Affiliate Manager Interview Series: Myron Saacks - Red Returns

[GPWA Dan]

Red Returns represents two casino brands – Casino La Vida and Red Flush Casino. What makes these two sites unique?

I could go on for days and push the fact that we have the best games and the best payouts etc but the truth is it’s the people behind the brands that make us unique. We have managers with years of experience and who are open minded and are always on top of the industry and ready to make changes where needed, we have the best affiliate team out there with more than 10 years of experience between us and we have the best and friendliest customer support available on the net today.

How popular are your slots tournaments? How many players do you tend to get for them?

In one word VERY we have 800 to 1000 players a day playing in a tournament at one time

How does marketing primarily casino sites differ from marketing the sportsbook-poker-bingo-casino combination offerings?

It’s an easier job at times purely because of the popularity of slots but with the sudden and hard impact law changes have on casinos in particular it can be very difficult I think that as a Sportsbook operator as well as a poker one you have far less issues with governments and law makers than casinos do and this can make it a lot easier to be successful.

Your brands don't offer any poker, bingo or sports betting. Is it more difficult to attract players without the other offerings? Or do you find it easier attracting players with the just the stand-alone casino?

It’s not necessarily easier what makes it a little easier is that we can dedicate our full marketing arm towards dedicated casino campaigns and creative’s instead of having to split this between sports, poker, bingo and casino this gives us far better creative ideas and more entertaining promotions to entice players with. It’s also now easier to create specialized marketing material as we can dedicate and focus our resources better which aids us in acquiring players quicker.

What do you think the three greatest challenges facing the industry are right now? And what would you do to solve them?

Governments and their law makers - With so many governments making drastic law changes to restrict the operation of online casinos in their territories it makes it so difficult to run a successful casino as you never know when you’ll be shut out of another market and be forced into moving into unknown ones because you need to attract players and increase your market share - Ill continue too push for legislation that allows for people to use there disposable income in any way they choose and for regulation of markets so as to allow operators to run their business without fear of isolation.

Fly by Night operators – Big issue for me is that there are so many new casinos opening that do not have the structures in place to operate fairly and with ethics needed to operate a casino they come into the market take players from casinos who do operate using ethics and the ideas of fair play by offering massive bonuses etc only to close after a few months leaving bitter tastes in everyone’s mouths especially players .We need to find ways to protect people against rogues – I’d like to see software providers doing far stricter assessments of potential partners before handing a casino to them to run be it financial checks legal ones and criminal ones. I am pushing hard to find a way to implement these checks.

Banking - We all know to be a successful Casino you need purchasing players it’s so disheartening to know that as hard as you work as an affiliate manager to get affiliates driving you players that no matter what you do some players will always battle to purchase due to the fact that either the bank or government have put pressure on merchants to disallow transactions for gaming. This is a very unfair practice as stated in point one I feel people should have the freedom to decide on what they spend their hard earned money on. I am grateful to those E Cash , E wallet companies who are trying to at least allow players the potential to play I’d like to see some sort of regulation and easing on these restrictions it would make our jobs far easier as well as allowing players their chance to play. I’ll continue to fight for players rights.

If Red Returns discovers someone is spamming to promote your brands, what steps will be taken to stop the spamming?

We never condone this and will always strive to avoid this but as hard as we try sometimes when dealing with 3rd parties you don’t have control on what they sometimes do. We always find the culprits and stop these campaigns immediately even locking their accounts as we do state that we do not condone this behavior in our Terms and Conditions.

Do the target audiences for you brands differ? And if so, how?

No all players are welcome and treated equally across our brands what we do change is the look and feel and promotions we offer to suite each brands identity Red Flush is always about fun and excitement where as Casino laVida is about living the good life and being a trend setter.

One way to keep affiliates happy is to pay them on time. What steps has your program taken to ensure that they’ll be paid on time? And when do your payments go out?

Our payments go out on the 7th business day of each month without fail we do not miss this deadline unless there is some major issue we need to resolve. We always make sure we have the correct payment detail on file for all affiliates and act quickly if we don’t affiliates have been super happy with this part of our operation and we pride ourselves on it.

