Vol. 4, No. 6, June 2007
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Sunshine Slots
Taj employee wins big with customers and management
Tammy Demps fits a variety of gaming superlatives.
Start with her name. One can’t spell “Redemptions,” the popular area she long operated at Trump Taj Mahal, without D-E-M-P-S. How about deeming her the Sultan of Slots? Demps became a favorite of high-end customers in the lofty $500 slot area of Sultan’s Palace. The Washington, D.C. native is a highly-decorated 26-year gaming veteran, who spent the last 17 at the Taj. Top management often recognizes her contribution.
Demps captured the President’s Achievement Award, a distinction given to only 11 of the property’s 4,000 employees, for the first quarter of 2007. She received a $500 bonus and accolades at an April banquet. It was the latest honor for a person who won numerous WOW (secret-shopper evaluations) awards throughout her career.
The property expanded her duties into the poker room last year. Demps swipes credit cards, helps players register for live tournaments and exudes an enthusiasm that matches the excitement of competition.
Success for this friendly, effervescent employee is no accident. But it’s partly an ACT. That’s the Acknowledge, Connect and Thanks acronym given to the property’s training program. Demps, a casino cashier, was selected to train her department. In another life, she could have been a coach.
“Being nice is the way I would treat people, even if it was not in this business,” Demps indicates. “You have to know when you apply for a job in the casinos, that it’s a people-person industry. That’s fine with me. When you’re having a good time with people, letting them know that you are on their side, it makes the day go a whole lot faster.”
Instinctively, Demps understands the business. It’s about fantasy, big hits, celebration and excitement. It’s bells, whistles and jackpots, not 9-5. Customers experience high-octane volatility. And they want to cut loose.
Demps served a variety of players at Sultan’s Palace. Many received mail offers and chose to redeem them with Demps rather than go to a machine. She provided the money matching the amount on a promotional, advertising or coupon voucher. Demps was the last stop players often made before invading the slot area.
Poker provides a similar rush. Players enjoy an excited registration employee, who gives the impression she wants them to win. It’s part of the pampering aspect most businesses thrive on.
“The high-end players are very particular about who they will give their business to,” Demps says. “You like to get into a friendly interaction with them, make them feel comfortable. They call me ‘T.’ It’s nice when they ask for you. You want to be their special contact when they get inside the casino.”
Demps understands the customer’s need for attention. She reads people’s expressions, and then decides whether to extend herself to them.
“The one thing everybody wants is to be paid attention to; even the silent ones feel that way,” Demps says. “The first important thing with people is to make eye contact. The eyes don’t lie. They tell you whether a person is approachable or not. When you talk to someone, let that person know you will try to accommodate them any way possible. Try to be positive. If they’re having a bad day, tell them that the clouds won’t be there forever, that the sun will come out eventually.”
For Demps, sunshine is an attitude. She’s the gaming version of 80 degrees, balmy and pleasant.
