Welcome to another episode of the Player Engage Podcast, where we dive deep into the gaming industry's most intriguing topics. Today, we're thrilled to have Gemma Doyle, co-founder and CCO of SurgeROI, join us to share her insights on VIP programs and their impact on player loyalty and engagement.

Episode Highlights:

• Gemma's Journey: Discover Gemma's transition from real money gaming to social gaming and her pivotal role in introducing VIP programs to Zynga.
• Understanding VIP Programs: Learn what VIP programs are, their importance beyond gaming, and how they can enhance customer relationships across various industries.
• Building Relationships: Gemma discusses the significance of human interaction in VIP programs and how it can lead to increased retention and monetization.
• Data-Driven Decisions: Find out how data science plays a crucial role in tailoring VIP experiences and promotions to player preferences.
• Starting Small: Gemma shares valuable advice for indie studios on initiating VIP programs and the importance of direct player communication.
• Collaboration with Product Teams: Gain insights into how VIP feedback can influence game development and improve player satisfaction.
• ROI and Business Case: Gemma explains how to justify investment in VIP programs and measure their success.
• Social Power Players: The conversation touches on the emerging trend of treating influencers as VIPs due to their ability to attract and retain players.
• Personal Touch: Gemma shares heartwarming stories of how games and VIP programs have touched players' lives, emphasizing the human element in gaming.

Notable Quotes:

• "VIP is about layering data science and human interaction to develop a program that is really authentic and true to the players." - Gemma Doyle
• "Keeping and retaining those high-value players is really key to keeping a really healthy game." - Gemma Doyle
• "People are so happy to talk. I get a lot of feedback from gaming studios that our players don't want to talk on the phone, you know, but the submission rate for phone numbers is between the 70 and 85 percentile." - Gemma Doyle

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