Venues With A Smile

While venues probably aren’t the first thing that come to mind when you hear “service with a smile,” a casino in Natchez, Miss., is making a case for bringing customer service back to the entertainment biz.

The Isle of Capri Casino instituted a corporate “See, Say, Smile,” hospitality program in 2008 and since that time VP Tony Scudiero has apparently seen a remarkable difference at the casino.

The property, which previously ranked near the bottom of all 14 Isle of Capri Casinos for customer service, now consistently ranks at the top.

“Customers have a choice of where to go, and they are going to take their money to the place that treats them well,” Scudiero said. “In today’s market where people are taking trips closer to home and being more particular about spending money, we have to work harder for every dollar.”

The secret to getting employees to buy in to the program has included management taking an active role in identifying problems, posting positive comments and ratings and offering incentive programs, he said.

“It’s important in any business that the folks working for that business are treating customers well. As management in a business, it is your job to set the example and then make sure it is happening.”