When the computer revolution began in the 1970s and 1980s, some feared we would become so dependent on technology that we would no longer be able to live without the tools we had created. At that time we were already past that mark. The “horseless carriage” had already transformed our daily lives to never be reversed. And of all the technological advances, perhaps none were so important as indoor plumbing. But I digress. My point is that human beings have always built tools to help us complete tasks.
Many early tools were simply helpers, designed to assist us with tasks that we were capable of doing ourselves, reducing time and effort. As we became more proficient in developing tools, however, we began to invent items that performed tasks we were not capable of doing ourselves. These tools gave us the ability to build, create and move in ways humans were simply not capable of before. Technology was born. Eventually this resulted in the position of “technology editor” at leading gaming magazines. But, again, I digress...
According to Miriam-Webster, technology is “a manner of accomplishing a task, especially using technical processes, methods or knowledge.” An early human’s crafting of a stone knife was a technological advancement. And from the beginning of time, technology has built upon itself, increasing the rate at which future developments would occur. Today, advancements occur at a blinding speed, making it difficult to keep up with the current state of the art. But the original goal of technology was to make life easier such as making hunting easier and helping us stay warm and dry.
It can be argued that not all technology makes life easier, nor are all technological advances made for any practical purpose. Years ago, we were promised a society so advanced that paper would be a thing of the past. Yet I seem to have more paper on my desk today than I did 10 years ago. And the ease of e-mail? How many hours a day do you spend reading e-mail? (Granted, e-mail has made me realize to how many deceased Nigerian millionaires I am related.)
Technology also has many associated costs. Beside the obvious hardware, software, support contracts, and staff, there are intangible costs, which can be more significant than the obvious ones. Also, technology involves processes and changes the way we operate. In your casino, each technological implementation changes the way you do business. And almost always, it’s a step from which there is no return. Anyway, I suppose it’s about time I let you know where all of this is going.
“For every advanced skill you learn, you lose a basic skill.” This is one of my favorite sayings. It applies to every industry in every country, and is especially relevant when you consider technology. It doesn’t mean we have a limited capacity for knowledge, where old information is squeezed out and replaced by new; it means that as we grow and expand, we focus more on the new processes and have less time for the old. This is logical, considering that changes to our daily operations make old ways obsolete. But are the old ways always worse than the new?
We run into problems in situations where technology has changed our daily operations but has also removed some aspect of our business. This can lead to old processes becoming orphaned by change. Let’s consider an example from the not-so-distant past.
Most of the casinos in North America have replaced hoppers with TITO. There are still many casinos using coins and hoppers but the majority of these have started implementing ticketing technology. While customers initially balked at the thought of tickets, they soon saw the benefits like clean hands, faster cashout times, less wait, and the ability to move to varying denomination machines easily. Waiting for a hopper fill upset customers and caused dissatisfaction. On a busy Saturday night, the wait times could be quite long. TITO removed this problem and decreased dissatisfaction. Hand pays were also affected by TITO, both positively and negatively. Patrons did not have to wait 10 minutes for a $100 hand pay on a nickel machine, but they no longer had the flashing lights, ringing bell and vibrant “jackpot” messaging. But, all in all, they got their money faster, so they were happy.
TITO also had a positive impact on operators. The cost of hoppers, coins and the associated processes were removed. No longer was a large inventory of currency or tokens required, and neither was the staff to move and count them. Change carts all but disappeared from the casino floor, and there was no longer a purpose in buying rolls of quarters.
But in this evolution, one important process was largely forgotten; in removing much of the negative aspect of coins, human interaction was lost. This process continues today.
Self-serve beverage kiosks mean that players don’t wait for service to come by. But this, too, removes a step of human interaction with the casino staff.
Future technology promises to continue to separate customers from staff. Open networking will provide the largest leap in technological advancement since sliced bread. (What was the biggest advancement before sliced bread, I wonder?) Players can order beverages and reserve restaurant seating on a small LCD screen while sitting at their machines. Entertainment can be booked the same way. This self-serve feature is extremely convenient for players, empowering them to maximize entertainment while at your casino and giving them the flexibility to tailor their visits. That in itself is going to make for much happier customers who feel that they are getting more in return than they have before.
But, it’s all happening without personal involvement. While this may not be entirely negative, we must consider its full impact. Do many people care that self-serve gas stations remove the personal interaction of full service? Does it lessen the satisfaction of refueling? No longer does an attendant check your oil or tires or clean your window. By fueling my own car, I don’t wait when the service station is busy. My concern is only the cost of the fuel and the time it takes me to get it. As I drive away, I might not even be able to tell you the brand of fuel I just purchased. It doesn’t matter.
But as a casino operator you’re not offering a self-service commodity. Customers are not coming to your facility to purchase a necessary item. They are looking for entertainment, value and ambiance. They want a break from their daily routine and to escape, if only for a while. Ideally, they would like to leave with more money than they came with. That doesn’t always happen but they should always experience a positive, friendly environment.
Much of that impression of a positive, friendly environment relies not on wins or loses but on treatment once they’re in the front door. A 30-minute wait for coffee is unacceptable. And the problem lies not in the coffee but the person serving it. Dissatisfaction is almost always due to human error, not the process. Another example from the past: A long wait for a hopper fill had nothing to do with the hopper; it had to do with the overworked slot attendant running around trying to service a dozen machines at once. This also made the attendant unable to take time to greet customers and converse with them. The patrons were left feeling they were an inconvenience.
Technology itself is not bad. It is good to give customers the tools to a better experience. They know what makes their stay enjoyable more than you do. Individual attention to each patron is not possible; yet in a competitive industry during a poor economic environment, attention to your customers has never been more important.
CRM/BI tools give us the technology to know our customers better. We can analyze their behavior and determine what will make them happy. These tools give us the ability to determine what works and what doesn’t. They take you beyond mass marketing mailings and allow individual contact with each patron. Much of this contact may be through some technological device, such as an in-machine LCD, but it is a customized, personal approach.
Even though this technological personal touch is available nothing may be as important as a live human being. In the end, the customer will remember the friendly host who offered the show tickets more than if the same offer came through a screen.
When implementing new technologies, make allowances for your staff to continue to interact with patrons in a casual, leisurely manner. Technology can be a tremendous benefit but it is only a tool. It should streamline your operation and reduce frustrating wait times. In the end the customer should still see a person. Remember, you are in a service industry, not a self-service industry.
John Wilson is the Technology Editor for Casino Enterprise Management and Owner of ICS Gaming, providing slot consulting services and game design. He has designed several slot games in both Class II and Class III markets. He can be reached at jwilson@icsgaming.com.
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