Feedback from a Slot Player
by Dennis Conrad
October 1, 2008
One-man focus group reveals insights on player likes and dislikes
I’ve interviewed a lot of slot players in the
course of the
consulting work that we do, and those players always share great insight into
how our casino clients can make the slot player more loyal and the slot playing
experience more enjoyable. I’m literally amazed that more casinos don’t talk to
these folks on a regular basis (ask your customers what they want…then give it to them!).
The Interview
Me: OK, so you’re a new slot
player who has had a pretty good taste of the product and the experience. So
whaddya think?
Myself: Well, as a “smart” casino
gambler, it’s almost embarrassing to admit that overall, I have enjoyed it and
can now see more clearly why so many millions slurp up this slot commodity in
such prodigious quantities.
Me: What did you especially
like about the slots?
Myself: Wow, where should I start?
Well, first of all, that whole “bonus” thing just kind of hangs out there like
this lurking pot of gold and the anticipation of getting to that bonus round is
probably more adrenalin-producing than the bonus round itself. The frequency of
getting paid SOMETHING on any given spin was pretty impressive and made it less
distressing the many times my credit bankroll was being whittled away. I’m sure
B.F. Skinner is smiling somewhere.
Me: What games did you
play?
Myself: I tried to play some of the
newest games from as many slot manufacturers as I could (they were mostly all
new for me however) and I tended to focus on the 1 cent and 5 cent video slots,
although I enjoyed a few of the latest multiline reel games as well. I think it
was that bonus thing again driving my behavior.
Me: Any other parts of the
“slot ride” that you especially liked?
Myself: Well I hate to harp on this bonus thing, but
I liked the games that had three or four levels of progressive bonuses, where
you played a bonus round where getting a little further, or a little luckier,
got you to a bigger bonus level. I also liked some of the game icons and some
of the lights and sounds, but certainly not all of them. I very much liked the
“community games,” where any player’s good fortune could trigger a bonus for
the whole bank of machine players. But most of all, having heard so much over
the years from slot execs about “the math” of the slot games, I really liked it
when the “math” seemed right, as subjective as that sounds. Kind of like “LOSE,
LOSE, LOSE, SMALL PAY, SMALL PAY, MEDIUM PAY, LOSE, LOSE, BONUS ROUND.” Or
something like that. I think I understand now when slot players tell me they
don’t mind losing if the game will just “tease them a little.” That’s probably
good math at work.
Me:
And what didn’t you like about your slot experience?
Myself: Well, there were a lot of
little things, but only if all those little things converged at once did it get
modestly annoying. Slot stools are still too
uncomfortable and the reach to hit the buttons still needs some ERGONOMICS 101.
Some games have annoying sounds, at least
after you’ve heard the same music or voice 100 times. Noise from competing
slots can start to wear you out, too. I don’t like it when several of the slot
symbols look alike, so that it “feels” that you should have won on a spin.
Sometimes the bonus round feels way too infrequent or too low-paying. My pet
peeve is a slot game that makes you wait 30 seconds before you can cash out,
because “you are still eligible for the bonus.” And slot jackpot pays still
seem to take too long. But all in all, I’ve been entertained and don’t begrudge
the slot dollars that I have lost.
Me: Any
closing thoughts?
Myself: Well, I’m still a hard-core table game player,
but I’ll venture into the slots now and spend a few bucks there and not feel stupid about it. There must be a lesson here for the slot
manufacturers. If they’re listening.
Dennis Conrad
Dennis Conrad is the president and chief Relationship Officer of Raving Consulting Company, a full service marketing company specializing in assisting gaming organizations. He can be reached at (775) 329-7864. Visit Raving’s Web site at www.ravingconsulting.com.
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