Don’t use the check in kiosks at CET, and general service conditions

Most of the promos that I have seen like this did indeed have set times to pick up gift card, etc. Just like my tickets to a concert last week. Why anyone would wait until they are leaving is....well... stuff happens.

 

I'm sorry that your parents missed out on the $200, but in my experience all offers have specific timeframes in which you pick up at the Total Rewards desk, not check-in or registration.

We always check-in at the Diamond registration and are given instructions on when to pick up the gift card, free play or whatever offer we have, however we know these details when we book.

So by checking in at the kiosk, your parents didn't receive the offer details again (they are provided at booking) and missed the opportunity to pick up their offer. How this is CET's fault is beyond me.

 

It’s not difficult to program machines to check your booking and display relevant promotional info. Congrats on being diamond and having access to shorter lines and better service, but us peasants in the main line don’t always receive such great service. Sure maybe my parents didn’t read the tiny fine print, I’ll give you that. The problem here is that CET functions completely opposite from any other destination resort - instead of trying to figure out a way to make the customer happy given a reasonable complaint, it seems judging from our experience, and others shared in this post, that they do everything they can to bait and switch, nickel and dime, save a buck, etc. It really makes no sense. My dad will happy lose 4 or 5k on games with horrible hold like 3 card poker, Mississippi stud etc, if they bothered to look up his play before going into d-bag overdrive mode at the host desk, I’m sure they would’ve figured something out. (I don’t think it’s right to selectively take care of people during a promo misunderstanding based on play, but in this case it’s clearly in their best interest, so it blows my mind that they wouldn’t)

They have an endless selection of Indian casinos in SoCal to go to and this pretty much shut the door on Vegas for them, unless they’re meeting me out there.

One thing you mentioned, about going to the TR desk - we actually did do this, for my me and my dad to upgrade to the military platinum cards, right after check in. I didn’t know about the gift card at the time or I would’ve asked. It would be nice if a flag popped up on their screen, or something, to notify the rep that we should be given a promo item of some sort.

 

peasants? Oh please. The easiest cure is do not use CET ever again, problem solved.

 

I don’t expect they’ll be the same company by the time I make it back out, but if they are I’m going to no play a comp weekend at CP.

 

This lines up perfectly with my 80/15/5 theory.

Give 100% of promotion targets the bait-and-switch offer. 80% won’t notice or care that they didn’t get the $200 gift card. 15% will notice but will be told “there’s nothing I can do”. 5% will ultimately get it from kicking up enough of a fuss.

Then, instead of this promo costing $200 per patron, it only costs an average of $10 per patron, since they won’t have to give it to 19 out of 20 customers.

Pessimistic, sure. But I dare anyone to tell me this is incorrect.

 

It's woefully incorrect. You really think that 95% of the people booked on an offer for a $200 gift card didn't get the gift card? I think you probably have that inverted at best. Anyone who has ever stayed on one of these offers before (gift card giveaways, physical gifts, holiday shops, and even FP at CET) knows that they have windows for redemption of the offer. It says it when you book it, and if you ask at check in, or at the rewards desk, they'll provide the info too. Why do they do it that way? I don't know, but it likely has to do with them trying to track the distribution of physical items (and those are all physical items because CET uses vouchers for their free play) to prevent any sort of loss and in the instance of any physical gifts, they likely don't want hundreds or thousands of purses, gift cards, etc. sitting around for prolonged periods of time. Would it be good if their internal systems were integrated with notifications of whether someone was staying on one of these offers so they could be reminded? Sure, but I have no idea what kind of systems and software they use or what it would take to get something like that implemented. I mean they're using physical vouchers for FP still, so I'll go out on a limb and say they don't have the most up to date software in place at CET.

Look it stinks that the OP's parents missed out on their card, but it's also silly that they waited until the very last minute to even ask anyone about it. They were obviously unaware, since it sounds like this was the first time they had an offer like this. It stinks for them, and it's an unfortunate set of circumstances that led up to it, but I can also understand that when you have protocols in place as a company, you can't break them or they become worthless. You do it for one person and next thing you know everyone wants you to circumvent the protocols for them too.

As I stated before, you seem to have a very jaded view of the world. Also based on your posts here, you are a firm believer in "the squeaky wheel gets the grease" theory. That's fine, but in my experience, while sometimes the squeakiness is warranted, people who habitually find things to be upset and offended about are more about trying to get something out of the other party than they are trying to right a legitimate wrong doing. I travel extensively, deal with vendors, contractors, clients, etc. constantly. Rarely do I find myself in situations where I feel so aggrieved that I am adamant about receiving some sort of compensation for the issue. In OPs case, I certainly understand the disappointment, but I also understand that they ended up in the situation for more reasons than just the fact that they checked in at a kiosk, some of which were their own fault. The fact that you routinely jump to the conclusion that the big bad corporate bully is constantly out to intentionally screw everyone over is really crazy.

 

I'm a developer on the platform that hosts all of CETs crap so I'm somewhat in a position to vaguely answer this - it would be trivial. (Even if I wasn't somewhat on the inside, it's trivial from a programming perspective). It's just not on their priority list. They're allocating to doing far, far more technically complex things in the pursuit of knowing exactly what you're doing, and where you are at all all times in their properties so they can feed your inputs into machine learning models.

 

I've had hosts that I've never seen or talked to come up to me at a machine and call me by my name. Only one way for them to know that, my players card in the machine.

 

Feel bad about your negative experiences. Just the opposite for us for the most part.
We don't expect anything so anything we get is gravy

Jeff

 

Using the kiosk did not nullify the offer.
They lost it by not redeeming it in time. They just didn't have any human contact at check in to remind them.
I am sure the valid dates were highlighted in the original offer.

