Uniforms Add to the Showmanship at Award-Winning Rivers Casino

Showmanship is a key ingredient for any casino resort’s success.  Employees’ attire is a major part of a property’s magical ambiance.  The award-winning Rivers Casino Des Plaines, Illinois understands this.  It fields more than 20,000 custom-designed staff uniforms to maintain the attractive look that casino guests enjoy and uses advanced UHF-RFID tracking technology to monitor each one.
 
“We have nearly 1,300 employees and 12 to 15 different uniform styles,” says Olga Pellecer, Rivers Casino wardrobe supervisor. “Each of our seven food and beverage outlets have unique themes and uniforms.” This many uniforms usually require labor-intensive procedures to hand sort and track garments.  Rivers Casino wanted a more efficient process so it installed InvoTech’s GIMS™ Uniform System with UHF-RFID technology. Please click here to request more information on GIMS™.
 
GIMS™ tracks garments automatically
“RFID tracking technology enables us to run an effective garment operation with just four people,” says Pellecer.  InvoTech provides Rivers Casino’s uniform supplier with UHF-RFID tracking tags so new uniforms arrive with tags already sewn in.  The GIMS™ real-time tracking system knows the location of each uniform once it arrives on property.
 
When employees come to work each day, they wave their ID card near a reader in the uniform room.  This triggers an automated conveyer system that delivers the correct uniform in less than a minute. InvoTech’s GIMS™ Uniform System automatically records which uniforms were picked up, and to whom the uniforms were issued.
 
UHF-RFID system counts hundreds of garments per minute without hand sorting
“Returning soiled uniforms is as easy as dropping clothing into a hamper,” Pellecer said. “A GIMS™ reader detects each item, logs it into the soiled bin and registers it for cleaning.” When moving soiled garments to and from the laundry pick up area, the staff pushes full carts past a GIMS™ UHF-RFID tracking station.  GIMS™ automatically and instantly identifies, counts, and logs hundreds of uniforms per minute without hand sorting.
 
“When uniforms go out, we have one person pushing laundry carts,” says Pellecer. “When we receive deliveries from the laundry, one person can take delivery of 20 boxes with 1,000 pieces in a single operation. The GIMS™ system automatically cross-references our records against our vendor’s invoice, and then we can send the garments to a storage area. Without GIMS™, we would need two or three people to do a manual count. That would take much more time for a much less accurate accounting.”
 
Accurate reporting reduces losses, saves money and optimizes purchases
Just as important as speed and ease of operation is GIMS™’s accurate data and reporting, emphasizes Pellecer. “The system always knows who has each garment item. We’ve cut way back on losses. I know whether a garment is on our conveyor awaiting pickup, issued to staff, or out for cleaning or repair. If a piece goes missing, I know who’s responsible.” GIMS™ also allows Pellecer to check the vendor’s invoice against resort records.  “We can instantly access which garments we sent for what treatment or repair and compare this with the laundry’s billing. I always know if we’ve been charged correctly and this saves us a great deal of money.”
 
Because GIMS™ creates a history for each garment, the system also simplifies uniform reordering.  “We know how often a piece has been worn, cleaned, and repaired,” Pellecer explains. “Department heads come to me for an accurate new uniform budget since GIMS™ tracks when it’s time to reorder each garment style. There’s no more guess work. With GIMS™ I am completely up to date on inventory and our system does a better job across our entire uniform operation with fewer staff and less time.”
 
 
About Rivers Casino
At Rivers Casino Des Plaines, Illinois step into the excitement of nearly 1,050 slots and 48 table games. Find all of your favorites and so much more on our entirely non-smoking 43,000 square foot gaming floor. Cha Ching. For more information, visit http://playrivers.com.
 
 
About InvoTech Systems
InvoTech Systems, Inc. – a Microsoft Certified Partner – is a leading provider of high quality and innovative inventory control systems for hotels, casinos, resorts, theme parks, and sports arenas.  The company’s GIMS™ asset management solution and tracking systems manage uniforms, linens, and laundries. Its SAMS™ systems manage security and guest services operations. Both GIMS™ and SAMS™ provide ultimate control and accountability, streamline operations, improve quality and loss control, and reduce labor. The GIMS™ ultra high frequency, radio frequency identification (UHF-RFID) system, in particular, fully automates uniform and linen tracking. This allows managers to eliminate labor from cost centers and instead put staff to work enhancing revenues. The worldwide roster of more than 500 customers includes MGM Resorts International, Ritz-Carlton Hotels, Hyatt Hotels, Starwood Hotels and Resorts, Hilton Hotels, Universal Studios, and Madison Square Garden. InvoTech Systems is rooted in a culture that emphasizes long-term client relationships, superior customer service, and on-going technology innovation and integration. For more information, please visit www.invotech.com. 
 
 
CONTACTS:
InvoTech Systems, Inc.
Jeff Welles, Vice President
16530 Ventura Blvd., Suite 603
Encino, CA 91436 USA
Phone: 818-574-6866  
Email:  Sales(at)invotech.com
www.invotech(dot)com
 
 
For Rivers Casino
Emily Watts
Phone: 717-507-3754 (mobile)
Email: emilyw(at)jackhorner.com
www.theriverscasino(dot)com
 
 
Media Contact:
Julie Keyser-Squires, APR
Softscribe Inc.
180 River Springs Drive NW
Atlanta, GA 30328
Phone: 404-256-5512
Email:  Julie(at)softscribeinc.com
www.softscribeinc(dot)com

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