a great deal by comp u for a few days. I would rather have value and pay for my room. If u stay at the srip u people are bigger fools (High prices for entertainment , Inflated prices restaurants , and rip off at the casino) I'm a resident of LAS VEGAS and have seen the decline with these rip offs.
As a local, why would anyone gamble at a Harrah's property? $5 rake plus $1 for jackpots in the poker room, makes grinding pointless, 6/5 BJ in a full shoe game makes BJ pointless. They are screaming that they just want the tourist who wants to try blackjack for $100..those people are thinning out. It baffles me that across the street there is a property offering 3-2 BJ and $4 rake. Slots, everyone says they are always tight, but I do hear a lot less ringing, I think because so many slots are giant progessives that hit once a year, do the other 364 days is spent 'filling' them. Making every area a profit center is the death of Vegas as a first choice vacation spot, it is only a weekend getaway because after you celebrate your cheap room, you pay for drinks, food, unwinnable games, and entertainment. Its no longer 'a good bet'
@ConcernedNative:
"I think the Harrahs boss has made at least 200,000,000 in the last couple years. How many families were displaced during this time?? How many customers were made to wait in line or get bad service?"
How the hell DO these UNDERQUALIFIED, OVERPAID NITWITS sleep at night???
I generally game at Boyd properties and I have noticed that not only over the last year there slots have gotten very tight but they seem to cater to families with young children more so than the people that actually spend money on gambling. They have reduced staff to such levels that you have to wait a half an hour for a drink and even though the cocktail servers try to be nice they seem so frustrated and burned out that there service lacks pleasantry. The other thing thats quite obvious with not only Boyd but every other casino is that they go out of town to vendors and don't use local companies as much as they used to. They depend on locals to support there business but don't reciprocate by using local business for there needs.
My friend played yesterday at az Charlie boulder. He spent 400 on 20 cent video poker and didn't get one 4 of a kind. He been playing the same machine every Tuesday for weeks and the machines just don't hit. He sent an email to Charlies and called relatives and friends to 86 az charlies. Machines have gotten much tighter last cpl years. Why?
Ps. Stay away from Harrahs. Let them go bankrupt and sell off their properties. They are scum
Just an overall bad experience..why patronize these places?
P.S. hey Loveman.. might want to work on that chin.
Why does this paper keep talking about Harrah's and how great Total Rewards is? They are not that great and your points expire if you are not a lucky rich person who is able to fly out there to spend money all the time. With plane tickets so expensive, especially from Midwest and the East, it is hard to get out there for some spontaneous fun especially if you get a promotion in your inbox with a short two-three month time limit. I used to think that even Terrible's had a decent club but know that recently they have been demoting player card members since they are only catering to locals. After being forced to pay at least $300 for a round-trip ticket, all casinos should thank us for making the trip out there. I prefer Vegas to any local casino since there are free drinks at the machines while Indian run properties don't offer such a benefit. How about offering free plane tickets if they want me to gamble? Getting a free room does me no good if I have to pay to fly and sometimes even pay the resort fee. So far, BConnected is the best club I have seen.
Satre said he's worried customer service is suffering because of casino job cuts.
That's the bottom line and all casinos are guilty of this. They don't realize when they cut jobs, they also cut customers.
So many of you don't seem to get it... THEY DO NOT CARE ABOUT LOCALS!!! That's why you see 6/5 blackjack, tight slots, and long check-in lines. The customers that make them money have no idea what 6/5 vs 3/2 is and really don't care. They don't know anything about tight vs. loose machines. They will forget about the check-in line as soon as they have their first drink. Those of you who only play 3/2 BJ and try to track down the best VP machines are not profitable customers and Harrahs couldn't care less if you don't return. The customers who keep the casinos alive are the ones who throw down a few hundred trying out blackjack, pay $50 to go clubbing, buy some $15 drinks, and toss $20 away just to watch the slot machine light up while they are waiting on their $100 dinner reservation before going out to watch a $75 show. Total Rewards is an excellent system to keep these types coming back, why do you think everybody has copied it in some form over the last 10 years... You won't fix Vegas by catering to locals, they are not profitable. You fix Vegas by minimizing costs while you wait out the recession and by squeezing every penny you can get out of the tourists who do come out.
