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Cosmo Identity - Tracking Tier Progression & Identity Point vs. Machine Point Balance

Discussion in 'Comps' started by YOleven, Apr 23, 2017.

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  1. YOleven

    YOleven Tourist

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    Hi everyone.

    Is there a trick for tracking Identity tier progression and how many points are needed to advance to the next tier, or is the best option just to check with the Identity desk to see how you're progressing? The bad thing about Identity is that unlike Total Rewards' and Mlife's tier credit balance which only accumulates and resets annually, the Identity point balance can increase and decrease based on points earned and points redeemed for comps or free play. So, unless you're meticulously keeping track, it's difficult to determine cumulative points earned over the last 365 days.

    Also, I just wanted to clarify Identity Point balance (the balance displayed when you check your balance on Cosmo's website) vs. the point balance displayed when you use your Identity card on a machine. My understanding is that the point balance displayed on the machine shows only points earned through machine play, and this balance can be redeemed for free play (Point Play) or comps. The Identity balance on the website, however, is the sum of points earned through machine play and any points earned through resort spending. The entire Identity point balance can be redeemed for comps, but only the portion of the Identity point balance earned through machine play (which is the balance displayed when using your Identity card on a machine) can be redeemed for Point Play. Is this correct?

    Based on my notes, I've earned a little over 14,000 Identity points since last July. I have a trip coming up at the end of May, so there's a good chance that I'll make it to having earned 20,000 points over the last 365 days and advance to Gold tier. I'd just like to have an accurate idea of where I stand on cumulative point earnings over the last 365 days, so my guess is that the best option will be just to check with the Identity desk upon arrival.

    The other factor to take into consideration in terms of machine play is that since I'm already Sterling, I'm earning 2x points on machine play. However, although multiplier points are added to your machine play point balance as you play, they do not count toward tier progression, so that's something else to keep in mind.
     
  2. Chuck2009x

    Chuck2009x VIP Whale

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    Yes. Also note that that number will be appropriately reduced during your stay if you spend down either bucket by converting points to freeplay at a machine or by paying with points at a restaurant, bar, gift shop, etc. So on a day when you both earn and redeem points, you really need your own session notes.

    I'm a little bit in a similar boat; with two trips a year on a fairly regular schedule, it's within my gaming and spending budget to reach Gold, but usually not by a huge margin. So while it is not difficult to track progression by making notes on your sessions from the displays on the machines and reviewing your folio on the TV, I do double check with the Identity Desk during the last couple days of my 2nd stay.

    Also, unfortunately I haven't isolated my redemption of points enough to have determined for sure whether points for hotel spend get posted overnight (like tier credits do at MLife), or whether they all get posted in one blob when your final bill payment is processed. That can make a big difference in evaluating what you need to put you over the top when you're cutting it close, so I'll be watching for it carefully on my next trip. And if you get back end comps, it should be a simple matter of backing out 5 points for every dollar comped.

    Cosmo's VP of slots has been open about the deficiencies and soliciting feedback on a new system of displaying player account data and doing offer booking, and I'm hopeful that they'll put the needed resources into it.
     
    Last edited: Apr 23, 2017
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  3. YOleven

    YOleven Tourist

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    Thanks for the note, Chuck. With essentially no previous gaming history at Cosmo, last year I took advantage of Kevin Sweet's offer to match an Mlife comp offer and stayed at Cosmo for the first time in July 2016. Starting from a zero Identity balance, I made it to Sterling during that trip. I visited Cosmo again in November 2016, at which point I earned an additional 4,000 points and extended my Sterling status for another year, through July 2018. This year, I'm going to be visiting again at the end of May. I received an offer for 2 comp nights, plus I'm tagging on my Sterling free night for 2017. It's unusual for me to have 3 Las Vegas trips over the course of 1 year, so initially I would have never even thought about achieving Gold. However, since I accumulated approximately 14,000 points total (gaming plus resort expenses) in my last two trips, it's certainly possible that I could earn an additional 6,000 points in May which would put me at having earned 20,000 points over a period of 365 days.

    One thing I'll have to keep in mind is that even if I've earned 14,000 points since July 2016, points earned through tier multipliers don't count toward tier progression. So, on the surface it would appear that I need only 6,000 points to achieve Gold. However, that 14,000 balance also includes some 2x multiplier points that have been earned since I achieved Sterling, so that kind of muddies the waters. If I'm trying to figure out exactly what I need to earn to advance to Gold, I would really need to know the cumulative number of points earned since July 2016, minus any Sterling multiplier points that have been earned.

