it's hard out there for a casino employee.

Looks like I picked a helluva time to get back into the casino industry, eh?

From Yay-hoo News:

Macau's Venetian sacks further 500 staff as credit crunch bites

HONG KONG (AFP) – Macau's giant Venetian casino owned by troubled Las Vegas Sands has sacked 500 staff, the company said in a statement, the latest sign of the firms's struggles to deal with the global credit crunch.

The Venetian, a massive hotel and casino complex billed as the cornerstone of a new Las Vegas-style strip, has cut the weekly working week for its casino workers, and laid off 500 staff, the firm said in a statement.

"The company has adopted a series of measures to control operating cost in all business areas, including letting go approximately 500 employees across all levels who are not Macau residents," a Venetian spokesman said.

"(These include) about 100 management-grade expatriate employees in gaming operations," the statement, released late Monday said.

It said many of the workers would be offered alternative employment at the firm's new casino project in Singapore. Read more.

I just like the use of the word 'expatriate'. It sounds very clandestine and espionage-esque.

going the extra mile.

I got to thinking last night about what it's like to be a vacationer or business traveler coming to Las Vegas. The airport is always busy, we know that. But it's not an excruciating experience. In fact, I've always had good experiences at McCarran.

And while none of my hotel stays could be called bad, the one part of the trip I dread the most is checking into the hotel. Seriously, this can be a painful experience. I've stayed at numerous hotels on the Strip and it's always the same: stand in line, wait your turn, then stand some more while the congenial hotel rep checks you into your room.

But that's just it. You could spend up to one hour waiting to get into a room you already have.

I confess to knowing nothing about running a hotel. But in a world where competition for consumer dollars is getting tougher and tougher, perhaps this oft-overlooked portion of the traveling experience is in dire need of some innovative thinking.

Think about it. Most people book their rooms online or via a telephone call. If you don't pay for it in advance, you at least provide credit card information to cover the cost. So really, all your information is already in the hotel's system: how many occupants, smoking/non-smoking, room with a view, etc. But how often do you find yourself running over the same information when you get to the hotel? I don't blame the reps. They're just doing their jobs. But I think there's a better way to go about this.

So here's what I propose: It's time to do away with the tradition switchback lines for checking in and checking out. All services should be managed with concierge-level hosts who will cater to your needs from the time you check in to the time you check out.

Think about how you would feel if, when you arrive at the door, you are immediately greeted by a host who has a packet with your name on it, containing all your check-in info, sits down with you, goes over everything and shows you to your room? No standing in line. No leaning on a counter while a rep punches away at a computer. It's relaxed. It's personal. It's inviting. And while you're sitting there, a bellhop already takes your bags to your room, where you'll find an assortment of complimentary beverages and light snacks to greet you.

See, now on the other side of this—behind closed doors—the host is gathering information about the guests, learning their favorite restaurants, casino games, shows, etc. to continue to personalize their visit. So when the guests want something, the host already knows how and when to provide it. And when the guests check out of the hotel, it's more like something you'd expect from a host at a dinner party. Stress: warm, friendly, inviting.

And a week or so later, when that family is settled back into life at home, they receive a personal note from their host, thanking them for their stay and looking forward to their return. I know many hosts already do this, but this is for the people who seek out the host; not usually the other way around. I think it's time to turn the model upside down.

I am going to continue investigating great customer service and report more about it here.

Why? Because I'm of a mind that says we can always do better when it comes to providing top-level, personal customer service in the gaming industry.