@thepalms999: Locals are not profitable? I beg to differ with you. I game 4 nights a week spending at least 6-10 hours each time. I tip well...much better than tourists, I frequent restaurants and have my favorite machines to play at. I see tourists coming in droves not so much to gamble but to take advantage of cheap rooms. They bring thier kids and cram as many people in the room as possible. The parents don't spend money, many drop 5 bucks in a machine and walk away toting there children with them. We do need tourist for sure but to say locals aren't profitable you are sadly mistaken.
Harrah's again proves that they are all smoke and mirrors. They paradew this Customer Service flag around while they demeanor their staff and have no more concern for their welfare than a fly on the wall. They have succeeded on the S&H greenstamp marketing period. They are patethic just ask the origional Rio Employees
I think this is their philosophy: The older generation who expects 1970's service levels will eventually die off leaving the generation who's used to getting screwed -over there for the plucking.
This is what happens when a town depends on people gambling. With the way the economy is now, no wonder why Las Vegas is heading down the toilet bowl. Nobody wants to gamble (waste) their money, rather spend it on something that will give them satisfaction. Obviously these casinos are not giving it to them. These executives have to make up profits somehow, this is why we get shafted.
TOANTHONYJOEVEGAS. Keep coming back.You remind me of a golfer who is always hitting his new balls in to the pond. Finally someone asks him why he doesn't use an old ball he responds I never had one! Hello
New to Vegas, my wife and I are acutely aware of customer service and what makes us loyal. Two opposite examples from our initial travels after relocating. Stopped for a quick bite to eat while going from A to B at the East Side Cannery on W Craig. Tried the buffet. The service was terrible, never saw an employee smile, they seemed either unhappy or embarrassed (I would have been), the food was awful, the prices nothing special. We had three generations of family visiting from San Diego on vacation and staying at the MGM, along with us that day. Needless to say, none of us will go back there again.
The next day we did the same thing. While out exploring our new home, we discovered Aliante Station with just the opposite experience. Great customer service, lots of smiles, great food, good prices and an obvious attempt to earn our loyalty. It worked. My son and his family loved the place and intend to stay there next time. My sister in law and her son, went back twice. Great sports book, thousands of penny slots that payed, the grandkids won a video camera in the video arcade, and everyone like it. As new residents we feel confident that we can go there when we don't want to go to the strip or are out anytime for lunch or dinner, take guests there to eat, gamble, etc. and not feel bad because of a bad experience. Like the Cannery. Customer service, pride in quality and fair pricing makes all the difference.
Sounds like the readers don't "buy" this article. Could it be that people can actually figure out that they're getting...
T.S.
Personally, I like the Cannery on Craig Road. Although the buffet is only "average", the Italian restaurant Vinos and the Waverly Steak House are quite good. I get about $180.00 in free slot play or other rewards per month so I like going there.
Chazbean
Read the comment. I said my friend played there, not me. I take advantage of Las Vegas, I don't let Las Vegas take advantage of me. Somewhat easy to make it in this town if u don't fall for the things that made Vegas.
Dbl Check when u read and respond!!!
Although I ask him why go back? Really stupid I believe. I guess he likes punishment.
I like what the Venetian/Palazzo is doing with their slot club. REminds me of the old Harrah's club where EVERYTHING you spent in their property counted towards your comps!
Vegas has tossed to the side the "commoners" in favor of the high rollers and celebrities. Speaking of the Flamingo, there is never a room ready when we try to check in, but there is always a "Go" room available immediately, which they always try to sell you. The Go rooms are nice, if you have the extra money to upgrade to it. I really don't want to pay for a upgrade when my stay is comped. They always try to pry some type of money out of you. They need to try upgrading that food in the "Paradise" Garden buffet. When you pay that much for food you expect better.
I always go to Sams Town when in Vegas. They seem to appreciate us "common folks".
Brass, you can't really be serious judging a property just by it's buffet. I'm with flapsychdoc, My family and I visit the cannery craig road property regularly and have always had excellent service and food. Try not being so cheap and try one of the restaurants. The employees there make us feel as it's "our" place and treat us accordingly. Could it be that maybe your attitude was a bit nasty? I have see the employees there take alot of rude behavior from customers and have always treated them with respect and graciousness. You mention, also, Eastside, which is the other property on boulder. Do you even know where you were? To not give a property another chance just shows that you are a difficult patron and better off somewhere else.
When the recession is over and people are back to work it will get back to normal,until then you have no chance to win.
I go in some casinos on the strip or downtown and maybe 12 people not good.
