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Why do our customers come to our bingo halls and play bingo?
Each year we conduct focus groups at all of our bingo halls. A focus group is a guided conversation with a cross section of customers in which the customers provide input on a myriad of topics. In this way we are able to learn why our customers come to our bingo halls to play bingo. The Bingo Goddess knows the answer to that question.
What are the principles of successful, skillful and professional bingo calling?
The successful bingo caller is the voice of the bingo hall in much the same way that a radio announcer is the voice of the radio station. A skillful bingo caller is an actor who projects the pleasant personality of the bingo hall through the clever use of his or her voice. The professional bingo caller has a smile in his or her voice and injects a friendly and happy tone into the life of the bingo hall. A professional bingo caller controls the tempo of play in the bingo hall. The successful bingo caller establishes a rapport with the bingo customer who knows that the bingo caller will help them win at bingo by providing a fair and consistent calling of the balls at a comfortable pace.
The Bingo Goddess knows that a good bingo caller must ---
Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. A peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked.
Can you hear every syllable? Can you hear each and every word? Can you feel the spaces between the words? Can the audience hear the words in the back of the room?
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Voice mechanics
The combination of articulation, enunciation and projection will provide for a clearer and more efficient message for the bingo customer. Using these new skills, practice calling balls from B1 to O75.
B1..O75!
Can you tell the difference? If not, go back through the exercises until you can tell and feel the difference in your own personal voice mechanics.
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Use your happy voice! The voice with the smile in it.
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The successful bingo caller must educate, inform, assist and communicate effectively
The bingo caller is the voice of the bingo hall. Thus far we have focused on voice mechanics making the bingo callers voice clear and efficient in conveying information to the bingo customer. Now we change our focus to the content of that information. What are we saying to the bingo customer? In that regard, we are focusing on the bingo callers responsibility to educate, inform, assist and communicate to the bingo customer. Each is related to the other but some are different from the others.
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what type of paper is being used including the color of the paper; is this paper for a fun game or floor special or is it in the pack --- the main program or an early bird program or an intermission program; the prize to be paid; the winning configuration or pattern being sought; and, any wild numbers or configurations.
You should be on the green paper. This is a special game and is not in the pack. The prize is $20. The winning pattern is an Indian Princess and your wild numbers are 1 and 9. Mark all numbers ending in 1 or 9 on your green paper --- looking for an Indian Princess. The first ball is in the monitor.
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How do we customers?
communicate
with
our
The low hanging fruit in communicating with our customers is the making of periodic --- hourly seems about right --announcements about basic information pertinent to the bingo hall. Appropriate topics might be the schedule upon which the bingo hall is open, any upcoming specials, the next Milestone Party and cross selling of other related bingo halls. The cross selling of other bingo halls is very important when we have a C and B bingo hall co-located but also in Charleston, Columbia and Greenville where we have several related bingo halls. We should also be touting the player loyalty and rewards program. The bingo hall manager should be an active participant by making some of these announcements and by providing scripted messages to the bingo callers.
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Verifying winners
Remember to place the same emphasis on articulation, enunciation and projection when verifying winners as you do when calling bingo balls.
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Game transition
The most important element of time management in a bingo hall may not be the speed with which individual bingo numbers are called The most important element of time management in a bingo hall may be the manner in which the bingo caller transitions to the next game This often takes the form of ensuring that the customer knows what next game the runners are selling while the current game is being played This game transition is a critical element in smoothly managing the flow of the bingo games
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Announcements
One of the critically lost opportunities in our bingo halls is the failure to make announcements on a periodic and regular basis. This falls under the classification of COMMUNICATION. Announcements should be scripted to ensure uniformity and should be made on the hour all day long. Announcements should thank customers for patronizing the bingo hall, announce future promotions or specials and solicit participation in things such as the Players Club. This is vitally important and something that much be changed immediately.
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Scripts
One of the most important skills of a successful bingo caller is the ability to provide a consistent and coherent message whether announcing a game, calling balls, transitioning to the next game, verifying a winner or making a general announcement. Please write out a script for each of the following communications --- one that you can use and one which has your smile in its communication:
A game announcement --- program or special, color paper, winning configuration or pattern, prize, wild numbers and first ball. A transition to the next game announcement indicating that runners are on the floor selling paper for the next game --- program or special, winning configuration, wild numbers and price. A winning configuration verification. A set of general announcements describing the bingo hall and its playing times and any impending specials or promotions.
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Flash cards
In preparation for the final exam, flash cards have been created and can be found on a website --- www.quizlet.com. Go to this website and use the following information to access and use the flashcards. Quizlet will allow you to use the flashcards and to create practice tests as preparation for the final exam. User name: BingoCaller Password: Bingo Additional password, if necessary: bingo Go to Quizlet and work those flashcards.
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Recognition
Everyone who completes this workbook and this training course will be recognized in the following manner:
Each graduate who completes the course and scores at last 75% on the test will receive a pin to be worn on their bingo uniform. Each graduate will receive a certificate of graduation and recognition upon attainment of a 75% score on the test. Each graduate who makes an 85% or better on their first taking of the test will receive an immediate $0.25/hour increase in their compensation. Each graduate who scores higher than 90% on their first taking of the test will receive a $100 bonus.
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Test
Bingo, like life, is a graded exercise. It is not a pass fail exercise. To receive the recognition noted earlier, you have to attain a 75% score on the test. You may take the test as many times as you want but you can only receive the pay increase and $100 bonus based upon the first attempt.
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NOTES
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