Surely some of the 26,000 or so of you out there took a look at the strap around your neck and wondered:
If it’s HALO, why isn’t there an angel?
Why is it HALo? Couldn’t they have done some proofreading to avoid a typo?
Every badge we G2E attendees wore this week carried the esoteric advertisement for HALo. The short explanation, for those of you who wondered, is that HALo is an abbreviated form of “House Advantage Loyalty,” a program employed by many casinos. HALo is the insider’s lingo.
House Advantage calls itself a customer loyalty company, one which helps businesses collect and analyze data that bolsters their repeat business. They came to G2E to court potential clients interested in improving their customer loyalty programs. They usually operate without investing in a G2E booth, but have undergone some significant software upgrades, major software platform updates, acquired more digital menu technology and have new payment systems. So this year, they bought themselves a booth.
House Advantage’s products reach far beyond gaming. For example, associates on the G2E floor demonstrated how touch-pad servers can be used at restaurants. It’s almost like an online ordering system that can be used while actually in the venue, and those accustomed to, say, GrubHub are already entrenched in such technology.
But there are important benefits. First off, having the customer key in the specifics of the order – no onions, dressing on the side, that sort of thing – means that the order will always be correct. No miscommunication between server and patron anymore. Second, the ordering process saves time (read: money) because customers will order at the precise moment they are ready. No waiting.
A similar device, called a Clover, can be used at checkout – taxicabs already have a similar device – and by swiping and tipping right at the table, customers don’t have to sweat the possibility of their card not making it all the way back to their wallet. (House Advantage associates also note that by keeping the card in the patrons’ possession entirely, the business can’t be held liable in fraudulent credit card claims.)
Another kiosk can be used to enroll in loyalty programs. Yes, that’s a staple at casinos, but also at anything that customers regularly visit, such as their nearby indoor cycling studio or coffee shop.
With more and more customers spending their casino visit money somewhere other than the gaming floor, these types of customer advances are vital, says Jon C. Wolfe, House Advantage’s founder and CEO. Some clients may use just one piece of their offerings, while another client chooses another.
“If casinos are going to be sorting out the data correctly, it’s critical to understand the full financial contribution of the patron,” he says, taking a break from business on the G2E floor.
And, yes, he was wearing his ID badge – the one advertising his own HALo.