Remember the old saying (Las Vegas was not built on winners).
the attraction is gone and the cost is not worth the effort. from may to october i make it a point NOT to go to vegas because of the heat. that leaves novenber to april, i avoid holiday travel so november and december are out. march i go to myrtle beach for golf and sun. if easter is in april no go. that leaves january and february and if we have too much snow i stay home.
NVEnergy was just rated as worst in customer service by JD Powers. Opps, more of the "it's Vegas Baby"!
I had the great pleasure of introducing myself to Rick Mazer, President, Flamingo Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago (he was standing at the bottom of the escalator waiting for someone). He gave me his full attention. Answered my questions thoroughly. Validated my concerns over the past year or so of diminishing service and payouts. And, gave me a brief rundown of improvements in the works. I was very impressed that he took this time with me. I never even saw Don Marrandino (sp?) from a distance in all the years he was in charge. We are Flamingo people from the 70s and have stayed loyal throughout the years. I agree with many of the comments stated here and have written to Harrah's Entertainment time and again expressing my disappointment that they seem to be ignoring the bread & butter folks like us in favor of the high rollers - there are only so many of those. As a result, we started looking around for another property to call "home." We discovered the M Resort and their customer loyalty program!! The Oyster Bar, Veloce Cibo, the Hostile Grape and, of course, Studio B Buffet are among the best value for your dollar that I have found in Las Vegas. The employees are cheerful, helpful. The food is delicious! The wine selection is above average. We love that we can cash in out points right at the machine we're playing. I tell ya, it's going to take only a few more instances of the Gary Loveman/Harrah's Entertainment treatment for us to move our play to the M Resort permanently.
The only loyalty these gaming execs have is to their bonuses. They could care less what customers, or even employees, have to say about their operations.
CUSTOMER SATISFACTION - my favorite subject, but one that many hotels and casinos don't pay attention to these days. I agree with the many posts herein that advocate how to serve customers better. As a management consultant
working or living in Las Vegas for at least 30 yeras, I have had many conversations with casino managers about this very subject.
Many of them did not want, or ignored, my counsel. It seems that almost any business OUTSIDE of Las Vegas was more interested in how to become more efficient, save money, and achieve better Customer Service - than Las Vegas hotels/casinos.
Achieving customer loyality must address all the activities of all employees in the organization, and be a goal of top management. Many of the things that promote Excellence in Service will work to make customers HAPPY; and that is what they come here for.
THEN, the customer will return to the same hotel/casino because they like what they got - a nice room, good food, good service, pleasant interactions with employees, a fun, and enjoyable overall experience, and when gambling - a reasonable percentage (chance) for a return on money played.
This CUSTOMER LOYALITY will have legs. It can become a solid, income-producing, reality through word-of-mouth "advertising" - which can wind up either good or bad, depending on the visitor's experience.
CUSTOMER LOYALITY is NOT automatic; nor is it something that the hotel or casino CAN GIVE to a customer. It is occurs as a result of what the casino DOES for its customers.
Achieving customer loyality isn't going to happen unless many of the ideas posted herein - and new ones - are added as business promotions; such as those that made this town A GREAT DRAW (junkets, parties, other FUN stuff). This should be an adult Disneyland! It should be exciting!
This must all BEGIN with TRAINING on service-focused policies, standards, and procedures, designed to support a (written) corporate VISION - including a COMMITTMENT by the executives, managers, and "floor" personnel - to work towards a goal of Excellence in Customer Satisfaction.
A friendly SMILE is the beginning of a customer's perception of the quality service, and excellence in service. The more fun tourists have, the more perks they get - the happier they will be, and the more money they will SPEND. PLUS, they will become LOYAL. All this will improve the bottom-line, foster repeat-business, and result in a profitable business operation. And if you LISTEN to your customers, and take corrective actions, there will be fewer complaints!
The results of such efforts - in the pursuit of excellence - will be noticed by visitors, as well as travel agents who will write positive reviews in their critiques of Las Vegas hotels and casinos. AND GUESS WHAT: $$$$$ :)
I'm drowning in the rivers of tears here. boohoo. Don't like it, don't gamble. Who cares? There are many different types of casino's in town, and other things you can do to occupy your time.
The strip is designed for tourist, not locals. duh?
I find it amazing that so many people sre unhappy with their comped rooms.
I suppose if your comped show tickets are not front row, you will also complain.
