5 things a casino operation should get from a GPO

Casino operators: It’s time to reevaluate the definition of a successful Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) partnership.

Cost savings? Yes.

Only cost savings? NO. 

A GPO helps drive myriad efficiencies throughout your operation. With a unique ability to understand a casino operation's pain points, the right GPO can help you:

• Streamline your operation
• Manage distribution alignment
• Power up with tech
• Provide transparency, flexibility and client service
• Create revenue-driving ideas

Below, we'll dive into each of these, so you understand how the right GPO needs to support both cost savings and your overall business performance.

What exactly is a GPO?

First of all, what is a GPO? Casino operations and other businesses leverage the collective buying power of a GPO, like Entegra, to get better prices and a broader selection of high-quality food & beverage (F&B), non-food items and services. Read our GPO FAQ and GPO myths and facts to learn more.

Beyond purchasing and procurement, a best-in-class GPO acts as a partner to:

1. Streamline your operation
   Operators are doing more with less due to labor shortages, tighter budgets and inflation.
   
   The right GPO streamlines operations by helping with a wide range of initiatives from SKU rationalization to cross-menu utilization to vendor consolidation. The ability to integrate with your existing deals and contracts is also key.
2. Manage distribution alignment
   Supply chain consistency is essential to any casino operator.
   
   An established GPO like Entegra—the world’s largest food GPO and part of the global enterprise Sodexo—ensures distribution issues are handled before they reach you. Longstanding relationships with distribution partners based on both relationships and sheer volume make a huge difference.
3. Power up with tech
   Historical purchasing data should help you make strategic procurement decisions going forward.
   
   A best-in-class GPO must provide client-accessible technology that facilitates this. At Entegra, every client will soon have access to the newly rebuilt Entegra PurchasingIQ, which provides key purchasing data from every stage of the purchasing journey, all from one place.
   Highlights of the newly rebuilt Entegra PurchasingIQ include the ability to:
   • Manage and analyze spend by category, brand or SKU down to the unit level.
   • Browse National Savings Programs, products and prices from a vast array of suppliers and easily request samples.
   • Understand market trends to sharpen procurement strategies.
   • Gain access to game-changing add-on tools, like Entegra Shopping Assistant, to find the best deals while shopping on a broadline vendor’s e-commerce site.
     
     Clearly, real live experts dedicated to shaping your data-driven decision-making are also critical. More on that next…
4. Provide transparency, flexibility and client service
   With a 98% client retention rate, client service is truly a key Entegra differentiator. Hear from the Director of Supply Chain and Merchandising at Areas USA in this video and see for yourself. And check out more Entegra client success stories for real-life examples of our value-added approach to every GPO partnership.
   
   ​Busy casino operators don’t have time to manage unexpected fees, pesky purchasing minimums, and rigid supplier choices, all of which many GPOs espouse. Entegra clients enjoy:
   • No membership fees to join
   • Pricing clarity: Savings—and the rebates you earn through purchases—are always fully disclosed at Entegra.
   • Item-level visibility: Access to financial information down to the line item lets you accurately track, predict and optimize rebate earnings.
   • No product compliance requirements: While choosing Entegra-contracted products secures higher savings, you and your teams are still free to purchase non-contracted items if preferred. 
5. Create revenue-driving ideas
   ​Grab ‘n Go solutions, ATMs, electric vehicle charging, vending machines — who doesn’t love supplementary revenue? From ideation to production, the right GPO is a creative partner, helping to drive profits and boost performance in addition to saving you money.

Ready to explore how Entegra can help you streamline your operations while boosting your overall business performance? Contact us today.