    I'm guessing that the Identity desk should be able to provide this information. When I visited this past November, for example, my Identity balance (as viewed on a machine) was at around 9,000. At that point, I checked with the Identity desk and found that I needed about 750 more points to extend my Sterling status for another year and through July 2018. Using these estimated values as an example, one might think that in this case, reaching a point balance of 9,750 through machine play would do it. However, that value doesn't take into account the fact that as a Sterling member, I'm earning 2x points on machine play, and only the base points (and not the multiplier points) count toward tier progression. I had to take this into consideration, so instead of having to add an additional 750 points to my machine play balance, I actually had to add an additional 1,500 points (750 base + 750 multiplier) to my machine play Identity balance for a total of 10,500.

    The Identity point situation can get kind of confusing, and the fact that there isn't a running total (without comp deductions, free play deductions, and without multiplier points) can make it difficult to determine where you stand if you're not keeping meticulous notes. However, that aside I still love staying and playing at Cosmo, and over the course of the last year it's become one of my favorite places to stay and play.
     
  4. Chuck2009x

    Chuck2009x VIP Whale

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    I found the Identity Desk staff to be pretty good. I think you can ask in one of two ways:
    How many points do I need to get to Gold?
    How much coin in do I have this trip?

    I do keep track of every session to track coin in. If you're getting a 2x multiplier, divide your session points by 2 to get base points, or multiply by 1.25 to get coin in.

    Machines display Total Points in the bottom left and Session Points in the bottom right. Total Points only includes slot play (not hotel spend), and of course, it's going to be thrown off for tracking purposes if you redeem any for freeplay.
     
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  5. Chuck2009x

    Chuck2009x VIP Whale

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    After re-reading your 2nd post, there's one other thing you might want to ask about, and that has to do with anniversary date and the 365 day period.

    I'll never make Platinum and I should always be able to reach Gold, so my anniversary date probably will never change. And that's not a problem for me, my trips are on a pretty set schedule and always within my anniversary date which just happened to be set late in the month.

    If your first visit to Cosmo was July 2016 and you reached Sterling during that first visit:
    • I don't think earning an additional 4,000+ points in November extends your Sterling status into 2018. Because you are still working within your first player year. So they are still tracking you from the date of the first point you earned. Technically, you're still working towards Gold (or Platinum) until July.

    If you reach 20,000 in May of this year:
    • You get to use the Gold benefits right away
    • You still are within your first player year until July, so now you are technically working on Platinum.
    • Once July rolls around, and you haven't made Platinum, I think your anniversary date will reset to the date in May when you crossed 20,000.
    • So you won't have until July 2018 to re-earn Gold, you'll only have until May.
     
  6. Marilynfan

    Marilynfan High-Roller

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    Actually I think he will earn Sterling into 2018 at least that is what I was told when I inquired after my last trip in Sept 2016. Here is my question and I response I got through email from Identity:

    Q: Could you tell me how many tier credits I earned on my trip a couple weeks ago? I'm curious whether I got enough to keep my Sterling level for another year or if it still expires on May 19, 2017.

    A: Your current Tier Status is Sterling. You became Sterling on 05/19/16 and will maintain that status for 1 year. During your last trip you had earned 3,446 Tier points. I show you have earned 10,687 Tier points since 05/19/16, which means you will have Sterling status for another year.
     
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2017
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  7. wanker751

    wanker751 Dutch Rudder Enthusiast

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    I find emailing identity is usually the easiest way unless you are present in the casino of course
     
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  8. Geogran

    Geogran VIP Whale

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    Is there a specfic email address for Identity questions like this? Thanks if anyone can share.
     
  9. Vegas55

    Vegas55 Low-Roller

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  10. Chuck2009x

    Chuck2009x VIP Whale

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    Yeah, it's pretzel-ly. I think you may be right.

    It seems a little weird though, because if that's true you could sign up and do 4,000 points today, do another 4,000 tomorrow, and be Sterling for 2 years? I dunno. I hate the rolling expiration method, I hope they get rid of it soon.
     
    Last edited: Apr 24, 2017
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  11. Multifarious5

    Multifarious5 VIP Whale

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    I also feel asking the desk is the easiest (or emailing, whatever.) My goal was to hit gold last trip. Since it's not the easier to track on its own, I just popped in daily and asked how many point I had accrued towards gold. Took about 30 seconds each pop in :)
     
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  12. Geogran

    Geogran VIP Whale

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    Thanks for the info Vegas55!
     
  13. ItsVegasTime

    ItsVegasTime Vegas Addict

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    Thank you! I also just emailed.
     
