A system and method for implementing a customer tracking and recognition
program that encompasses customers' gaming and non-gaming activity alike
at a plurality of affiliated casino properties. Customer information is
accumulated at each affiliated casino through one or more LAN-based
management systems, updated to a central patron database (CPDB) that is
coupled to each casino LAN through a WAN, and made available to each
affiliated casino property as needed. Customer accounts are automatically
activated and provided with data from the CPDB when a customer from one
casino property first visits an affiliated casino property. Customer
accounts are updated with new activity data whenever a management system
associated with the casino receives customer data from input devices,
such as card readers, workstations, and dumb terminals, located at
various venues throughout the casino. Customers are awarded points, based
on their tracked activity at all affiliated casino properties. The point
awards have a monetary value and are redeemable for gifts, meals, cash
and the like, at any of the casino properties. The point awards may
embody different promotional schemes in which point awards are adjusted
to target different casino properties or different venues within a
casino. Summary customer data, including point levels, is regularly
updated to reflect ongoing customer activity at the casino property. This
data is made available to employees at any affiliated casino property, as
needed, to personalize customer services.