| | | | | | Welcome to Casino Life!
I'm writing this in New York, having decided to take a break before G2E and it's proving to be a great trip. Entertainment here is king, with everyone trying to out-perform – whether it's trying to get you to book their tour or eat at their restaurant. Bright lights and music trumps all… along with good service. I have been totally blown away by just how genuinely helpful everyone has been and nothing has been too much trouble – even from the legendary grumpy cab drivers.
Las Vegas will be next on the agenda but am I the only one who thinks that occasionally the service aspect wears a little thin – is a bit too insincere? We all want to be treated as VIPs. But I think we all want that to be real and genuine care not just a false smile to get a tip.
And so that is the theme that weaves its way through this edition – being a VIP; being treated well – great entertainment and good service. Care as a core value. Whether it's an operator on the scale of Pinnacle caring for smaller businesses in it's supply chain or Gavin Isaacs enthusiastically walking the casino floors, care is a core value. Back to this issue and we have a mixed bag of goodies with Jack Bulavsky getting a well-deserved "journo of the Month award" for covering so many bases at once. Walter Bugno outlines the progress of bringing IGT and GTech under a single roof; Sonya Nikolova talks about the added breadth the company is showing at G2E; Steve Donoughue says the UK Casino Industry needs a shake up; whilst Ian Hogg sets out how staff optimization can lead to better bottom lines.
Caring for customers, staff and partners is a core value of the casino industry and is aptly summed up with the quote from Pinnacle Entertainment's Troy Stremming whose dad told him: "Your attitude more than your aptitude will determine your altitude in life." Enough said.
See you in Vegas!
And then some of you in Beautiful Kyiv! | | | | | | | |
