Conference delegates worldwide urged to improve connection with their customers
The innovative customer engagement strategy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) took centre stage at the 35th Asian Racing Conference (ARC) yesterday. Richard Cheung, the Club’s Executive Director, Customer and Marketing, told delegates that the Club was utilising new technology within a clear strategy in order to meet customer expectations, and noted the fundamental principle that “the experience is key.”
Cheung chaired the morning’s session entitled ‘Connecting with the Customer’, during which he outlined HKJC’s strategy that has successfully turned around a declining turnover trend and is succeeding in attracting new customers. He told delegates that the Club’s turnover dropped season on season from HK$81.5 billion in 2000/01 to a low of HK$60 billion in 2005/06. By 2009/10 that had grown to HK$75 billion but, he said, at that time 75 percent of the Club’s customers were aged over 50. He said racing in Hong Kong had a perception challenge to overcome as the younger generation considered it to be complicated and only for hardcore bettors.
“Our strategy starts with segmentation,” said Cheung. “For each segment we apply levers in a way that fits the segment. We have different marketing teams working with a specific focus on each different segment.”
He emphasised four key levers as being: “creating an ambient experience at the racecourse; digital connectivity; big data; and shaping racing as popular culture.”
Cheung took delegates through a visual tour of the Club’s successful Happy Wednesday experience, as well as groundbreaking digital innovations including the Racing Touch App, the Race Simulator App and the Second Screen App, and noted that a digital connection was vital given the massive growth in mobile engagement over the last four years. He also highlighted the customer-focused venue creation that has taken place under the ongoing Racecourse Master Plan.
In its efforts to address an ageing customer base, he said, the Club had seen turnover from new, younger racegoers rise 40 percent since the 2010/11 season and the number of racegoers aged below 35 increase by 43 percent.
Now, said Cheung, the Club was utilizing “big data” to reach customers and more fully understand their needs and desires.