Simplifying the back-end
Simplifying the back-end
Though relatively new to the casino market, Casinos-Resource.Com Inc.has already made a big splash in back-of-house efficiency Casinos-Resource.Com, Inc. believes it has a special software product that will help revolutionize a casino industry that has put a lot
of emphasis on revenue generation and little emphasis on cost-savings through improved efficiencies.
The software they offer is the Quality Data Management System,(tm) and while it does many of the things that existing software systems offer, Casinos-Resource.Com CEO Ray Humber said QDMS takes their clients many steps further.
"QDMS is different than almost all of the software applications that are out there," Humber said. "We not only explain to casino clients what QDMS can do, we take it one step further. We ask them what they need and we customize QDMS to their specific needs. Most offer you a menu and say, 'okay, pick what need from it.' We customize the software to meet the casino's overall needs and every department's needs. We make it work for them just the way they need it to work. All they do is use it," Humber explained.
QDMS is a robust scaleable software application that centrally organizes, distributes, retrieves, tracks, and stores vital internal data on demand. It is customized by experts in the gaming industry to increase prod-uctivity and profitability while meeting strategic objectives.
Casinos-Resource.Com only entered the casino industry market last year, although the software is being used in many other industries with great success, Humber said. The company is working with two casino clients now and is in discussions with several other larger casino clients. And, Casinos-Resource.Com officials said they are not afraid to partner to ensure that their growing casino client base receives the maximum benefits from its high-tech software solutions.
Justifying technology upgrades
Humber said the casino industry is ripe for a badly needed technology upgrade, and is behind other industries. The problem, he added, is how casinos look at their revenues and operations. They put most of their energies into revenue-generation and not enough into cost-savings and improved efficiencies that the newer technology like QDMS can offer.
"Casinos have a front-of-the-house focus on slot machines, for example. They spend a fortune there on signs and other strategies because that is where they generate revenue. But they often fail to put enough emphasis on the back-of-the-house where they can realize enormous cost savings through some simple investments. Technology is one that is badly needed there."
Humber said there are no pre-set costs with QDMS, and casino clients own the software application and courseware.
"For example, human resources would use it to post the forms like policies and procedures and changes on the system. We make the changes for them and pass those changes so they go out system-wide. Security might use it for an incident report log. Marketing would use it for different things," Humber explained.
"We start by working backwards with the client so we can actually solve their problems with our system."
Bullwhackers Casino in Blackhawk, Colorado is one of Casinos-Resource.Com's clients. They use the software in a variety of functions. One example, Humber said, has been the casino's move to maximize the efficiency of "Manager on Duty Reports" that were once based on an archaic system, but are essential to the operation of casinos.
"We simplified the process and reduced the time managers take to create the forms, to access the forms and to complete the forms. That saves money," Humber said.
In another example, Humber said, the casino would often have employees report lost time cards. In the process of correcting the problem, employees would fill out an exemption form, but there was no way to ensure that the hours claimed were the hours worked.
"Now, we put that form on the system and it increases their accountability so that the employee has to log-in when the problem occurs. In the end, the employee is paid for the actual time they worked and the casino can monitor discrepancies."
Detail-oriented efficiency
Casinos-Resource.Com recently partnered with Brazen Technologies, Inc. to ensure that the process caters to the smallest detail need of the clients. Brazen also provides components such as hosting, e-mail and Web functions, and even handles software sales."The casino industry is no different than any market emerging into the high technology arena," explained Scott Blasenak, vice president of sales for Brazen Technologies. "The fact is, the casino industry is not really a high tech-savvy industry. Casinos-Resource.Com provides the system that has great support, and around that we wrap additional software strategies and solutions to ensure customers get the maximum benefits. We provide an environment that can make QDMS successful for the client."
Blasenak said that while casinos are leaders in surveillance technology application, they can still migrate into more sophisticated systems that maximize efficiencies to save money.
"Today, technology exists that allows them to digitize their images, place them on a disk array so that security jobs that once took 90 minutes can now be completed in 15 minutes. QDMS is like that in many ways," Blasenak said.
One of the key benefits, Blasenak said, is that QDMS helps bring the casino industry up-to-speed with other industries that have made the handling of paperwork a lot less challenging and more efficient.
"LaserFiche is a very sophisticated document management system that we provide to Casinos-Resource.Com clients in the partnership. You scan the documents and the system organizes them intuitively. Any industry that has to do with a lot of paper finds this useful," Blasenak said.
Catering to casinos
Humber said that QDMS has two distinct functions that are catered to casino client needs, "Communications and Collaboration tools" and "Training and Development."Examples of the Communications and Collaboration tools include a discussion board accessible from any location. A built-in Q-Log that takes provides clients with an electronic logbook essential to casinos. A general manager anywhere, Humber said, can quickly access the Q-Log and review events on any given day for any given location.
Humber said they offer Q-Memos, which increases the efficiency of internal memo distribution while providing enhanced accountability.
"When marketing needs to communicate with everyone in the company, they have to post or distribute memos. This is now done electronically."
The system also handles job postings and even customer satisfaction surveys.
QDMS' sophisticated training and development feature helps casinos keep up to speed with their staffs' learning curves. QDMS can also monitor and manage personal training programs so that management assignments are completed.
"This isn't just about customizing. It is about us doing the work to customize for the client to their needs. Most importantly, it is very easy to use. If you can pump gas, you can use this system. It was designed around the end-user."CJ
