Fulfill the Promise

25 June 2003

By David Waddell

In today's society, finding businesses that live up to their promises has become difficult. Too often, businesses over promise and under deliver or create hassles for their customers leading to disappointment, frustration, or irritation. Everyone has experienced it, from the new laptop computer that promises three hours of battery life, only to give 20 minutes' worth, to a 25-minute wait at a "fast" food restaurant for the fulfillment of an order.

Even some of the most popular new businesses suffer from a basic lack of common sense. The other morning, I stopped into a relatively new national chain bakery for a bagel and a cup of coffee for breakfast. Five of us waited in line while one sales person tried to figure out how to correct a mistake she had made at the register for another customer. Meanwhile, five (yes, five) other employees kept busy working on prepping the deli counter a few steps away and did not come to help. After about 10 minutes, a manager walked through the door and proceeded to walk past the customers and go critique the work of the deli counter employees.

As gaming has rapidly expanded across the country, there has been a lot of speculation about why it is occurring. Frequently, the media will cynically point to politicians seeking tax revenue or offer up other explanations that miss the point. Why do so many people visit casinos each year? It has nothing to do with politics. People enjoy visiting casinos because, in essence, casinos are reliable. Casinos deliver on their promises of entertainment in a way that customers come to trust.

With all the explosive growth of gaming throughout the country, those in the industry would be wise to recognize what is at the core of their industry - customer satisfaction. A few minute wait for a hopper fill, or better yet, a printoff ticket, will keep a customer coming back simply because he can be entertained without any frustration. Knowing your customers and treating them like royalty is what has made the casino gaming industry flourish. It is also the key component that must be continually focused upon to assure that customers come back and bring others.

Years ago, I noted in one of these columns that the key to Detroit's success with casino gambling would be its ability to adopt a "hospitality mentality." I believed, and still believe, that casinos can help lead the rebirth and resurgence of the City. To do so, everyone in the industry needs to make the "Detroit experience" one that creates a buzz and excitement. Similarly, casino patrons should be met with the same enthusiasm from others in the City, from the radio stations to the City's top politicians. The casino patron is a very important guest and everyone in the City should embrace and thank the gambler for all he or she does for the City just by his or her presence.