Abstract

This case gives a detailed account of customer relationship management (CRM) initiatives pursued by Harrah’s Entertainment Incorporated, a leading casino entertainment company in the US. It explains the various elements of Harrah’s CRM strategy and how each element contributed to the overall success of the strategy. The case describes the Total Gold customer loyalty program and explains how it evolved into a Total Rewards program that helped Harrah’s win the loyalty of its customers. The case also details the use of IT in CRM by Harrah’s including data warehousing initiatives and the use of decision science tools that allowed the company gain insights into its customers’ gaming behavior and provide them with personalized services.

Learning Objectives

The case is structured to achieve the following Learning Objectives:

• Understand and appreciate the Importance of customer focus and relationshipbuilding in a successful CRM program
• Examine the importance of capturing and using customer information in a CRM initiative
• Study and analyze the role played by loyalty programs in developing and nurturing customer relationships
• Understand the role played by IT in a CRM initiative.

Keywords

Harrah's,Customer Relationship Management,Total Rewards Program,Customer Loyalty,Business Intelligence,Data Warehousing,Contact Management,Cross-market Play,Decision Science Tools,COGNOS,SAS,Revenue Management,Customer Service