Texas Holdem Poker Directory

Technology to track players to increase loyalty

12/12/2000

A tracking system is being developed to reward frequent players

Frequent players will now be rewarded for the patronage thanks to an electronic tracking system. The idea for the tracking system began with a handful of casinos launching slot clubs offering freebies, discounted food and show tickets to loyal slot gamblers. The system has now been expanded to table games and customers who don't gamble.
Through the use of frequent rewards cards that link gamblers' accounts at different casinos, the casino industry will be able to reward regular patrons.
The club cards allow gamblers to earn points for betting on slots and table games, dining at casino restaurants or buying items at casino gift shops.
When a blackjack dealer swipes a card through the casino's tracking machine, the system measures the time the gambler plays and awards points accordingly. The same points-accumulation method is used for slot players.
The tracking system can alert casino personnel that a particular gambler is on the floor, and can even give employees tips to help a conversation along. "These systems are getting better at greeting customers, like recognizing their birthday or recalling their wife's name," Jeffrey Compton, a player club analyst for Las Vegas-based Compton Dancer Consulting Inc. said during a recent seminar at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' International Gaming Institute.
However, the technology is still in its early stages, as resort operators test its capabilities.
Financial analysts say Harrah's Entertainment has been the leader in linking its properties, with the company's wide national network of resorts across the country. Mandalay Resort Group is also planning a companywide loyalty program in 2001.

Technology to track players to increase loyalty

A tracking system is being developed to reward frequent players

Frequent players will now be rewarded for the patronage thanks to an electronic tracking system. The idea for the tracking system began with a handful of casinos launching slot clubs offering freebies, discounted food and show tickets to loyal slot gamblers. The system has now been expanded to table games and customers who don't gamble.
Through the use of frequent rewards cards that link gamblers' accounts at different casinos, the casino industry will be able to reward regular patrons.
The club cards allow gamblers to earn points for betting on slots and table games, dining at casino restaurants or buying items at casino gift shops.
When a blackjack dealer swipes a card through the casino's tracking machine, the system measures the time the gambler plays and awards points accordingly. The same points-accumulation method is used for slot players.
The tracking system can alert casino personnel that a particular gambler is on the floor, and can even give employees tips to help a conversation along. "These systems are getting better at greeting customers, like recognizing their birthday or recalling their wife's name," Jeffrey Compton, a player club analyst for Las Vegas-based Compton Dancer Consulting Inc. said during a recent seminar at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' International Gaming Institute.
However, the technology is still in its early stages, as resort operators test its capabilities.
Financial analysts say Harrah's Entertainment has been the leader in linking its properties, with the company's wide national network of resorts across the country. Mandalay Resort Group is also planning a companywide loyalty program in 2001.

Yet, Compton notes that a wide national network, such as Harrah's, offers some limitations. "At Harrah's, it's not so clear how you earned your points since it's on such a wide system across 20 different properties, in 20 different markets with 20 different comp packages," Compton said. "Different things are comped at different values at each resort."
Most player's clubs disclose to the member details of how he or she accumulated points.
Compton predicts every casino with at least 375 slot machines will have a player rewards program within the next three to four years. "The only ones who won't have it are the ones who can't afford it or the small casinos that say they are still small enough to know all their customers," Compton said, noting that such computer systems are at least a $500,000 investment.

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