If you’re managing a club right now, chances are you’re wearing more hats than you’d like. From compliance to staffing to the customer experience, the workload can be overwhelming and it’s no surprise that some important but less urgent tasks often get thrown into the “too hard” basket.
But here’s the thing: many of those neglected areas are the very ones that could be giving your club a significant competitive advantage. In working with a wide range of venues, I’ve noticed some consistent blind spots that, when addressed, can have a real and measurable impact.
Let’s take a look at four often-overlooked areas that can elevate your venue if you give them the attention they deserve.
1. Know Your Customer – Really Know Them
Many clubs will confidently say they know who their customer is, but too often, this “knowledge” doesn’t go deeper than surface-level assumptions and crucially, it rarely differentiates between two very different types of customers: foot traffic (food and beverage customers) and gaming patrons (poker machine players).
These groups have distinct demographics, motivations, and expectations. Treating them as one and the same often leads to diluted marketing strategies and missed opportunities.
To better serve your customer base:
- Create separate profiles for gaming and non-gaming customers.
- Tailor your promotions and communication to each segment.
- Align your venue’s offerings and environment with their expectations.
If you want real loyalty and stronger engagement, understanding the why behind each visit is just as important as knowing who walked through the door.
2. Track and Analyse Your Data (Separately)
This goes hand in hand with knowing your customers. All clubs have mountains of data but often don’t have the time to analyse and use it effectively.
It’s not just about the numbers. It’s about segmenting them in ways that matter:
- Separate data streams for gamers vs. entertainment and F&B customers.
- Deep dive into gaming preferences: who plays which machines, and when?
- Use this insight to position similar machines together and optimise your gaming floor layout.
Both gaming and F&B /entertainment customer data can also reveal powerful trends – meal and drink preferences, times of peak gaming activity, and entertainment and promotional draws. Each data stream tells a story. If you listen to those stories, you can make smarter, more profitable decisions.
3. Loyalty Programs: Set and Forget is Not a Strategy
It’s surprising how many clubs are still running the same loyalty programs they had years ago, without review or refinement. Loyalty programs are meant to engage and excite, not just exist.
If your loyalty program feels stale, it probably is. Ask yourself:
- Are the rewards still relevant to your gaming players (not just the general membership)?
- What benefits are actually used by the gamers, and which are ignored?
- Do staff understand and promote the program effectively?
- Are new members or players who gain a level-up within the program celebrated with meaningful communication?
A modern loyalty program should evolve with your customers’ habits and expectations. Regular audits, staff training, and player feedback can help keep it dynamic and valuable.
4. Be Authentic – Design your Gaming Room with the Right Customer in Mind
Gaming room design is often led by designers and architects, but your gaming customers should be the true inspiration. A beautifully designed gaming room is useless if it doesn’t feel right to the people who use it.
Here’s where authenticity matters:
- Don’t include cultural design elements (like Asian lucky symbols) unless they reflect your actual customer base.
- Ensure appropriate spacing between machines, especially if your core players prefer privacy or space.
- Avoid overly glamorous designs if your regulars are loyal locals. Make it stylish rather than opulent which may make them feel uncomfortable – like they don’t belong.
The space should feel comfortable, familiar, and aligned with the customers’ expectations – not a designer’s vision of what looks good in a brochure. The best design is one that makes players want to stay longer and return more often.
Final Thoughts
No one is expecting club managers to solve everything overnight, but if you can move just one or two of these strategies out of the “too hard” basket and into action, your club will be better positioned for long-term success.
Understanding your customer, harnessing your data, refreshing your loyalty offerings, and staying authentic in gaming room design – these aren’t just tasks, they’re strategic levers. Pull them with intent, and you’ll start to see the difference.
About the Author
DWS is pleased to introduce Gaming Specialist, Justine Channing, to the team.
Justine is an Executive Gaming Manager with over 30 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, has worked with prominent Australian Clubs and Hotel groups. She brings deep insights into gaming operations from her tenure with industry leaders like Aristocrat and IGT. Today, she leads a successful Gaming Specialist organisation, providing expertise in gaming analysis, revenue enhancement, and mentoring.
Additionally, Justine is a sought-after speaker at industry conferences and holds pivotal roles as Editor, co-owner, and Managing Director of The Drop.
