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A suite at the Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort


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Mark Juliano

The Customer
Experience

Editors’ Note

Mark Juliano joined Trump Entertainment Resorts in August 2005, serving as Chief Operating Officer until his appointment as CEO in August 2007. With nearly 30 years of experience in the gaming and hospitality businesses, Juliano previously served as President of Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, where he reestablished that property as a leader on the Las Vegas strip. He served as President and Chief Operating Officer of Caesars Atlantic City from 1994 to 1999, and has served on the executive staff of the former Caesars World, Inc. Juliano joined the marketing department of Caesars Atlantic City in 1986, later serving as Director of VIP Services, Assistant Vice President of Casino Services, and President of Caesars World Marketing Corporation, National and International Divisions, among other roles. The recipient of numerous awards for his charitable and professional activities, Juliano has served on the boards of the Atlantic City Medical Center, Alex’s Lemonade Stand, the Sisters of Mercy, and Opportunity Village, and is the former Chairman of the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority.

Company Brief

Based in Atlantic City, Trump Entertainment Resorts, Inc. (www.trumpcasinos.com) is a leading gaming company that owns and operates three properties: Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort, and Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino, both located on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, and Trump Marina Hotel Casino, located in Atlantic City’s marina district. The company is the sole vehicle through which its Chairman and largest stockholder, Donald J. Trump, conducts gaming activities, and is separate and distinct from Trump’s real estate and other holdings.

What is your outlook for growth, as you look ahead to 2008?

My outlook for growth in Atlantic City is good. We’re having some short-term issues right now, because we’ve had some competition next door, in Pennsylvania, which has had an impact. However, Atlantic City is continuing its transformation into a resort town, and we’re actively playing our part in that. We’re adding rooms at the Taj, and we have announced that we’re building three more hotel casinos and have the capacity to add additional hotel towers at our existing casinos. Increasing room inventory is going to be really helpful in transforming the market into what will be a good regional resort destination.

Trump Entertainment Resorts has a number of properties in Atlantic City. How closely do your different properties coordinate their approach to this market?

We coordinate quite closely now. We did not always, but we introduced the Trump One card last summer, which gives us the ability to share data and information from all of our customer databases. It also enables us to market to our customers as one company, and in the process of doing that, we aim to establish an identity that is somewhat the same overall, and yet distinctly different for each of our properties.

We’re positioning the Taj as the flagship of the company. That’s where higher-end customers willing to pay higher prices will be comfortable, and we’re able to meet all their expectations there. With Trump Plaza, we’re trying to leverage our center Boardwalk location, with all of the entertainment that’s available at center Boardwalk, at the Plaza, and at the Pier at Caesars. So that property appeals to a slightly younger customer. The Marina is similar to the Plaza, but aimed at more of a middle-aged crowd.

Spas have become an essential feature of luxury properties. Do you feel that you need spa facilities at all of your properties?

Yes, we definitely think it’s something we need to take seriously. We do have plans to refurbish the spa at the Taj. When we do that, it will be with an emphasis on the service aspect. We want to be able to offer all of those luxury pampering services that people are willing to pay for and expect when they come to a high-end property.

Some hotels have hired celebrity chefs to give their food and beverage offering a boost. What is your approach to food and beverage? Do you see it as an area where you can generate significant revenue?

Thus far, we have not gone down the celebrity chef route, although we will be embracing that shortly. We’re working on a few deals right now. I think it’s important, because it gives you something significant to market. Quite frankly, if you have a good culinary staff, you can provide the same food, if not better, but it’s much harder to create the kind of buzz that a celebrity chef can. So we do think we need to bring a couple of them in, maybe one at the Taj and another at the Plaza, so that people start to talk more about our food product.

On the surface, resort properties can appear to be very similar. How difficult is it to differentiate in a crowded market like Atlantic City?

Broadly speaking, it’s very hard, although it’s a little easier for us because of the Trump name. That is what we use to differentiate ourselves in this market. Beyond that, I think it’s crucially important to focus on the customer experience, in order to make sure your product stands out from the rest. It you do that, you are more likely to get repeat business, and you can build a reputation for delivering the kind of service people expect and enjoy.

How do you balance the demand for high-tech gadgets with the need to maintain the all-important human touch?

Every time you remove an employee from a transaction, you remove an opportunity for a customer to relate to your product in a different way. Again, it’s about the customer experience. There are opportunities for employees to infuse some personality into your establishment, which enhances the business. For example, recognizing customers when they come back is one of the greatest things for the customer. If you don’t have those interactions between guests and employees, you can’t develop those relationships. So although the convenience and efficiency of technology is something that we all need to embrace, we need to continue to offer that one-on-one service also.

Your time is obviously pulled in many different directions. How do you define your role today, in leading the brand throughout Atlantic City?

It’s challenging sometimes, because my job is to create a vision and a pathway, and a long-term strategy for the company, which includes identifying new jurisdictions for us to be in, and continuing to improve the properties that we already have. When I’m in one of the properties, I often get pulled into the day-to-day stuff that requires my attention, but I have to be careful not to do too much of it. We have three very good general managers now, so I try to step back and let them run the hotels.