Lottery Retailers Display Resilency in Face of Hurricanes
Immediately following the hurricanes, the Lottery's primary concern was for its employees' and retailers' safety and well-being. With loss of the New Orleans office, which is expected to be operational at the beginning of the calendar year, employees were temporarily reassigned to other regional offices throughout the state.
As the Powerball jackpot steadily climbed in September and October, customer calls came in from within and outside our state's borders inquiring about places to purchase tickets. While telecommunications services continued to be spotty in many areas, customer relations staff resorted to daily phone calls to retailers to determine their operational status in order to make player referrals.
As of the end of October, all but 400 of hurricane-affected retailers, or about 16 percent of the Lottery retailer base, were back on-line and and conducting regular business operations to varying degrees. These hard-working Louisiana businesses demonstrate the drive and resilient spirit that Louisiana has come to be known for.
"We recognize the damage has in some cases been irreparable, but we will not let these hurricanes weaken our will or strength to pick up the pieces and go forward. Rest assured, the Lottery remains committed to helping affected retailers get back to business," said Lottery President Randy Davis.