The Customer is Always Right
Dear Mark,
I am a dealer of blackjack on the riverboats in the Chicago area. One of
my major pet peeves is the improper hand signals players make when asking
for a hit. Then of course the player says "I did not ask for that card,"
when in reality they did. And what's also upsetting is that they always
get their way. WHY?
By the way, here's a quick casino joke. "When is the only time you
split tens? When the table is full and your buddies need a seat." Tony
O. A disgruntled dealer.
They get their way, Tony, because it's rule number one of casino customer
service; The customer is always right. Rule number two; If the customer
is wrong, see rule number one. When I first inquired as a break-in dealer
"What gives here?" the response from the pit boss was, "Dummy
up and deal." It wasn't till I became a pit bull that I understood
the value of giving the customer's an occasional break when they "technically"
didn't deserve it. The rationale here is that in most cases it doesn't make
sense to go up to a player, tell him he screwed up, and force him to hand
over his winnings. Management is not in the business of winning a paltry
few bucks then losing a patron for life.
Tony, you're not going to win here, even when you're right. I suggest you
suck it up, slow down and be more tolerant with new players. Besides, what
do you expect dealing in the Midwest? Because only 25 percent of Americans
have ever been to Las Vegas, gambling has overwhelmed the uneducated masses
across the heartland. New players just don't know or understand casino procedures.
Tony, a little advice here. If you want to get ahead in this business become
a customer service oriented employee. Good customer service on your part
dictates being patient, a friendly smile-albeit fake at times- a sympathetic
ear and a helping hand.
So what does this question have to do with the readers of this column? Simple.
The "hopefully new" Tony is what you should come to expect service-wise
from the frontline, where-the-rubber-meets-the-road employees you encounter.
If not, shop for another casino.
As for the joke, Tony, cute and accurate.
Dear Mark,
In some of your columns you mention the word "grind." What do
you mean by that? Steve R. Walled Lake, MI
In the language of casino gambling, Steve, grind can be used in a
variety of ways. A grind player is generally a term associated with
a low roller. A grind joint is a casino that caters to these low
rollers. Then there's the grind down. This is where the casino eventually
wins all the player's money due to the built-in advantage it has on all
wagers. Finally, the grind system. This is any system used by a player
that attempts to win small amounts frequently against the casino. Unfortunately,
the latter is highly unlikely.
Before I Shuffle:
Received this e-mail the other day: "Your Web page is the biggest gambling
information site on the internet. We are going to open an electronic casino
in Russia. Is it possible to put some links to our casino on your web pages?"
Kirill M. Russia
Because it's our goal to become the premier information conduit for casino
gambling, we do list all the internet gambling sites, including this one
in Russia. But I preface all entering my internet casino web links (http://winner.com/net.html)
a stern warning that it's against the law (Interstate Wire Act) and that
I don't advocate, condone or in any way support any form of internet gambling.
And Russia? I would hope that no solid citizen would wire money thousands
of miles away to an unregulated, uncontrolled and probably illegal enterprise.
But you have to admit, because of the internet this world is getting smaller.
Got a question about gambling? Write to: Deal Me In, 774 Mays Blvd.
Suite 10, Incline Village, NV 89451 or e-mail:winners@winner.com
· To order Mark Pilarski's "Hooked on Winning" audio cassettes--laminated
win cards package ($12.95 plus $2. S&H) call (800) WINNERS.
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