We knew to whom to forward this question -- the ultimate Las Vegas local and "Frugal" blogger, the Queen of Comps, the reigning potentate of KuPon, Jean Scott herself. Here's what Queen Jean has to say about reduced offers for locals.
It just so happens that I researched this question right before it was sent to me. Why? For the first time in umpteen years, I didn't get ANY Station mailer for March. Brad got his and it was smaller than usual -- but for me to get nothing? I had to make a phone call and get to the bottom of this unsettling mystery.
I talked to a manager, someone I've known for quite a while. He gave me some information that cleared up the mystery, although it didn't make me very happy.
First, after years of basing the mailers on play for a three-month or 90-day qualification period and without telling the customers in advance, Station has changed to a one-month period. March mailers were based on play in January only. That explained my no-mailer and Brad's low mailer. I played hardly at all in January and Brad played just a little. (We figured our big play in November and December would cover small play in January.)
However, we have a friend who plays a lot at Station casinos, in fact almost every day, and she was used to getting one of the top mailers. Her March mailer was cut way down. I questioned my contact further, based on our friend's result, and found out that they're now using the dreaded daily average. Since she plays a lot on some days and just a little on others, she's now being punished for not having a good daily average, even though she played about the same monthly amount she always did when they used cumulative points earned.
No longer can you go in and just pick up your free play in case it isn't convenient for you to play that day. That will rank as a zero-play day and bring down your average even if you played big the previous day or play big the next day.
This new policy is a BIG mistake in my opinion. Locals are used to being able to play whenever they want to and how much they want to on any particular day, knowing that the important number is their total play, no matter how it's divided up on any particular days.
Locals also like a three-month qualification period. They want to be able to travel out of town for a few days or even several weeks, then play big when they come back and still qualify for a mailer every month.
Finally, we like to have notification when major policy changes are implemented.
Stations, you're alienating your loyal local customer base. Why would you do that when you need our business so badly?
