Casinos are quite popular because of the exciting gambling options offered by them. But the growing competition in the segment is making casino owners think of new ways to retain customers. While loyalty programs have been used for a long time to reward customers, the focus has shifted to offering rewards that will motivate customers to come again and again. These programs offer marketing value while serving as a powerful inducement to return to a casino. Consequently, luxury casino resort owners are developing loyalty programs with rewards and benefits to encourage customers to stay, play, and enjoy thereby increasing the casino’s brand value and profitability.
What Makes a Casino Loyalty Program Successful?
The success of any loyalty program depends on the rewards offered under it and can be judged by the level of repeat business resulting from it. A successful casino loyalty program is devised based on the needs and wants of the players and the guests. The rewards should be designed in such a way that they attract and convince the existing players or guests to not only come back but refer others too. The tier points issued by a casino increase as a customer plays more and with an increase in the status, the available rewards increase.
While designing rewards or loyalty programs, luxury casino resort owners must gather information about their guests, their behaviors, and preferences and then customize the rewards. Say if a player loves to watch live shows, the casino can offer show tickets. Similarly giving free credits to a customer who likes to play slots will be more effective than giving them an offer for a table game or music show. Offering discounts on room rates can be an effective strategy to reward existing loyal customers and encourage them to visit again and again.
Rewards to Look Out for in a Loyalty Program
Since the basic motive of a loyalty program is to retain existing customers, motivate them to come back frequently, and encourage them to refer their friends too, it should include a variety of rewards to suit the interests of varied customers. Some casino resorts award points for every dollar spent by the customers on staying, playing, dining, and even shopping. The rewards programs are designed in such a way that more rewards are offered to customers with higher spending. Some programs even allow customers to use the reward or loyalty points not only at the casino where they earned them but also across other associated properties.
Let us look at some features of a casino loyalty program:
- Attractive Offers: The most popular and attractive rewards for loyalty include gifts, free play, complimentary rooms, and show tickets. A casino resort having multiple restaurants and in-house shows can reward loyal customers by offering them discounted rooms or free tickets to special shows or even free play offers. The more a customer plays, higher are the rewards associated with it. Free dining or discounted rates at in-house restaurants at a casino resort are attractive offers to be included in a loyalty program.
- Coupons or Comp Dollars: Many casinos reward their customers by giving them comp dollars for their slot and table game play. These comp dollars can be used for getting discounts while dining, shopping or hotel stays within a specific duration.
- Same-Day Free Play: Many casinos offer same-day free play at any slot machine as a customer plays. These rewards are based on slot play and allow the customers to play more.
- Travel Perks: Some casino resorts offer attractive travel perks to their loyal customers. These include free or discounted tickets to cruise trips or stays in group hotels or resorts. Invitations to exclusive events in the future are also offered as perks to existing customers.
- Stay Benefits: Some casino loyalty programs come with additional benefits like free parking or valet parking, reserved parking spots, and complimentary transportation to nearby attractions or markets. Presale access to music shows and live events are some other perks that are offered to reward loyal customers.
- Easy Accessibility to Loyalty Rewards: Customers can collect loyalty points and use them to avail themselves of the various benefits attached to their loyalty or rewards cards. The status of the collected points and the rewards attached can be checked online by visiting the rewards portal of the casino or the casino resort.
Loyalty programs that are designed after studying the customers’ demography and interests tend to perform well and aid in building long-term relationships.