Marketing system and method for customer specific promotions

Abstract

A marketing system and method for customer specific promotions providing a yield management tool for casino resort properties to more effectively manage entertainment related assets and inventories to build new and existing customer business. The system provides a convenient method for consumers to realize promotional incentives proportional to their player wagering status at a broader level within the casino resort industry while simultaneously delivering casino resort operators a cost effective tool to maximize the value of their assets. The system utilizes register user supplied player wagering and comp data, and historical waging data on said registered users collected by the system from participating casino resort properties to build a broad-based casino customer database defining the waging profiles of individual gaming customers. Built on the foundation of this industry-wide database resource, the system's electronic transaction platform construction provides casino resort properties a facility to interact directly with gaming oriented customers to present compelling, customer specific promotional offers at the point of purchase where said customers make casino resort air/room travel plans and review purchase decision options.

1 . A method of providing wagering profile based offers to potential customers, comprising: 
 providing a first database of potential customer wagering profiles;    receiving a request from said potential customer for a destination reservation;    obtaining wagering profile data for said potential customer from said first database;    utilizing said wagering profile data for said potential customer to generate one or more promotional incentive offers from one or more casino properties for said potential customer; and    responding to said request with at least one promotional incentive offers.    
   
   
       2 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising: 
 registering one or more casino properties for receiving said request.    
   
   
       3 . A method in accordance with  claim 2 , comprising: 
 providing a customer database of registered customer non-wagering information; and    registering said potential customer prior to receiving said request.    
   
   
       4 . A method in accordance with  claim 3 , comprising: 
 associating a unique account identifier and a customer database record in said customer database for each registered said potential customer.    
   
   
       5 . A method in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein: 
 said customer registering step comprises said registered user providing personal identification and contact information and creating a user name and password; and    said method further comprises storing said personal identification and contact information, user name and password in said customer database record.    
   
   
       6 . A method in accordance with  claim 5 , wherein: 
 said customer registering step comprises said registered user providing at least one of personal gaming preference and wagering profile information; and    said method further comprises storing said at least one of personal gaming preference and wagering profile information provided in said customer database record.    
   
   
       7 . A method in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein: 
 said customer registering step comprises said registered user providing account numbers for active player card accounts; and    said method further comprises storing said account numbers in said customer database record.    
   
   
       8 . A method in accordance with  claim 4 , wherein: 
 said customer registering step comprises said registered user providing account numbers for active player card accounts; and    said method further comprises storing said account numbers in said customer database record.    
   
   
       9 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said first database is associated with a casino management information system for one or more casino properties; and    said casino management information system monitors and tracks waging history data of casino customers.    
   
   
       10 . A method in accordance with  claim 9 , comprising: 
 storing casino customer wagering history data in said first database.    
   
   
       11 . A method in accordance with  claim 10 , wherein: 
 updating said first database with wagering profile information collected during each time period that a customer is a registered as being at said one or more casino properties.    
   
   
       12 . A method in accordance with  claim 11 , comprising: 
 registering a customer at one of said casino properties for purposes of determining said each time period.    
   
   
       13 . A method in accordance with  claim 12 , comprising: 
 providing a registration kiosk or other terminal located in or proximate each of said casino properties.    
   
   
       14 . A method in accordance with  claim 13 , comprising: 
 providing to a casino property corresponding to a registration kiosk or other terminal, user identification information for each new user registering at said casino property; and    said casino providing a player account and card for each said new registered user.    
   
   
       15 . A method in accordance with  claim 11 , comprising: 
 providing said casino customer wagering data collected to said casino property.    
   
   
       16 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein: 
 each said request includes travel plans of said potential customer, said plans including one or more dates of departure and dates of return and trip destination location.    
   
   
       17 . A method in accordance with  claim 16 , comprising: 
 responding to said request with reservation options for air transportation.    
   
   
       18 . A method in accordance with  claim 16 , comprising: 
 responding to said request with airline reservation options prepared and provided directly by airline operators.    
   
   
       19 . A method in accordance with  claim 16 , comprising: 
 responding to said request with hotel reservation options prepared and provided directly by participating casino-hotel properties.    
   
   
       20 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising: 
 registering said potential customer prior to receiving said request;    said customer registering step comprises said registered user providing at least one of personal gaming preference and wagering profile information; and    storing said at least one of personal gaming preference;    storing said wagering profile information in said first database record; and    preparing said incentive promotional offers on the basis of stored gaming preference and stored wagering profile data collected in said registering step.    
   