 

Fully agree.
Last trip I checked in Thursday night after 10pm (flight delayed many hours),
the check-in girl at Dimond Check-in told me I had to pick up my free play before mid-night tonight,
because it won't be available on Friday-Saturday. Basically she said "Go to the Casears Reward desk now!"
If she didn't remind me, I most likely would have missed my $225 free play.

 

"Using the kiosk did not nullify the offer. They lost it by not redeeming it in time. They just didn't have any human contact at check in to remind them.
I am sure the valid dates were highlighted in the original offer."

While I feel bad your parents were not able to redeem their coupon/gift card, blaming the kiosk on the "mix up" is a little unfair. You admitted in your post you chose not to stand in line as they were too long and you didn't feel like waiting. I am not sure what more the kiosk could have done to prevent your situation. Even if you would have checked in at the front desk, the front desk staff (other than in the diamond lounge in most cases) are often not aware of all of the promotions guests are staying on, that is the promotions department, in this case the total rewards desk. Those gift cards are not issued at the time of check in any way, in most cases they are issued at a special promotions desk. All of the CET promotions that include more than just a room stay clearly show the dates they are valid.

I spend a lot of time at Flamingo and very often I see check in lines that are easily 1+ hour in length, and at the same time the kiosks are often open or have maybe 1 person using them so in my opinion they are a useful thing for those that are aware of and use them.

As far as the "general service conditions" in las vegas I experience a wide range. The establishments that provide the level of service I expect, I frequent and tip at, those that do not, I don't. And speaking of tips, this may be why the level of service is deteriorating. Like it or not, the majority of service workers rely on tips and lately I have seen them "stiffed" where they clearly went above and beyond helping a customer.

 

incompetence in a regional marketing effort???? No way!

 

Well, if they have a host, a halfway decent host would also have checked on you and you'd have discussed timing of this with them

 

There is a lesson in here: read your offers carefully, and go get your free stuff early in the trip so you have time to deal with any potential hiccups.

 

A good relationship with your casino host solves all problems. And I’m not talking about a host you have only talked to on the phone, but someone who you have met and checks in when you are in town or meets you at the airport with the limo driver or at the front door because he knows the limo went to pick you up. The relationship I have with my host is solid. He has expectations of me and I have them of him. He expects me to give him a shot at my money and I expect things to go just like they are supposed too... smooth.

 

No clue where to find my host.

 

I'm going to say that the check-out receptionist didn't tell your parents either of those things. She may have told them that the gift card had to be picked-up between certain times on certain days, and that by using the kiosk they didn't get the usual letter/printout informing them of where and when to pick it up that they would have gotten from human interaction. And it would be nice if the kiosks could be programmed to print out any info about an offer someone is staying on. And they NEVER give out the gift cards/gifts at check-in. So I can't imagine she actually told them that.

CET(and any other casino that was giving me a gift)always, at the very least, gives me something printed upon check-in with date and time and location for picking up the gift. CET almost always plans well ahead for these things and will actually list in the offer the date, times and location of distribution.

While I didn't take CET up on this offer, I still had the email invite.

Why argue? Why get pissed off? In dealing with the hotel desk clerk, they weren't even taking the issue up with the correct person. The Caesars Rewards desk would have been a better place to take it up. A casino host would have been the best place to take it up. Even if they don't have host, there's usually always one available in the Diamond check-in room. And they don't have to be Diamond to go in there and ask to speak to a host.

I have no idea why, after getting settled in the room, they didn't think to go down to the CR desk and ask how they go about getting the gift card. Why did they assume that they would get it upon check-out, when they obviously had no idea how it worked(and missed probably 2 opportunities, the email invite and the offer confirmation, to at least have an idea that there were specific dates and times for pick-up).

You say your dad lost $5k playing carny games(I'm not questioning that). But if that's the case, I'm actually shocked that no host would do anything for him. Unless the arguing was actual arguing and getting pissed off and demanding and threatening. Then maybe they just didn't want to deal with them.

CET does read those surveys they ask you to respond to after your stay. If they "finessed" their response to the gift card issue, CET should do something for them. If I had an issue that I didn't feel was important enough to bring up during the stay, I would mention it on the survey. I'm never rude or threatening. I'm never demanding. I never ask for anything. And always, I get a response. And CET goes above and beyond making it right. One example: we had a GO Mini-Suite(one of the nicer and roomier mini-suites anywhere, btw) at Flamingo. One of the 2 bathroom sinks drained slowly. The light was out in the closet. It took us 2 days and 2 requests to get a remote for one of the tv's. We never did get the Do Not Disturb sign we requested and housekeeping was knocking at 8-9am every morning. And there was a 6"-8" rip in the carpet. I did mention the sink and closet light, just so they could take care of it before the next guests checked-in. In the survey, I matter-of-factly stated all the issues and that they were simply "disappointing" in an otherwise very nice room. 2 days later, the Asst. Director of Housekeeping for Flamingo contacted me. He apologized profusely, took responsibility for the issues, gave us a $75 Resort Credit good at any CET property, and told me to contact him next time we were coming so he could upgrade us to an actual large suite. Now, just because I didn't ask for anything doesn't mean I'm not going to take it.

It's unfortunate your parents didn't get the gift card. Hopefully, lesson learned. And I hope this doesn't sound harsh, as I mean no disrespect; but it's not the kiosks fault and it's not CET's fault.

 

It's totally crazy no one in marketing caught the date mistake.

And while you get big credit for being prepared and printing things out(I do the same)...COME ON NFC! They actually did you a solid(and the right thing) and showed great customer service promptly.

You should be reminding people to come prepared and giving credit where credit is due.