An all-too-common problem

Last night I went to a casino I will not name because the problem I encountered there is all too common. I had received a postcard from this casino offering me, among other things, $50 in free play during January. The month was almost up and I didn't want to let this free play lapse.

When I got to the casino I sat down at a machine and tried to download the promotional credits. They were not there. I was ready to play so I decided to download $25 worth of slot points, play for a while, then check at the players' club on my $50. I had the postcard with the offer but had left it in the car, in my accordion folder of casino coupons, calendars, etc.

When I went to the players' club, the attendant checked her computer and told me I didn't have $50, I had $25, and I had used it in a previous month. All of this information was incorrect. She apparently saw that I had downloaded the $25 worth of points but couldn't understand that was not promotional free play, even though I explained it. I have no idea where she got the idea that my offer applied in more than one month. Basically, she blew me off.

Fortunately, I had the card in my car and brought it in. Another attendant downloaded the free play. I asked why it was not on the machine even though the card indicated it would be. She said all such offers have to be brought to the players' club to be activated. I can't say whether it said this anywhere on the card because she asked me to surrender it to her.

This is far from the first time I have found a casino employee ignorant of an offer or promotion or the procedures involved. Failure to communicate necessary information to those on the front lines appears to be common, if not endemic, in the gaming industry.

What's more annoying to me is when an employee pretends to know something he doesn't or gives a wrong answer without making an effort to understand exactly what is going on. Years ago, when I worked in retail, I was trained to take all customer complaints seriously and, if I was unable to provide satsifaction, to call a supervisor. This seems to be the obvious way to deal with customers, but in many casinos, the philsophy seems to be: Give them an answer, any answer, and get to the next customer.

Why not train employees to say "I don't know the answer but I'll try to get hold of someone who does"?

The lesson from this incident is always to come to a casino with any evidence you have to support any offer or promotion you plan to take advantage of. If the notice was an e-mail, print it out. If it's from an ad in the paper, cut it out. You get the idea.

One other thing: Many casino offers contain fine print. Read it before you make a trip to take advantage of what the large print seems to promise. A particular discount may not be available on weekends or holidays, for example. Even if you have the ad with you, if the fine print says the offer doesn't apply, you're unlikely to get to use it.