Back to book contents Be Polite, Polite, Polite

Before we get started, I want to talk about the golden rule of comps. Be polite. Be courteous. Be patient. Did I mention be polite? This is obvious to many, but I've seen so many people try being "forceful" that I think this is worth mentioning.

I just can't stress this point enough. Many times when we're asking for comps it's because we are unhappy or frustrated. Maybe we had a bad day. Maybe the greeter wasn't friendly enough. Or maybe we just lost a lot of money. All of these are unfortunate, but they happen to all of us, and taking it out on the people from whom you'd like to receive comps almost never works.

Now, this is not to say that you can't complain or that you shouldn't. When service is not good or things aren't going well, you should absolutely mention them. But you've got to remain calm, keep your voice down, and be respectful of the person you are talking with. Be polite and help them be good at their job by not making them look to be the bad guy in front of their boss or coworkers. Remember that the people that work at the casino are hard working just like you, and that they'll be more receptive to a smile and request, the being berated and belittled.

But, rather than take my word for it, I'll share a story. I was in line at the casino hotel lobby awaiting check-in to the hotel. The line was a medium length, and it was late in the day - about 5pm. Everyone in line was clearly anxious to get through the line and into their rooms. Two persons ahead of me was a middle-aged man, clearly a professional, but casually dressed. He approached the counter and was immediately upset. At first, those of us in line hardly noticed. Within just a couple of minutes, his antics increased until he had the attention of most of the lobby. He was clearly upset about something, and he was demanding a free buffet dinner in return. Maybe he was right, I don't know. But as he yelled at the receptionist, stating, "You are too stupid to be in charge, get me the manager," he lost any shred of sympathy or respect from the crowd. Soon, even those of us in line started asking him to settle down (some with more choice words than others!). The man behind the counter also dug in his heels and eventually called security to escort the man out. I'm sure this man was not usually such a jerk. He had had a bad day, and wanted a comp, and he just turned into a horrible person. These tricks never work when getting comps, so if you are serious about getting something back from the hotel, remember to be polite, patient, and courteous at all times.