Casino Connection Nevada

First Impression

Is your valet service driving away guests?

by Martin R. Baird

The old adage that you never get a second chance to make a good first impression is very true. And it couldn’t be more true than with a casino’s valet parking service. That’s where, for many guests, the first impression occurs.

Let’s put this into perspective. We all know that when most people arrive at a casino, they’re filled with that eternal hope that this will be the big one, the long-awaited day that they hit the jackpot and never have to work again. One pull of the slot lever and it’s all over. They’re excited.

That could very well be the mind set when one of your guests drives up. They want valet service in the worst way. All that stands between them and glory is that little ticket for their car. It doesn’t matter if they’re driving an old Oldsmobile with dents and a window missing or the newest Mercedes coupe, they want service. They want to be greeted with a pleasant smile and a warm welcome. They also want the service to be fast.

So that moment was your opportunity to make an all-important first impression. How did your staff do?

Were your valets dressed properly? Did they look like someone a guest could entrust with their $67,000 SUV? Or did they look like it’s Ferris Bueller’s Day Off all over again once they get the keys? How did the staff greet the guest, like a soon-to-be millionaire or like they’re doing the guest a favor? Did they flash that smile and offer a warm welcome or was it more of a mumble with a hand out for a tip? Did they use the guest’s name or make a flattering comment about the car?

Here’s the key question: Did your valet staff make such a positive impression that the guest had a better “feeling” about the casino? It’s true that valet service affects how a person feels when they walk in the door. If you want your guests to step into the casino with miles of smiles, valet service can make a huge contribution to that cause. Valet employees are the ambassadors of the casino at all times.

There’s a little incentive that helps encourage this kind of service. It’s called money. The simple things I’ve outlined above could generate a nice boost in the valet staff’s tips. A compliment about a guest’s nice vehicle, that car or truck they’re so proud of, could mean a couple more dollars in the valet’s pocket. Not that service is just about getting tips, but if you want your valet employees to improve service, the easiest way is through increased tips. If it puts money in their pocket, they will do it.

Let’s fast forward to your guest who used valet service and walked onto the gaming floor ready to take the casino to the cleaners. Well, the hope of hitting the jackpot has worn off and there’s a dose of reality in the air. No big win. Back to work in the morning. They need their car and they’re almost out of money.

Earlier, we talked about how people want to get into the casino fast. The same is true when it’s time to leave. It’s a sad feeling to be hanging around outside knowing that you didn’t win. You’re going home in the same Oldsmobile and you aren’t rich beyond belief.

The corollary of making a first impression says that people remember the first and last impression the longest. So those final minutes getting a car can ring in your guest’s head for hours as they drive home. They replay the person that didn’t smile at them. They think about the empty cans that they needed to step over when they entered their car. They lament about the group of valet standing in a circle talking and they still had to wait to get their car.

Not every guest that comes to a casino goes home with more money than they came with. That is a fact of gaming but they should be able to go home with a positive impression of the casino and the staff based on the experiences they had with valet.

If your valet service doesn’t provide exception service to each and every guest you could in fact be driving customers away. Investing some time and training in your valet department can pay huge dividends.