Dear Mark,
Ever since I joined a slot club, I have been deluged
with mail from a certain casino. Why me, I'm just
a quarter player? Alex C.
Bombarding
people with promotional mail is one way the casino expects
to develop customer loyalty. We all have our own brand
identification: Tide, Miracle Whip, and Charmin. The
casino wants you to feel the same cozy familiarity with
their joint that you experience with your toilet paper.
Casinos can develop a customer base in either of two
ways. They can grow by getting more business from their
existing properties
through their current
"loyal" patrons. Or they can cough bazillions
of bucks and build more mega-resorts. The former
is a tad bit cheaper.
Slot clubs programs are patterned after two give-away
pioneers, American Airlines and American Express.
Casinos offer "frequent better" programs
through their slot clubs that rewards participants
with perks, rooms, meals, and shows. By pouring
money into their slot machines, you, Alex, can be
rewarded with trips to the buffet to pile on the
prime rib, fried shrimp, and mac-and-cheese. The
chow line is the casino's way of encouraging repeat
business and rewarding loyal customers.
Slot clubs cost nothing to join and in no way affect
the payout of the machines. Smart slot club members
learn to take advantage of these rewards without
increasing their normal play. If you continue to
join slot clubs, wisdom lies in selecting the best
machines possible and managing your money wisely.
On the debit side, new software has been developed
that not only keeps track of how much customers
gamble, but also predicts who might be induced to
gamble more. Be forewarned, Alex, that your allegiance
to ABC casino could come at a steep price.
