Crowley, Texas-based AGS’s guest guide loyalty program is becoming more lucrative.
According to a press release, starting Nov. 1, AGS’s best guest guide clients can earn at least $300 a year in AGS dollars, a $50 increase from the $250 minimum that the company’s best customers have previously earned, with the max being $500 per year. The funds are used to purchase print and online advertising, as well as website hosting/design services and many quality of life programs.
Updates to the program will be announced at the November industry conventions for the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC), Leisure Systems Inc. (LSI) and Kampgrounds of America Inc. (KOA).
“We think our best customers are going to like having another $50 to spend each year on AGS products and services,” said Brian Schaeffer, executive director and CEO of AGS, adding that the company’s best longtime customers can earn up to $500 a year in AGS dollars through the program.
AGS awards its loyalty program dollars to park operators who help AGS sales teams generate enough advertising to cover targeted costs of producing their industry superior guest guides. When this happens, as is usually the case, the park operator receives the guest guides for free, since the production costs are covered by the restaurants, urgent care centers, dog groomers, RV repair shops and other businesses that advertise in the guides.
“It’s a fantastic program,” said Brent Andrews, who owns the Huntington/Fox Fire KOA in Milton, W.V.
Andrews has used his AGS loyalty dollars to purchase everything from rack cards to uniform shirts, advertising and giveaway items. He likes the convenience of being able to use loyalty dollars to purchase other AGS products and services.
“One of the dilemmas in this business is you find yourself using a hundred different vendors. So, if I can consolidate a couple of things, it makes my life easier,” he said.
AGS has successfully produced guest guides for the Huntington/Fire Fox KOA the past 11 years. “They are just fantastic people to work with,” Andrews said of AGS. “They come in and do all the work.”
Schaeffer, for his part, said Andrews does a great job of maximizing his use of the guest guides AGS produces for his park.
“Brent really promotes the businesses in his guest guides, which bring thousands of customers to local businesses that advertise in the guides,” Schaeffer said. “Local businesses then see the benefits of advertising in the guides and that raises awareness of his park in the community. Plus, the KOA customers want to stay longer and return more often to the area”
But while most AGS guest guide customers use their loyalty dollars to purchase other AGS products and services, AGS expanded the program last year to enable its guest guide clients to also apply their AGS dollars to support a charity of their choice or for “quality of life” expenses, such as a cruise, a flight or other vacation.
“If park operators tell us they would like to support a certain charity, we will cut a check on their behalf and send it to the charity of their choice,” Schaeffer said. “We can also cut checks to reimburse them for quality of life expenses if they send us their receipts for air or cruise ship travel, or other vacation expenses.”
For more information about the AGS guest guide loyalty program, please visit agsloyalty.com.
AGS publishes over 2 million guest guides (site maps) annually in the US and Canada using environmentally friendly recycled paper and soy-based ink. Texas Advertising Company Inc. acquired AGS from Good Sam Enterprises LLC in 2011. For more information about AGS, visit its website at agspub.com.
