MRI Casino Marketing Blog
Casino to Gambler Value Proposition

There’s no doubt that today is a digital world, and technology often makes life more convenient and easier. But, it’s also important to note that technology will never supply all of the things that human beings offer — like intuition, empathy, and personal attention. For that reason, the best casinos are the ones that combine digital, automated offerings (apps, digital marketing materials, geolocation, etc.) with human service, to achieve the most mutually beneficial outcome for both casinos and their customers.

I have conducted hundreds of focus groups to learn about gamblers and their behaviors in casino markets throughout the U.S. and Canada. One common characteristic in every single one was that gamblers are savvy consumers and keenly aware of who offers the best value.

Value was built into every message during my tenure with Horseshoe Gaming. It was an easy sell, as Jack Binion’s reputation centered on it. Our messages weren’t just marketing rhetoric. They resonated. Gamblers believed them because they were true, and Jack stood behind them.

Jack took his father Benny’s lead and developed a similar approach to customer service: “(My father) never thought about maximizing immediate profits. Instead, he believed and taught all of us to treat customers as if they were guests in our homes — with respect and class. The large corporate casinos sometimes scoff at this notion. But the Benny Binion persona has been permanently imprinted on the way we do business.” — excerpted from “Jack Binion’s Little Black Book” ©1998

New digital communication tools are essential for casinos, especially when it comes to increasing their bottom line. All casinos can benefit from things like mobile apps, kiosks, a CRM, geolocation, push notifications and more. Also, casinos that can use predictive analytics for their marketing efforts can make sure that their ads are seen by the people who want to see them. Digital tools offer value both to casinos, who can do business faster and with less effort, and customers, who obviously like fast, easy, convenient experiences.

Despite the importance of digital tools and automation, casinos should cherish the efforts of human employees. In fact, the very best value to customers is a casino that combines human service and tech.

When you have human staff, they can plan, set up and execute your technological solutions. They help ensure that communications are delivered to gamblers at the best times for both parties. They can also listen to customer feedback and better understand their experiences. This is essential for continuing things that customers like and respond well to — or fixing things that they don’t like in real time. Despite the power of technology, no new gadget, tech method or social media platform can create a genuine two-way channel for real communication. It’s the staff who can give personal attention and terrific service — the things that make one casino more valuable to customers than another.

One of the most important ways to keep gamblers happy and returning to a business is by making them feel heard, catered to and cared for. By training staff to listen to and take care of customers, you can reap the benefits both of how convenient technology makes things — and how happy customers are when they feel like they’ve received genuinely excellent service.

Nowadays, the ability to cut through the clutter with marketing messages is tremendously difficult. Your casino needs a good reputation of delivering value. Value for gamblers isn’t necessarily winning jackpots or two-for-one buffet specials. The return you can provide on their investment in you is a great experience: a real good time that gave them what they needed — and where you anticipated what they needed before they had to ask.

In the end, technology is necessary for any casino that wants to stay head-to-head (or ahead) of competitors and offer a pleasant, stress-free experience for gamblers. However, if you want your casino to offer the best value for customers, you can’t just rely on gadgets and tech. You need to use people and human skills to make your brand stand apart. By combining man and machine, you can take advantage of the perfect recipe for casino success.