Page 26 - November 2011 • Southern California Gaming Guide

Bill Burton: About Gambling
IRude Behavior
recently read an article online that discussed the results of a survey conducted about customer service complaints. is article was di erent because those surveyed were customer service employees who listed their biggest complaints about the customers they serve. e majority of
their complaints were about rude behavior. And the top of the list was speci cally about customers who continue to talk on their cell phone while being waited on.
After reading this article, I did an online search for “rude behavior” and got thousands of results listing similar complaints and examples of bad behavior in our society. One of the articles I found was about the results of a survey conducted by John Hopkins University that listed the “Work Place Misdeeds ‘Terrible 10’ Rude
Behaviors List.”
As I read the list, I noted ve out of the ten rude
behaviors that I have personally witnessed during one of my casino visits. I’m sure that many of you have encountered the same examples of these bad behaviors in your casino visits as well. Here are ve examples of rude behavior, and a few tips on dealing with them. Hopefully, you are not guilty of any of
phone on at the table while you are playing. If you get a call and answer your phone, you will be advised to step away from the table. You will not be dealt a hand while you are on the phone. is stems from the possibility of someone using an “electronic device” to cheat.
People talking on cell phones during a show or movie are extremely rude to the people around them. When you pay to see a show, you want to enjoy it, not listen to someone talking on their phone.
And what about people who speak loudly into their phone — or worse, have the phone on speaker so everyone can hear their entire conversation? I have heard some pretty explicit conversations while standing in line next
Misuse of Handicap Privileges
People who take parking spots designated for the handicapped are rude and thoughtless. ey are also breaking the law. I occasionally travel with a family member who is handicapped, and it is frustrating.
Smoking in Non-smoking Areas
Most casinos have non-smoking areas, yet you will still see people light up without regard to the signs.
e best way to deal with rude behavior is to confront it, and politely tell the person that their behavior is annoying to those around them. ey may just be oblivious to their own behavior. If someone is talking during a show or movie, I will say,“Excuse me, I’m terribly sorry, but would you mind taking your conversation out of the theater? We can’t hear the show.”
It is sometimes di cult to confront other people’s rude behavior because the last thing you want to do is to get into an altercation with a complete stranger. If someone’s behavior is bothering you, but you are unsure, or concerned for your safety in any way, you should not confront them. Certain situations, such as someone smoking in a non-smoking area, or parking in a handicapped space, may best be dealt with by reporting them to security or management.
Sometimes there is just nothing you can do when the rude behavior is bothering you. If this is the case, try some relaxation techniques. Take a few deep breaths, and try to relax and ignore the person. If the person is seated beside you at a slot machine or table game, you can always move.
Until next time, remember: “Luck comes and goes... Knowledge Stays Forever.”
Bill Burton is the author of 1000 Best Casino Gambling Secrets and Get the Edge at Low Limit Texas Hold’em available online at billburton.com. Burton is also an instructor for Golden Touch Craps: thecrapsclub.com.
these infractions.
Cell Phone Abuse
ese days the majority of
people own a cell phone,
and many are constantly
talking on their phones,
regardless of where they
are or what they are doing.
Distracted drivers are
a contributing cause of
many tra c accidents, and
it stems from people talking on their cell phones while driving. I have seen people walking around with the phone to their ear, bumping into other people because they are oblivious to the world around them. Aside from danger, there are several other situations where talking on the phone is just plain rude.
Talking on a cell phone while being waited on in a restaurant or hotel or airport check-in counter was on the top of the list of complaints from the customer service employees. ey are trying to do their job in the fastest and most e cient way to keep the lines moving. A person having a phone conversation while trying to take care of business with the clerk slows everything down. In the last few years, many casino hotels have cut back on sta ng, and lines checking into casino hotels can be long.
We don’t need further delays from rude people on cell phones. Many businesses are putting up signs that advise
“avoid talking on the phone while being waited on.”
In the casino at the gaming tables, it is against policy to talk on your cell phone or to even have your cell
to someone on the phone, and I often wonder what the person on the other end would think if they knew their conversation was being broadcast for the world to hear.
While cell phone abuse is the most common and annoying problem, these
“Talking on a cell phone while
being waited on in a restaurant
or hotel or airport check-in
counter was on the top of the
list of complaints from the
customer service employees.” other four rude behaviors
also made the top ten list.
Treating Service Providers as Inferiors
e job of a casino employee is to make your time in their establishment as pleasant as possible, or to make sure your needs are ful lled in a professional manner. Casino sta are doing a job to provide a living for themselves and their families. ey have feelings and emotions just like anyone else. ey deserve the same respect as anyone else. Sometimes when people lose, they blame the dealer, and verbally abuse him or her. I can’t help but wonder how these people would feel if somebody came into their workplace and spoke to them rudely.
Littering
Littering is not only rude behavior, it is a lack of respect for everybody around, as well as the environment. I often see people throw trash on the oor, or crush cigarettes out on the carpet of the casino oor. Do they throw garbage on the oors where they work?
PAGE 26
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GAMING GUIDE
NOVEMBER 2011