How Extraordinary! A tale from Southend

[tikay]

After I got back from a really lovely couple of days at Spielers in Southend earlier this week (my first visit to Spielers), I made a Post in Live Poker thus....

Gotta be said, Spielers at Southnd has a really quite nice Cardroom, totally self-contained & away from the Gaming Area.

The TD/Cardroom Manager is a real star, & you'll hear more of him. Adam Lawlor is his moniker, I think. Ruled with great authority (but not in an arsey way) throughout, very bright lad, one of the best TD's I've ever seen in action.

They use the largest size poker tables, & we only had 9 to a table - that's just excellent.

They do have a a bit of a branding problem - "Spielers", "The River Card Room" & "Westcliff Casino" are all in the same building, but Spielers (where the River Card Room is) & Westcliff Casino are in the same ownership, but are run separately for GC reasons.

I'm afraid the available food was the smallest & worst selection I've ever seen in any casino in the world, but they have plans to improve that soon.

And they are not alone in having an image problem in Reception, where none of the staff made eye contact, smiled, said hello, or made visitors feel welcome, but that's common to many Casinos. It's free to smile, & everyone else there was really pleasant & helpful, such a shame a little staff training could not be given to Reception Staff.

Overall, I'd love to return there, I think they have a really grand Tournament Poker venue in the making, & I wish them every success, & thank all of them for their hospitality.


And remember that TD fella - Adam Lawlor? - he'll go far, I can''t reacall seeing a better TD for a good while.

I thought no more of it, but then a remarkable turn of events unfolded.

First off, the TD chappie - Adam - signed up to blonde & thanked me for my comments.

Then, while doing my regular Wednesday night Poker Night Live gig last night we had an e-Mail, which I read out Live. I can't recall the exact words, but it said something like this......

"Hi tikay,

I just wanted to say thank you for the very kind words you said about Adam Lawlor. I can tell you, I am very proud of him, & I am his very proud Mum".

Well! I nearly welled up. Isn't that just lovely?

And finally, let me remind you of something else I said in my Post....

"....And they are not alone in having an image problem in Reception, where none of the staff made eye contact, smiled, said hello, or made visitors feel welcome, but that's common to many Casinos. It's free to smile, & everyone else there was really pleasant & helpful, such a shame a little staff training could not be given to Reception Staff....".

And in particular, ".....none of the reception staff....were (customer friendly)...."

That was wrong, & I apologise. ONE of the Reception staff was perfect, Customer Care wise. Oddly, she & I discussed this, I first encountered her on the Sunday afternoon, & her cheery demeanour & smile made me comment to her - "what a shame the rest of the Reception Staff are not as good at their jobs as you". And we chatted about it, & she said "well just remember, I did smile & chat & make you welcome, that's my job, & I love it". And guess what? I forgot to mention this young lady. These things happen, I'm sorry.

And guess what? Angela - for that was her name - wrote to me by e-Mail this morning. Sort of "Hi Tony, I saw your comments, we all got in trouble from Management. Do you remember me? - I was the Sunday afternoon Lady, you commented on how pleasant & friendly I was, compared to your experience in Reception on Saturday. I won't comment on that, but please remember I DID do my job such that you said "thank you for being so cheerful & friendly". It is very important to me to do my job properly, we all have that responsibility, that's our job, after all".

To Angela, I apologise, I should have, & indeed intended to, mention you as a shining example of how Reception Staff should behave towards Clients.

I think it's rather wonderful that Spielers Management take Customer Comments so positively. If comments are phrased politely & constructively, it helps of course.

But the whole think has spooked  me a little. I just made a Post - thats all, Mr Poker Foot Soldier commenting on a lovely Venue & weekend - and we have Management taking action, a Receptionist doing her Spielers Ambassador role perfectly, & one of the Staff's Mums writing to me to thank me. The power of blonde really frightens me sometimes. But it shows we CAN change things for the better, if we go about it the right way.

I think the moral of the story is don't moan, do do. Oh, & don't forget to mention those that deserve it! (Sorry Angela).

I wish Spielers every success, & will do my best to support their next Festival, & I will ensure blonde do, as well.

[Snatiramas]

Your honesty and openness as always set you apart gramps

where is my bucket?

[byronkincaid]

I really don't think that you're Mr Poker Foot Soldier. Mr UK Poker perhaps.

[tikay]

Your honesty and openness as always set you apart gramps

where is my bucket?

I know, I know, it is a bit cheesey. But it's true.

[Colchester Kev]

All they need to do now is sort the grub out and they have cracked it

[AndrewT]

All they need to do now is sort the grub out and they have cracked it

Maybe they deliberately have a poor buffet to keep you away, Kev?

[Rookie (Rodney)]

All they need to do now is sort the grub out and they have cracked it

Maybe they deliberately have a poor buffet to keep you away, Kev?

That'll never work, Kev will eat anything

[Colchester Kev]

Its not just the buffet though... the menu consists of 2 fillings of toasted sarnie, and 4 diff fillings of pannini's ... THATS IT !!

Nothing else on the menu what so ever.

[tikay]

Its not just the buffet though... the menu consists of 2 fillings of toasted sarnie, and 4 diff fillings of pannini's ... THATS IT !!

Nothing else on the menu what so ever.

....and sold out by Midnight!

But they have got the message, & there is plenty to like about the place. They'll sort it, I guarantee, they are on the case.

For those not familiar with Spielers, it's built, effectively, on a promenade jutting over the "beach" (beach in Southend is subjective....). There is a double window where you can stand & look out at the sea.

To the left (East) you can see Southend Pier - hang on, I'm getting there - and YOU CAN SEE THE TRAIN GOING UP & DOWN THE PIER. How cool is that?

[RED-DOG]

On the train? Bloody freezing I should imagine.

[Dingdell]

Its not just the buffet though... the menu consists of 2 fillings of toasted sarnie, and 4 diff fillings of pannini's ... THATS IT !!

Nothing else on the menu what so ever.

I've moaned loads of times but no luck and no hot chocolate downstairs or cappucino.  It's the only thing that lets them down imho - great card room - Bern plays turns up there all the time :-)

[tikay]

Its not just the buffet though... the menu consists of 2 fillings of toasted sarnie, and 4 diff fillings of pannini's ... THATS IT !!

Nothing else on the menu what so ever.

I've moaned loads of times but no luck and no hot chocolate downstairs or cappucino.  It's the only thing that lets them down imho - great card room - Bern plays turns up there all the time :-)

Dodgy Cardroom/good food = tough to fix.

Good Cardroom/dodgy food = easy to sort.

They will.