   
       21 . A method in accordance with  claim 20 , comprising: 
 updating said wagering profile data with wagering profile information collected during each time period that a customer is a registered as being at said one or more casino properties.    
   
   
       22 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising: 
 providing each of said incentive promotional offers on a “play to qualify” basis.    
   
   
       23 . A method in accordance with  claim 22 , comprising: 
 determining said promotional incentives a casino property at the end of the time period that a customer is registered at being at said casino property.    
   
   
       24 . A method in accordance with  claim 23 , comprising: 
 determining an amount or level of promotional incentive offered to a customer based on the amounts wagered by said customer during a stay at a casino property.    
   
   
       25 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising: 
 receiving an acceptance by said potential customer of said at least one of said potential incentive offers;    determining whether said potential customer is a new customer to the casino property corresponding to said acceptance; and    said casino property preparing a player card account for said potential customer.    
   
   
       26 . A method in accordance with  claim 25 , wherein: 
 making said player card available to said customer for pick-up upon arrival at said casino property.    
   
   
       27 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising: 
 responding to an acceptance of one of said incentive offers by a customer by determining if said customer is an existing customer of the casino property corresponding to an accepted one of said incentive offers; and    booking said accepted one offer as a casino reservation.    
   
   
       28 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising: 
 responding to an acceptance of one of said incentive offers by a customer by providing said potential customer an option to make reservations and/or purchase tickets to entertainment related events and/or shows.    
   
   
       29 . A method in accordance with  claim 28 , comprising: 
 storing entertainment purchase information relative to said reservations and ticket purchases made by said potential customer; and    providing said entertainment information for said customer to said corresponding casino property.    
   
   
       30 . A method in accordance with  claim 29 , comprising: 
 said corresponding casino property reimbursing said customer for entertainment purchases at the conclusion of a casino reservation as part of the accepted one of said incentive offers.    
   
   
       31 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising: 
 providing a database for storing and aggregating entertainment behavior profiles for said potential customers.    
   
   
       32 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising: 
 receiving grading information for a casino property from said prospective customer during or after stay at said casino property by said prospective customer; and    storing said grading information in a database.    
   
   
       33 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising: 
 receiving customer provided information relative to promotional incentive offers accepted by said potential customer after utilizing said incentive offer.    
   
   
       34 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , comprising: 
 generating comparative grading information for said promotional incentive offers.    
   
   
       35 . A method in accordance with  claim 3 , comprising: 
 requiring each participating casino to agrees to distribute system promotional material with unique sponsor codes thereon to guests.    
   
   
       36 . A method in accordance with  claim 35 , comprising: 
 providing instructions in said promotional material for said guests to become registered users;    associating a corresponding unique sponsor code with each said participating casino; and    including in said instructions said corresponding unique sponsor code for use in becoming a registered user.    
   
   
       37 . A method in accordance with  claim 36 , comprising: 
 associating a registered user account number with the sponsoring casino corresponding to said unique sponsor code for the life of said registered user account.    
   
   
       38 . A method in accordance with  claim 37 , wherein: 
 said sponsoring casino realizes preferential promotional benefit each time a customer associated with said sponsoring casino enters a request.    
   
   
       39 . A method in accordance with  claim 38 , comprising: 
 providing said preferential promotional benefit by listing promotional incentive offers from said sponsoring casino in preferential position for viewing by said associated customer.    
   
   
       40 . A method in accordance with  claim 38 , comprising: 
 providing said preferential promotional benefit via banner ads.    
   
   
       41 . A marketing method for customer specific promotions, comprising: 
 receiving from a requesting customer an electronic request for promotional offers via a website connected to a global computer network or via a device located in a casino and coupled to a communications network;    attaching wagering profile data from said requesting customer to said electronic request to provide an enhanced request;    sending said enhanced request to one or more casino properties to produce promotional incentive offers corresponding with the request, said incentive offers being proportional to said requesting customer's wagering profile; and    responding to said request with one or more promotional offers.    
   
   
       42 . A method in accordance with  claim 41 , comprising: 
 providing said enhanced requests to casino properties registered as system participating casino properties.    
   
   
       43 . A method in accordance with  claim 42 , comprising: 
 registering members of the general public seeking to use the system via a new user registration process to become new registered system users.    
   
   
       44 . A method in accordance with  claim 43 , comprising: 
 creating a unique system generated account number and customer data file for each said new registered system user.    
   
   
       45 . A method in accordance with  claim 44 , wherein: 
 said registration process comprises requiring each said new registered system user to provide personal identification and contact information and create a user name and password.    
   
