Host Spotlight: Michelle

What makes our VIP Host Program so effective? It's the personal relationships we build with our most valued players. These unique connections create a lasting bond between the player and their favorite game, something that simply can’t be replicated. It's also what makes the playAWARDS host program so powerful and is a big reason why playAWARDS partner apps are so lucky to have it.

Michelle is a shining example of someone who truly excels at this! Read on to learn about Michelle's magic touch, meet some of her players, and learn about her retention metrics that will blow you away.

Michelle's History

Before joining our team as a VIP Host, Michelle was a Sexual Assault and Homicide Detective for the LAPD (Yes, that's her in uniform!) and retired after 25 years of service. She traded in her uniform for a life in mobile gaming when she joined us as a playMAKER seven-and-a-half years ago, starting off as a VIP Host. In 2021, she was promoted to an Executive Host.

Michelle currently manages around 1,600 players and generates an impressive $1.5 million each month in Total Hosted Revenue. Considering the entire team brings in about $9 million monthly, Michelle's contribution is significant!

One of her standout achievements is her exceptional Tier 7 retention rate, which currently stands at a remarkable 94%! Michelle's experience, dedication, and outstanding performance make her a key player on our team, but what truly makes her shine is her relationships with her players.

Michelle's Hosting Style

Michelle excels at building strong relationships with her players. How does she do it? She reaches out to each of them monthly, assisting with game questions, solving tech issues, and even adding some lucky chips to boost their luck. While she's at it, she checks in on them and sees how they are doing personally and remembers details about them - whether it's their children, pets, husbands, or exciting new job.

Michelle is always present at our VIP Hosted events because she believes it’s essential to meet players in person and put a face to their name.

She also believes in sharing her life with her players, which helps ensure she isn’t robotic and lets them know she’s a real person. Once that relationship is built, players feel a deep connection with her and stick around. This is her recipe for success.

In her own words,

"No matter what a player is going through, sometimes they just need a connection with someone. Our games offer them some fun and a break from life’s distractions. I am part of that relationship they have with the game. When I talk to our players, I keep that in mind. Sometimes just listening and being a friend is what keeps that relationship strong, while also providing some chips so they can have fun spinning!"

Let's see what a few of those relationships look like...

Rosette is one of our awesome local Las Vegas players and has been hooked on POP! Slots since 2013. For the last five years, she’s been part of our VIP Host program, and in that time, she and Michelle have become great friends. They text frequently! They’ve gotten so close that Rosette has invited Michelle over for dinner several times! It probably helped that Rosette's dad is a retired NYPD detective, which gave them plenty to chat about right from the start.

Michelle & Rosette

Trude is a dedicated myKONAMI player and has been part of our hosting program since 2017. She lives in Arizona but loves traveling to Vegas! Trude and her husband, Ernie, always join our player meet-ups and make it a point to go out to dinner with Michelle whenever they're in town. Trude has been on 5 myVIP at Sea cruises and only attended them because she knew Michelle was going. Last December, when Michelle got sick and couldn't make it to the Holiday meet-up, Trude was really disappointed. She threw a bit of a fit, but the rest of the host team stepped in to keep her entertained!

Michelle & Trude

More to Come!

The VIP Host Program focuses on building personal connections with players. Players trust their hosts and appreciate having a reliable point of contact for all their needs. They know their host will handle any concerns promptly and with care, thanks to the strong relationship they've built.

The best part for the players? The lucky chips they receive and the fun, custom rewards the hosts curate for them—stay tuned for more details about those in our next article!