Taking care of your loyal and high roller players is of the utmost importance for online casino business success. For this reason, you need to ensure that you have the best VIP management in place to keep these players feeling valued, satisfied and returning. Loyal and big spending customers are what bring in the largest percentage of your revenue. Not sure what you need to do to keep these big spenders happy? Casinnovate has the basic information you need to better understand the importance of offering a quality casino VIP program and service.
Check out the iGaming software providers with the best VIP management services:
What is Casino VIP Management?
Essentially, casino VIP management is a special team of marketers and customer service agents who are dedicated to maintaining direct relationships with premium customers. Their focus is to increase the lifetime value of these customers and maximize their profitability.
What is a casino VIP?
If you are unfamiliar with the term, VIP stands for “Very Important Person”. No matter if the term is being used for online casinos or anywhere else, it has the same meaning. With that said, in regard to casinos, VIP is specifically used in reference to high rollers, which is a term given to players with large wallets who make big deposits and big bets.
To attract and maintain these players, casinos – both land-based and online – have casino VIP programs or some type of long-term rewarding loyalty program for high rollers (e.g high rollers club, etc.). In most cases, programs are designed to feature different categories to classify different levels for VIP players. Usually the more a VIP plays and spends, the higher up the ladder they climb, gaining access to more perks and rewards along the way.
Sometimes, casinos refer to their VIP players as MVG, which stands for “Most Valuable Guest”. However, this term is less commonly used in the iGaming industry.
How Do Casinos Manage Their VIP Customers?
Usually, the most successful online and mobile casinos manage their VIP customers using a particular set of marketing and customer service strategies that specifically target those players who take part in these loyalty programs. For instance, part of effectively managing VIP customers can include:
- Identifying, developing and executing an acquisition and retention program (e.g. VIP program)
- Planning, carrying out and hosting VIP customer events.
- Profiling and proactively segmenting VIP customers.
- Working closely with the CRM marketing team team to make sure there is proper segmentation of promotional offers and rewards.
- Direct communication with VIP customers through various communication channels, such as email, live chat and phone.
- Taking care of any queries or complaints that VIP customers may have, promptly, including beyond business hours when need be.
- Analysing competitors and the customer landscape to make certain the VIP program that has been implemented remains engaging and competitive.
Of course, how a casino operates and manages its VIP customers can differ from one site to the next. It depends on the type of program they run, what the program includes and what services are offered by the company providing the VIP management.
Casino VIP Programs
Generally speaking, online casino VIP programs are not overly different from any other standard loyalty program that many casinos offer. They both are typically based on a tier-based points system and follow the same overall principle: the more you spend, the more you get.
The standard multi-tiered VIP system
The vast majority of VIP programs operate as a tier-based points system. This means that there are multiple levels that players can climb. Each level offers certain benefits. These benefits grow in number and get better the higher the level.
To advance levels, typically players accumulate points, which they can earn in various ways depending on the program. For instance:
- Players earn points by playing real money games (e.g. 1 point for every $10 bet). In some cases, players may need to bet more on certain games to earn points (e.g. 1 point for every $10 bet on slots vs. 1 point for every $20 bet on roulette, etc.). It all depends on the regulations.
- Points may be awarded to new players after making their first deposit.
- Points may be awarded with a special promotion or as a tournament prize.
- Points may be awarded when a player wagers a large amount, win or lose.
In terms of levels, some VIP programs may have three tiers while others can have five or more. It is also common for levels to be marked by colours (Red, Blue, Black, etc.), metals (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, etc.) or gems (e.g. Ruby, Emerald, Sapphire, Diamond, etc.). Sometimes, levels are given names that reflect the theme of the casino.
VIP program rewards
As previously stated, each level in the VIP program offers bigger and better long-term rewards, which is an incentive to encourage players to remain loyal and active. Depending on the level, rewards can include perks like:
- Exclusive bonuses and promotions
- Invitations to VIP-only events and tournaments
- Higher deposit limits
- Higher withdrawal limits
- Faster withdrawals
- Birthday bonus
- Cashback
- The opportunity to try/play new games first
- Personal VIP account manager
That said, of all the various perks that can be offered, personal VIP account managers are often the biggest perk and tend to a benefit available only to those players in the highest VIP levels. After all, a premium player expects and should receive premium service.