   
       46 . A method in accordance with  claim 45 , comprising: 
 said registration process comprises requiring each said new registered system user providing personal gaming preference and/or player wagering profile information.    
   
   
       47 . A method in accordance with  claim 45 , comprising: 
 said registration process comprises requiring each said new registered user to provide account numbers for player card accounts.    
   
   
       48 . A method in accordance with  claim 44 , comprising: 
 forming said customer data file with at least one of personal, player profile or player card account information for a registered user.    
   
   
       49 . A method in accordance with  claim 42 , comprising: 
 monitoring and tracking waging history data for casino customers by participating casinos via casino installed management information systems.    
   
   
       50 . A method in accordance with  claim 49 , comprising: 
 each said participating casino agreeing to provide rights to access and use said casino customer wagering history data.    
   
   
       51 . A method in accordance with  claim 50 , comprising: 
 each said participating casino providing registered user wagering profile information collected while said registered user is in said participating casino.    
   
   
       52 . A method in accordance with  claim 51 , comprising: 
 establishing the duration of a registered user's visit to a participating casino by said registered user logging in to and out of said participating casino via a kiosk or other input terminal physically located in said participating casino.    
   
   
       53 . A method in accordance with  claim 41 , comprising: 
 identifying said customer as a casino property walk-in customer;    determining if said customer is a new customer to a casino property;    said casino property preparing a player account and card for said customer.    
   
   
       54 . A method in accordance with  claim 53 , comprising: 
 collecting casino customer wagering data and adding said data to said corresponding registered user's customer data file.    
   
   
       55 . A method in accordance with  claim 41 , comprising: 
 providing as part of each said request intended date and time of arrival and departure and geographical location preference.    
   
   
       56 . A method in accordance with  claim 46 , comprising: 
 preparing said promotional offers on the basis of said gaming preference and wagering profile data.    
   
   
       57 . A method in accordance with  claim 41 , comprising: 
 providing said promotional offers on a “play to qualify” basis.    
   
   
       58 . A method in accordance with  claim 57 , comprising: 
 determining said promotional incentive provided or paid by a casino at the conclusion of a stay at said one or more casino properties.    
   
   
       59 . A method in accordance with  claim 58 , comprising: 
 determining the amount or level of said promotional incentive provided to said requesting customer based on the amounts wagered by said requesting customer during said stay.    
   
   
       60 . A method in accordance with  claim 54 , comprising: 
 preparing said promotional offers on the basis of said gaming preference and said added data.    
   
   
       61 . A method in accordance with  claim 41 , comprising: 
 determining if said requesting customer is a new customer to a casino property corresponding with a promotion option accepted by a requesting customer;    said casino property preparing a player card account for said requesting customer if said requesting customer is a new customer.    
   
   
       62 . A method in accordance with  claim 61 , comprising: 
 making said player card is available for pick up upon arrival at a casino specified location.    
   
   
       63 . A method in accordance with  claim 41 , comprising: 
 providing said requesting customer with an option to make reservations and/or purchase tickets to entertainment related events and/or shows.    
   
   
       64 . A method in accordance with  claim 63 , comprising: 
 said requesting customer accepting one of said one or more promotional offers;    selecting said entertainment related events and/or shows from those that are scheduled to occur during the time period of said accepted offer.    
   
   
       65 . A method in accordance with  claim 64 , comprising: 
 providing to said casino property that provided said accepted one promotional offer, information relative to said entertainment related events and/or shows purchased by said requesting customer.    
   
   
       66 . A method in accordance with  claim 63 , comprising: 
 automatically storing entertainment behavior profiles in a customer data base for each said requesting customer.    
   
   
       68 . The system set forth in  claim 44  where upon conclusion of a gaming session corresponding with a system generated promotional offer, said registered user grades the performance of the customer service provided at the corresponding casino and enters such grading data into the system;  
   
   
       69 . The system set forth in  claim 44  where upon conclusion of a gaming session corresponding with a system generated promotional offer, said registered user provides system with description of the actual promotional incentives received by registered user corresponding with said gaming session;  
   
   
       70 . The system set forth in  claim 69  where upon receipt of actual promotional incentives received by registered user, the system compares this data with the corresponding wagering profile data received from casino as defined in  claim 51  to grade the relative level of promotional incentive provide by said casino;  
   
   
       71 . The system set forth in  claim 44  where to qualify as a participating casino, said casino agrees to distribute system promotional material, with unique sponsor codes thereon, to their hotel guests;  
   
   
       72 . The system set forth in  claim 71  where casino distributed promotional material includes instruction for such guests to become registered users, including entering the unique sponsor code during the registration process;