We don't get comps often. A room now and then, usually on a deal where we get a coupon for free rooms on our "next" visit. We get comped shows sometimes because we know a few people in that end of the business who put our name on "the list". If it's free, take the gift and be happy.
We stay at IP, Lowest priced Harrahs property. Rooms are clean, No resort fee, Good sports book, Service is friendly, Love the car museum, Walk to anywhere on the strip. Never had a bad experience in the 15 or 20 times we've stayed there. Any minor issues that may have come up once or twice were handled and made right.
We just play our Blackjack elsewhere.
Customer loyalty is only as good as the pay back...no pay back no gamble. I never hang around to see if they're going to pick my other pocket. Listen...I took a caribbean cruise for 10 days...NCL wants their money back...I bet they do.I have been barraged from them ever since.And they say cruise casinos don't pay...HA!
Inkwell wonderful post. And BoreUS Poor pitiful Americans, You fool do not insult Americans you are always posting on this comment board and 95% of the time it is negative, so if your Switzerland casinos are so much better please fell free to stay home along with you SH@t a$$ comments
As long time and loyal customers of Harrahs properties, my wife and unfortunately can no longer tolerate the poor service and fading luster of their properties...in the past two years we have stayed at the Flamingo, Harrahs and Ballys (AC). All are continuing the downward spiral we started noticing two or three years ago. We have already booked at a different proprietor next year and will probably spend less time in their casinos, restaurants and stores as well. While they may not consider our two grand in outlay plus another two in gambling, we think we can do better elsewhere... hows the Trop looking for games lately?
Inkwell...Indeed!!!
I really have to laugh at all of this. As a long time resident of LV I remember posting on the RJ about declining service and how it would be the death of this place. I was unmercifully flamed for my comments. The year was 2005. My brother (an attorney) and his friends (other attorneys) came here (there now thank God) and I played tour guide as most of us do when we have visitors. The treatment they received was so appalling. We are talking about attorneys (making lots of money) on vacation playing BJ at 200+ per hand and they were treated like scum. They were "privileged" 4 even being allowed to grace the casino floor as reflected in EVERYONE'S attitudes. They all vowed to never come back EVER and have NOT since!!!
Mind this. My brother had been a LV regular (5+ times per year since 1985) They all had HAD ENOUGH!!!!!!
Why come here and be treated like garbage when we can stay home and play at the riverboat (another Harrah's property in Joliet Il outside Chicago haha) at home and get the same thing??? They asked me.
I had to agree. I saw the writing on the wall then and posted a comment about it.
I was told how stupid I was. How Vegas would always be Vegas blah blah blah and it's demise had been predicted for years yet it still stood the test of time (what arrogance). They (my brother and friends) would not be missed as there were plenty of other suckers who would keep comming here and feel honered to be treated like total trash.
I sold my house in 2007 right when gas prices were extra high and housing was a ridiculous PONZI scheme about to explode. Everyone ridiculed me, made fun of me, told me I was a fool!!!. "This is vegas, we are invincible"!!!
I was Pooh Pooed about the competition and spread of Indian gaming. I was ridiculed about the BAD service.
I am grateful that I left the hellhole it became. Only a mere shadow of it's former self. I did become quite emotional at the auctions of the Stardust and the Frontier because it was so sad to see the reminders of the glory days. Even though they were shadows of their former selves just as Las Vegas as a whole is now.
EVERYONE is to blame from the valet parker to Gary Loveman. GREED and more importantly ARROGANCE ruined Las Vegas permanantly. It will never be the same.
PS hate to say I told u so but see my RJ postings in 2005-2006. Everyone told me how stupid I was.
Best of luck to all of you who have stayed and may God help you. Perhaps the city can learn from it's mistakes and become 10% of what it once was. That would be the best case scenario.
Even the loyal eventually catch-on or go broke -- gambling is a losing proposition, while the gambling racket is one of customer attrition -- hence continuous recruitment.
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@oldjudge1: If you are truly considering leaving my beloved albeit rundown Fabulous Flamingo, then try the M Resort. Seriously. It's a beautiful property. We've had very good luck there time and again and the restaurant selections are excellent.
I wonder... does anyone from casino management and/or marketing read these blogs?
