Unleashing the Potential of Multifunctional Apps to Harmonize User Interaction through a Cohesive Approach (IGA)
Revamped Dispatch
Unified Casino Experiences: Are You Keeping Up?
From the Heart of the Action at IGA Convention
Bar-None Blog Exclusive
Are you still juggling separate apps for casino gaming, hotel bookings, loyalty, and dining? If so, it's high time to step your game up!
At the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention in sunny San Diego, Everi's Hannah Finch and Vicki Griffin demonstrated why it's essential for casinos to streamline their digital guest experience. They also shed light on the most typical missteps in app strategy!
Here's what caught our attention:
"Let's face it," said Finch, Everi's Mobile Group Product Manager, "We often encounter these gaming, hotel booking, loyalty, and dining functionalities in separate apps. Today's mission is to discuss how to transition towards a phenomenal guest-focused app that truly matters."
A real-time pulse check from the session revealed what most marketing gurus already suspected. Players expect loyalty first, followed by seamless booking, mobile check-in, and easy communication with hosts. However, Griffin, Everi's VP of Program Strategy, highlighted that focusing only on features overlooks the bigger picture.
"Your app should transcend merely a pool of features," she emphasized. "It's your main marketing platform! Utilize notifications, SMS, inbox messages to digitally engage with your guests. Every department needs to contribute!"
The most common faux pas? Going it alone!
"Traditionally, marketing and IT 'own' the app," Griffin explained. "But if hotel, gaming, and F&B aren't involved from the get-go, your app becomes obsolete sooner rather than later."
Finch recommended operators to tackle app development with clear objectives and a phased rollout plan.
"What's your ultimate goal? Lower front-desk wait times? Push personalized offers based on player behavior? Boost loyalty enrollments? Start with that. Develop your strategy in crawl-walk-run stages."
Griffin reminded attendees of the importance of personalization beyond simply addressing guests by their names in promotional materials.
"Once upon a time, recipients' names on personalized postcards were nothing short of revolutionary," she reminisced. "Now, it's about providing context. If John's a high-limit player, your app should acknowledge his preferences!"
Finch pointed out that guests are surprisingly open to sharing personal information for improved experiences, citing Statistics from Salesforce, indicating that 56 percent of users are willing to share personal data for enhanced experiences.
The speakers further urged operators to test apps with staff and VIP guests before a grand release.
"Test with your employees initially," Finch advised. "If they aren't adept at using the app, they won't endorse it. They'll tell guests to bypass it!"
"Put a spin on your app launch!" added Griffin. "Monitor which staff members trigger the most downloads. Create enthusiasm. If your frontline is indifferent, your guests will be too."
Griffin wrapped up her talk with a stern warning regarding short-term thinking: "Too often, the person who launched the app moves on. There's no roadmap, and the app becomes stale. You need infrastructure that can grow and evolve!"
To achieve a unified and engaging digital experience for casino guests while avoiding common pitfalls, consider the following strategies:
- Clear Objectives and Phased Strategy: Strategize for a seamless app experience across gaming, hospitality, and entertainment.
- Identify Must-have Features: Essential features may include top-notch gaming experiences, guest services, personalized interactions, quick loading times, and prompt customer support.
- Competitor Analysis: Study market trends and capitalize on competitors' weaknesses to set your app apart.
- Choose the Right Technology: Native app development or web-based solutions like HTML5 can offer superior user experiences.
- Security and Compliance: Ensure compliance with gaming regulations and security standards by implementing secure authentication methods and adhering to local gaming laws.
- Error Handling and Performance Optimization: Implement robust error handling mechanisms and optimize performance to provide smooth experiences for users.
By embracing these strategies, casino operators can dazzle their guests with a unified and captivating digital experience while avoiding common pitfalls.
- Everi's Hannah Finch highlighted the need for casinos to transition towards a single app, focusing on a guest-centric experience that truly matters.
- Vicki Griffin, Everi's VP of Program Strategy, emphasized the importance of utilizing notifications, SMS, and inbox messages to digitally engage guests and recommended involving all departments in the app's development.
- In reference to app development, Griffin warned against traditional approaches where marketing and IT "own" the app, suggesting a phased rollout plan with clear objectives and the participation of all relevant departments.
- In a conversation about the importance of personalization, Griffin pointed out that providing context beyond just addressing guests by their names is crucial, as modern guests expect more tailored experiences, such as acknowledging their gaming preferences in the app.