  14. YOleven

    YOleven Tourist

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    I'll agree that you wouldn't think you could make it to a tier one day and then extend the tier status by yet another year the very next day, but technically I think it is possible. As an example, let's assume that someone is going for Sterling, and to keep things simple, let's assume they're starting from an Identity point balance of zero.

    July 15, 2016: Earn 4,000 base points and establish a Sterling anniversary date of July 15. Sterling tier is achieved through July 15, 2017.

    At this point, with a Sterling anniversary date now established, the player would need to earn an additional 4,000 points by July 15, 2017 to extend Sterling status another year, so...

    July 16, 2016: Earn an additional 4,000 base points, and Sterling status is extended through July 15, 2018.

    This is a very extreme example, but I think it's accurate. Also, note that in this scenario, if the player was to go hog wild on July 15 and rack up 8,000 base points with no play the following day, he would only achieve Sterling through July 15, 2017. From an Identity standpoint, the optimal strategy would be to play enough to earn 4,000 base points on one day, then give it a rest and go back at it the next day to maximize tier status.

    In perhaps a more practical scenario, which is my actual situation, starting from a zero Identity balance I earned 4,000 points during my visit to Cosmopolitan in July 2016, at which point I established an anniversary date and Sterling status through July 2017. Then, during my visit in November 2016 I earned an additional 4,000 points, which bumped me up to Sterling status through July 2018. Unfortunately, during my upcoming trip in May I won't be able to work on extending Sterling status for another year, as I wouldn't be able to start working on Sterling through July 2019 until after my July 2017 anniversary date. I can, however, use what I've built up since July 2016 and see if I might be able to make it to Gold.
     
  15. YOleven

    YOleven Tourist

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    I second the option of emailing Identity membership to get the most accurate, up to date information when you're away from Cosmo. I actually emailed them yesterday afternoon to request the total number of base points I had earned since July 2016. As I sent the email on a Sunday afternoon, I wasn't expecting a reply for a few days, however they replied on Sunday evening.

    Turns out that my actual base point accrual was a little less than the number I had calculated from my notes, but at least now I know exactly where I stand. To keep track of things accurately, prior to my upcoming visit I wanted to make sure that I know my accumulated base points and/or countdown to next tier and my Point Play balance (that appears when inserting your card in a machine), both of which are available by contacting Identity by email. Knowing these two numbers in addition to my total Identity point balance (available from the website) prior to the start of my upcoming trip, I'm hoping I'll be able to keep better track of where I stand during my visit.
     
  16. Chuck2009x

    Chuck2009x VIP Whale

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    I can't find anything wrong with that logic. :beer:
     
  17. Chuck2009x

    Chuck2009x VIP Whale

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    I'm guessing your next stay is comped. If you have any hotel spend on the first night, can you try to detect whether you get the points for it overnight or not, and let us know? I'm also wondering if there's a difference in the timing of posting points between presenting your card at a point of purchase and paying then, vs charging to your room.
     
  18. Marilynfan

    Marilynfan High-Roller

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    I'm thinking that it doesn't show up until checkout. I stayed 3 nights last year (paid for upgrades and food) and made sterling very late on my last night - checked out early the next morning. They are counting 7,000 points from that trip as after I earned Sterling. There is no way I earned that much with gambling for just a couple hours and just 1 night of fees. It had to include the bill for my first 2 nights.
     
    Last edited: Apr 25, 2017
  19. YOleven

    YOleven Tourist

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    Well, yes and no. I'm staying a total of 5 nights. The first two nights are at casino rate (around $100 / night), the third night is comped using my Sterling free night for the year, and the fourth and fifth nights are comped from a spring email offer for two free nights. I'm pleased that they let me use the Sterling free night and the two comped night offer back to back, giving me three comped nights in a row. Since I'm using three different offers, they actually have me booked in a terrace studio under three different reservations. I haven't paid much attention previously, but I'm also very curious as to how quickly Identity points generated from hotel bills are posted to an Identity account following payment (maybe someone else knows?). Since I'm paying for my first two nights and they're technically under a separate reservation, I'm going to see if I can pay my bill for the first two nights on the morning of my third day and see how long it takes for the points to post to my Identity balance. Plus, it would be a nice addition to my point balance if I end up at a point where I'm earning enough to go for Gold.
     
  20. wanker751

    wanker751 Dutch Rudder Enthusiast

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    Just a word [and you may know already] that the Sterling night is considering a second reservation.

    So when you check in ask for the reservations to be linked back to back so you don't have to check out. About 75% of the time you will not need to get a new key made if it's down right!
     
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