Inside Asian Gaming

inside asian gaming August 2015 38 CASINO MARKETING W hat if in some sci-fi style cataclysm, we were left with no new customers? All that remains are the customers we have right this very moment. What would we say to them? How could we keep them? What would we do to get back the customers who tried us out once or twice, but chose to go elsewhere? As marketers, we are always looking to “fill the funnel” with new customers. This isn’t another article telling you that your slots won’t attract Millennials so you better think of some other way to get them. This isn’t about inbound marketing or sales pipelines. This is about nurturing the relationships we have right now, both those that are already strong and those that are barely breathing. All of us know how to get new customers: advertising, free slot play for new sign-ups, rebates… we’ve seen them all. We’ve used them all. No one can argue that casino marketers do a great job at reinvesting in customers. We live and die if the mail is not in hand on time. What I’m talking about is building the future with what we have in our hands right now as well as what is slipping away. No more new customers. Marketers, especially those new to their positions, are trained to find the quick hits—things that show the boss has made the right decision and can rest easy. For most, this is achieved via acquisition marketing. Sometimes, those quick hits are cost cuts. I propose we look at creating increased revenue from the sources sitting right under our noses. Let’s turn our attention to the customers who are already within our grasp and find ways to generate more business from them. Those relationships are waiting to be nurtured and cultivated. We typically leave retention up to the direct mail and the nurturing of high-worth relationships to player development teams. We generally accept the theory that 80% of our revenue comes from 20% of the customers, but does that mean we can’t drive more revenue from the remaining 80% of our customers? We’ve got the tools. Let’s use them. OUR PEOPLE Yes, I know that I tend to go on and on about employee engagement, but relationships need people. How we treat our people will determine how our people treat our relationships. Call centers are a great example of a waste of people power. Call centers are rewarded for resolving calls quickly. The faster the resolution, the more calls an operator can handle. The more calls an operator can handle, the lower our cost per call. But what if we thought about making the cost a cost per relationship? Would you want to short-change the time spent building a relationship? You may not have a call center, but you certainly have lines forming at your buffet, at your cage, and at your players club. You Casinos have been profitable getting the lion’s share of play and proceeds from the top 20% of their customers. However, a greater contribution from the other 80% of patrons may be needed to assure success going forward. By Julia Carcamo Getting More From the Majority