Gaming Sector

Context

A leading gaming and entertainment facility was targeting increased revenue growth through the implementation of new operational excellence practices, processes and standards in order to deliver a consistent and exceptional guest experience, grow their casual and light player segments and increase the number of player visits through successful marketing campaigns.

Actions

By conducting an Operational Diagnostic to identify the root causes of performance limitations including business strategy, leadership effectiveness, management system implementation, ability to execute, ability to measure performance and business process issues, a finite set of priorities were established and executed against.

  • Senior Leadership Awareness

  • Leaders were not fully aware of the challenges that existed due to broken communication flow from middle management to the frontline and back up. This resulted in management not hearing frontline feedback with the accuracy and timeliness required for effective execution.

    • Created the proper meeting architectures and structures that drove information flow and management accountability from senior leadership to the frontlines and back up.
    • Clarified senior management’s vison for managers with dual reporting lines.
    • Implemented changes to strengthen the quality of manager-to-manager interactions.
    • Developed the manager’s meeting to become a valuable tool to align managers.
    • Senior management took steps to strengthen their connection to employees across the organization through “Visible Felt Leadership”

  • Operational Duties at the Management Level

  • Gaps and Differences in executing operational duties at the Management Level – Including managing communication flow, performance management consistency and accountability to customer experience standards. This resulted in frontline employee and customer confusion, failure to address poor performance, resolve player issues and recognize strong performance.

    • Implemented performance management practices and conducted training in techniques managers can use to reinforce strong performance and address under-performance.
    • Gaming and shift managers clarified expectations around a number of high profile performance expectations related to the organizations customer service offering.
    • Provided training to the gaming management team on the impediments to in-effective customer service.
    • Adjusted format of the shift managers meeting to improve clarity around strategy and decisions coming out of meetings, and ensure all managers left meetings aligned.

  • Execution of Marketing Campaigns

  • Execution of internal and external marketing campaigns  – Challenges associated with cross-department and inter-department communication, execution and practices to monitor ROI on marketing efforts.

    • Developed practices and processes of monitoring shifts in customer volume and spend that occur following promotions.
    • Developed practices and processes to correlate customer volume to marketing and promotions to develop ROI for each aspect of the marketing program.
    • Developed practices of soliciting input from front line staff on questions about changes in customer participation that could not be determined from available data sources.
    • Involved management team and staff in brainstorming for ideas regarding promotional activities with intentions of both capturing ideas and enhancing employee engagement.
    • Gaming and Marketing managers increased floor time to communicate with employees and test to see if employees were receiving marketing communication through appropriate channels.

  • Guest Experience Standards

  • Execution of clear and consistent guest experience standards – Challenges associated with inconsistent customer service training, confusion over customer experience expectations and proper performance management and a lack of a strong accountability culture.

    • Gaming and shift managers clarified expectations around a number of high profile performance expectations related to the organizations customer service offering.
    • Provided training to the shift manager’s team on the implications of “backstage” versus “onstage” thinking as it applies to customer service.
    • Shift managers implemented the practice of having daily touch point meetings with crews to pass on weekly talking points, discuss issues, expectations and provide feedback to employees.
    • Gaming, Marketing and F&B managers increased floor time to communicate with employees and to test to see if employees are hearing about activities through the appropriate channels, executing proper customer service expectations, duties and then holding shift managers accountable for their performance as well.

Results

“One of the most significant improvements I can attribute to this process is the sense of understanding and ownership that my team and I now have in our respective positions. This has given us the ability to manager our department and progress in a much more consistent and accountable manner moving forward. We have already started to recognize the improvements that this has made.” Gaming Department Head

“In the gaming industry the critical issue is aligning employees and manager’s behavior and practices (especially those with the opportunity to impact the customer experience) with the overall business strategy and you helped us do that particularly around creating consistency amongst middle management given that they occupy the critical space responsible for ensuring that customers see consistent practices on the gaming floor.” General Manager

“The Engine Room coaches in such a way that empowers managers to not only take ownership of their roles, but to think forwards instead of backwards. He changed our mindsets from “whose fault is it?” to “who is accountable and how do we resolve it?” This alone has created immense efficiencies amongst our team.” Marketing Manager

“Your coaching has made a big difference and I am pleased with what you have accomplished in a short period of time. So much so that your concentrated effort with staff has endeared them to you so much that they do not want to see you go. I feel the same way and as such am looking forward to retaining your coaching services so as to allow you to continue to work with me, and our management team.” President