So, as many people know, Pure Management (Pure, LAX, etc) has undergone a virtual head-to-toe reinvention as nearly every relevant corporate / management employee has been replaced by someone new, not all of which have worked in Vegas nightlife before.
That isn't necessarily a bad thing as fresh faces can bring fresh ideas, but of course all fresh ideas are not created equal - like creating a frequent clubber card that offers guests rewards for booking tables often.
If I'm understanding what they are trying to do with these cards, they are essentially trying to apply a casino card (or, even a grocery store) concept to Vegas nightlife. Purchase enough stuff, get something in return.
While the idea of keeping track of what you spend to get "rewards" sounds like a great idea in some cases, in my humble opinion, this is an idea by someone who I'm assuming isn't familiar with the Vegas market. You don't apply the same marketing principle that successfully gives old ladies oversized hats for playing penny slots to that of a business that makes millions of dollars by selling customers the illusion of importance.
Let's break this one down a tad...
1) Locals, who haven't always had the best relations with Pure / LAX in the first place because of strict dress codes and a hit-or-miss door policy, are not going to carry around a club rewards card. I won't even carry a Von's card, I'm sure not carrying a Pure card.
2) Of the percentage of visiting table customers who book frequently enough to matter (which, even still, is typically only a handful of times a year unless they are an independent host, or in a similar profession), the VIP service manager should KNOW who needs to be taken care of with extra perks and comps. That is his job. You don't plug this into a computer to decide who should get what.
3) If the idea behind this is to build a database, again, customer development is what the hosts do. Thats like their entire job. They have pages upon pages of databases of customers. If you are trying to enhance customer retention, send them something nice in the mail with a personal invitation and incentive. Don't send them an Albertsons card.
4) Back in 2003, I designed and delivered "Queen" and "King" cards to our frequent guests at Seven. While it was only intended to have people skip the line, it was a horrible failure! No self-respecting frequent guest is going to show up to a doorman, that they probably know anyway....as they are a frequent guest (haha), and pull out some stupid card. Every summer, all of the pools do the same thing. Nobody uses these things. I have a pile of them in my closet next to all the grocery store cards I refuse to use.
So that's my argument, and, I could be wrong on this one, but I'm not giving this idea a long life. There would have to be some pretty serious "rewards" for this thing to work, and I'm not sure Pure is going to be willing to go that far with it.
Thoughts? How about from the visiting members, would you sign up for one of these cards?
- Colton
PS: For an unrelated extended rant on my absolute hatred of membership cards, read "The Adventures of Patricia Von Cunt" at www.myspace.com/jcoltonlv
That isn't necessarily a bad thing as fresh faces can bring fresh ideas, but of course all fresh ideas are not created equal - like creating a frequent clubber card that offers guests rewards for booking tables often.
If I'm understanding what they are trying to do with these cards, they are essentially trying to apply a casino card (or, even a grocery store) concept to Vegas nightlife. Purchase enough stuff, get something in return.
While the idea of keeping track of what you spend to get "rewards" sounds like a great idea in some cases, in my humble opinion, this is an idea by someone who I'm assuming isn't familiar with the Vegas market. You don't apply the same marketing principle that successfully gives old ladies oversized hats for playing penny slots to that of a business that makes millions of dollars by selling customers the illusion of importance.
Let's break this one down a tad...
1) Locals, who haven't always had the best relations with Pure / LAX in the first place because of strict dress codes and a hit-or-miss door policy, are not going to carry around a club rewards card. I won't even carry a Von's card, I'm sure not carrying a Pure card.
2) Of the percentage of visiting table customers who book frequently enough to matter (which, even still, is typically only a handful of times a year unless they are an independent host, or in a similar profession), the VIP service manager should KNOW who needs to be taken care of with extra perks and comps. That is his job. You don't plug this into a computer to decide who should get what.
3) If the idea behind this is to build a database, again, customer development is what the hosts do. Thats like their entire job. They have pages upon pages of databases of customers. If you are trying to enhance customer retention, send them something nice in the mail with a personal invitation and incentive. Don't send them an Albertsons card.
4) Back in 2003, I designed and delivered "Queen" and "King" cards to our frequent guests at Seven. While it was only intended to have people skip the line, it was a horrible failure! No self-respecting frequent guest is going to show up to a doorman, that they probably know anyway....as they are a frequent guest (haha), and pull out some stupid card. Every summer, all of the pools do the same thing. Nobody uses these things. I have a pile of them in my closet next to all the grocery store cards I refuse to use.
So that's my argument, and, I could be wrong on this one, but I'm not giving this idea a long life. There would have to be some pretty serious "rewards" for this thing to work, and I'm not sure Pure is going to be willing to go that far with it.
Thoughts? How about from the visiting members, would you sign up for one of these cards?
- Colton
PS: For an unrelated extended rant on my absolute hatred of membership cards, read "The Adventures of Patricia Von Cunt" at www.myspace.com/jcoltonlv
.. (o wait I can get a free t-shirt after blowing $200) 
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