VIP managers provide players with bonuses and promotions that are tailored to that player’s specific preferences, taste and style of playing. This manager’s job is to essentially make the VIP’s experience at the casino a gratifying one.
How players can join VIP programs
How players can join VIP programs at a casino can differ. For the most part programs are offered either by special invitation only or they are free to join for any player. In the free-to-join scenario, more often than not, players automatically enter the first level of the program after they’ve made their first deposit.
However, it should also be noted that it is common for free-to-join VIP programs to reserve the last couple of levels that offer the best rewards and benefits to their most serious high rollers. As such, these are often designated as premium levels available by invitation only.
Regardless of how a player can join your casino’s VIP program, it is imperative that you provide them with clear terms and conditions. These T&Cs need to be clear about the rules of your program, how a player can become a VIP, collect points, what they need to do to stay active, reach new levels, and the importance of responsible gambling.
How to Find the Best VIP Management
It is important that you understand that VIP management is not the same as hiring a company to take care of your casino’s marketing. The job of those who are in charge of the VIP task is to look after your most valued players. These players are their top priority. Therefore, you need a company who has experience in providing this service.
The best VIP managers are those who:
- Have experience in customer relationships oriented roles in the iGaming industry, particularly in VIP accounts management
- Are fluent in the language of the customers you’re targeting
- Have a comprehensive understanding of VIP marketing, CRM and operations
- Can accurately and effectively profile and segment VIP customers
- Understand the importance of responsible gambling
- Know how to create a competitive and responsible VIP program
- Can handle customer queries and complaints and are willing to go above and beyond for VIP players
The companies that tend to offer the best VIP services that are legitimate, legal, reliable responsible and successful, are iGaming software providers like those that Casinnovate reviews in detail. These companies are not only experts in the online gambling industry, but many also offer a variety of casino solutions as well as products and services, including VIP management to help your business find success.
For instance, VIP services are often included in a white label casino package and is also available as a separate option for turnkey and self-service solutions. Most of these software providers list what they provide and are happy to answer your questions in regard to what they offer if you’re interested in reaching out to learn more. The bottom line is you have options.
Costs Associated with Casino VIP Programs
The costs associated with VIP management will likely be factored into the costs associated with marketing. As we explained in our online casino marketing section, marketing is one of the highest expenses of running an online casino.
That said, as with every service you might acquire for your casino, the costs associated with VIP management will depend on the company from whom you are obtaining the service, what features are involved and what your goals are. The best way to obtain a realistic idea of the type of fees you can expect is to ask the professionals you intend to hire for the job.
VIP Casino Management Tips – What to Consider
When you’re in search of stellar online casino VIP management services, you may find it useful to keep the following in mind:
- Choose a quality VIP management service – Experience matters. It’s not just about being a good marketer. Make sure you choose experts in the online gambling industry who understand the importance of increasing the lifetime value of high rollers.
- Be competitive – It’s not just enough to offer a VIP program. It needs to be just as good and better than the competition. You need to keep giving players a reason to continue depositing into your casino.
- Be responsible – Gambling VIP programs are often criticized for taking advantage of problem gamblers as the primary goal of these programs is to keep high rollers spending big. This is often done by offering enticing promotions and other benefits. You need to make sure you run a responsible VIP program, which includes keeping track of player habits, watching out for any problem gambling behavior and respecting a player’s request when they want to control their gambling or self-exclude.
VIP Management – Final Thoughts
Although it is not necessary to offer a casino VIP program, many brands do because it attracts high rollers and a bigger profit. If you should decide that you would like to include this type of long-term loyalty rewards program with what you offer, be sure to hire the very best VIP marketing and customer service experts to ensure optimum results.
Casinnovate reviews are the best place to start your search for the top VIP management services. Begin your search now!
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