Are you as efficient as a Las Vegas casino?

[Mel Kleiman]

I have been speaking in Las Vegas for years and am there right now to do a presentation later this week and to visit with some clients. I am not much of a gambler and don't spend a lot of time in the casinos, but this time my neighbor asked if I would play $100.00 for her in a dollar slot machine. She even specified the type of machine. I was to put in the $100.00 and play $2 a time for 50 times.

It was an interesting experience. I walked up to the machine, which had a slot to put in money. No change person needed. I did 50 pulls and was actually ahead by $47.00. I pushed a button and a voucher came out. I take it over to an automated teller machine, it reads the slip and give me $147.00 in cash. The screen even says: "Thank you." I wonder how many cashiers, change people and other support staff this automation has done away with?

On a side note, when I checked into the hotel, the front desk person said if I were to take anything out of the mini bar I would be billed for it as there is a computer sensor under each item that automates the billing and resocking process.

None of these changes affected the customer service experience; in fact, I think it made it better. Less waiting and less hassle.

Have you looked at every process and transaction in your business and asked yourself if it could be done more efficiently?.