The worst thing Satre ever did was bring in Gary Loveman. The big maketing genuis that is takiing all of Harrah's for a rape, I mean ride! There is no way to deliver top notch customer service when they have pilaged the company into the ground. They have taken the most loyal employees that enjoyed going to work everyday into a complete company of "dread and despair". Go out and give great customer service while we take your bonues, put the supervisors on salary (work 6 days get paid and get paid for 5 then work 4 and get paid for 4 days) Waht kind of salary job is that! The hotels are filthy, the food is horrible and the rate of turn over for help is off the charts. The joke is " Harrah's is the only company that hires you to turn around and find a way to fire you. We have had more turn over at Caesars in the past 5 years than the previous 30 total. This company is the worst ever and the city keeps allowing them to purchase more and more properties. They will be the death of Vegas! Everyone says, "If you hate it so much go somewhere else!" I ask you-WHERE?? This whole town is a monopoly! And talk about repeat customers, That is a thing of the past at Caesars and that is why they have to have such a large maketing base. The front line can't keep the customers happy when the upper management is running them off!!!!
Guess I should have proof read that! Sorry about the typo's
ME2CA2NV,
Agree totally about M resorts. Hardly any smokes in the gaming area. Great seafood buffet. Easily comp'd.
ME2CA2NV and IIKing...thanks for the advice about the M, we'll make sure to give it a try next time we're out..Oct. maybe
@ irishfighter -
I agree with you as to how Harrah's is buying (collecting) hotel/casinos, and then running them down by not offering wages, services, food, etc. - or maintaining them as they were BEFORE Harrah's bought them.
In my first years visiting Las Vegas, I frequently stayed at The STARDUST - which I believe was a better hotel/casino, and more fun, than what Caesars Palace has been TURNED INTO since Harrah's bought it. Same for the RIO.
If this pattern of "mal-management" continues, Harrah's may need to buy WALMART soon; this will give them a "cash-cow" to help increase their bottom-line - which they may need if they continue to reduce everything they buy into a 2nd class property.
But I think a "BRIGHT LIGHT can be seen at the end of the tunnel" in terms of who OWNS Strip hotels and casinos in the future. We could see a near-future CHANGE in OWNERSHIP from CORPORATE, to PRIVATE.
How and why would this occur?
Since all hotel/casino cost-centers are being reduced or eliminated - lower staff levels, services, ammenities, promotions, gambling percentages, etc. - these actions have failed to increase the bottom-line in any significant manner. They do not appear to know how to please customers.
THAT makes Strip properties SUSCEPTIBLE to being SOLD by corporation stock holders, or to make properties targets for HOSTILE takeovers due to their weaked financial position. Such actions could also come as a result of share-holder anger, and a desire to replace the whole executive structure.
While Strip hotels and Casinos are normally very profitable, this unabated loss (hemorrhaging!) of the revenues at Strip properties - with no end in sight - seems to increase the probability that such is a possible, if not probable at some point.
The new PRIVATE, investor-owners, would have to have "Deep Pockets" and establish a new - customer-centric - business operating style that would generate tourist interest, add new customers to its base, and promote the hotel/casino in a manner that would increase customer business, attract customers to the property, and ensure service excellence - all by by "giving 'em what they want" (an old business model that has been quite successful).
A small view of such PRIVATE investment activity may have begun already.
Several new INDEPENDENT/PRIVATE (key words) hotels and/or casinos have, or are, opening and are bringing new ideas, or reviving old ones, in terms of offerings, management style, new rooms, lower costs, service excellence, etc.
One of them is "Rumor Las Vegas" - a new Boutique Hotel (no casino, YET) that will open in September on Harmon - across from the Hard Rock.
Another, is "M" - a recent opening south of the Strip - which seems to have become better than was expected; especially in customer service, quality of food, and gaming departments - all this and a beautiful hotel/casino too.
I wish for the sake of everyone the customers,employees,the actual owners of Harrah's that Loveman would hurry up and finish cannibalizing Harrah's corp...Vegas success wasn't built on corporate greed...
Consider using targeted mobile, as in cell phone, not sign trucks, marketing. From Harrah's & MGM, to very effective programs with smaller properties like Primm Valley Resorts and Station Casinos, mobile can be used very strategically, in conjunction with known player data, to build loyalty for any casino. The key is to do more than just blast out the same message at random intervals. Develop a real strategy, work with a partner that knows the space (CELLIT, for example) and send relevant offers to players when they are most likely to use them. This will cement the relationship, ultimately driving more revenue to the casino and leading to great overall satisfaction from players.
For examples, get in touch...ratkisson@cellit.com.
Randy Atkisson