What are the three most important attributes an affiliate manager must have in order to be successful?

Friendly and Polite.- Always treat affiliates like kings and Queens they are your bread and butter and must be treated as such always never be rude or aggressive no matter what situation you in.

Quick and Efficient – Always answer questions either via email, chat or GPWA in a quick and efficient manner affiliates should not wait for a response especially since ist there lifeline we are looking after efficiency is a key to success.

Know the business – Always tell the truth and do not talk about a subject if you do not have the facts rather do your research and answer questions with the correct and up to date information affiliates appreciate that.

Affiliates and affiliate program managers have several things in common. One of them is their e-mail inboxes are always full. How long do you give yourself for responding to e-mail? And what e-mail management tips can you offer?

I always sort by subject and clear the emails that are most important and urgent first I always answer affiliate questions and affiliate email queries before doing any other admin as the customer comes first no email should go unanswered and all emails should be dealt with in a min 24 hour turnaround.

How do you manage your “to-do” lists? Do you use any special software to help you out?

Pen and Paper … I make a to do list first thing in the morning using that special piece of technology mentioned and check things off as I go I don’t leave the office until my to dos are complete its that simple.

In your mind, what’s more difficult, attracting players or retaining them? And why?

Retaining them in my opinion simply because you need to always innovate and come up with new and existing offers and promotions to hold players they get bored quickly and will change casinos at will if they don’t get a thrill anymore its all about keeping them entertained to attract players is easy offer them free money and large welcome bonuses and you’ve done that keeping them is far harder.

How can affiliates help in retaining players?

By keeping their players informed at all times about the latest promotions and offers available to players and by educating them as to where to play and why. Fresh content and updates are so important.

How long have you been at Red Returns? What is the biggest difference between when you started and now?

It’s a tough one that as I’ve only been here 1 year ( 6 in the industry) but if I could compare this to the other operators I have been with then I’d say Professionalism and Ethics separate this company form the rest.

What distinguishes Red Returns from other affiliate programs?

Me Lol…Its managers we all have vast experience in the industry and will all go out of our way to help affiliates and answer questions as well as to make their campaigns successful with us definitely our team.

Do you gamble yourself? If so, what games do you like to play? Were you an online player before getting into the industry?

Yes occasionally I like Poker, Poker and Poker... don’t have much skill but I’m a great bluffer ….

If you wish you had known one thing about the industry before you entered it, what would it be?

How tough and rewarding it can be

What advice do you have for someone just starting in the industry?

Keep your head down, work hard, don’t lose your ethics be brave and build relationships never turn away any potential business ever everyone gets treated the same.

People in the online gambling industry have been known to party. What’s your best party story?

Wow has to be Cyrpus Spring Break affiliates took us out on the town, dinner, clubbing and painting the town red and boy did we the night ended with this particular affiliate asleep on the beach under the moon need I say more

What’s the best movie food? And why?

Steak and Chips, Bad boys I am one and I love a good steak other than my wife I love nothing more

What is the last book you read? Did you enjoy it? Why or why not?

It was Richard Branson Autobiography Love his life and the fact he came from nothing to be where he is a real inspiration I live by his words

If you had a theme song, what would it be? And why?

Glory Glory Manchester United they are my passion if I could id clean their boots for a living am a man u nutter

If you could change one thing about the online gaming industry, what would it be?

I’d like to see less aggression and dislike to the industry from outsiders who don’t understand that it’s like being part of one big happy family

I’d like it to be more personal id like people to join clubs and play together instead of isolation or alone it should be like a regular casino people should go and make friends too while gaming

If you could have dinner with three other people, living or dead, who would they be and why?

Richard Branson – Loved his life and he how he came from nothing to be where he is

Manchester United Team – Lifelong dream id meet them all if possible every generation those that are dead and alive my heroes

Nelson Mandela- Great man, Great Life and what he’s done for our country cannot be underestimated father of a nation

What are three things that no one knows about you?

I’m Shy
I play a great game of Backgammom
Jamie Oliver cant cook like I can