As of late, I have been reading more and more about not paying attention to the customer. I have always been a big supporter of treating the guest fairly, but there are some groups growing in size that use their name as a bully pulpit.

Mostly the groups that want to interact with tracks, will show their strength by asking in a blast email and advertising to bet into a particular pool or race to show their influence.

This is wrong… Tracks and O.T.B’s will listen and react to customer forums. There is plenty to be gained by having a focus group that includes all types of players. Not just the “million dollar men” who make the pools dip or raise. I want to hear from players from all levels. The ‘whales” are few, and the “average players” are many. They have kept the lights on for years. They have paid salaries long before a whale was just the biggest mammal in the ocean.

I have been hearing in blogs and articles that many are mad that tracks do not march to the tune of this group, or that membership. If that is to be the case, why doesn’t present management just pack up and leave to allow these groups to take over. But, the process starts over again with another group taking the place of the new managers.

This process is asinine. Please try and use your suggestions in a constructive way. All tracks cannot become Royal Ascot at your asking, but many will respond in a positive way. What happened to the old days? You know, when the tracks ran the show and listened to feedback. I said, listened to feedback and not ran from suggestions that may “black-ball” the track itself.

When you gather powerful players together to push their weight around, there can be dangerous changes. Changes that are made out of fear rather than what is good for the business. They should be heard. But do not abuse your power. I believe your collective voice would be better served by sending out a suggestion list to each particular track. Each list could c0ntain the names and info of the major players that need to be identified be each individual track. This would be more effective, and the tracks could better serve the players with suggestions about a particular circuit, instead of a blanket grocery list to be put in effect. I like the idea of pulling together, but use your power in a positive and constructive way.