“Make no mistake about it; this is a highly competitive industry where operators must deliver a superior experience to that offered by their rivals across all areas of the online casino,” began Paul Buianov, Founder and CEO at customer support specialist BetCare, in his latest sit-down with CasinoBeats.
After delving into detail on the power of differentiation last month, Buianov picked up where he left off by offering his perspective on how operators can stand-out, and soar beyond, competing organisations, aided by a fully performing customer service function.
For too many, the BetCare CEO said, the focus is on big bonuses and generous incentives far too often, which, when used, serve no purpose in a users’ decision of stick or twist.
“Consumers now expect high levels of personalisation and want to feel valued by the brands they engage,” it was noted, with online casino no exception.
“Gold standard customer support makes each player feel like the star of the show and can be used to take acquisition and retention to the next level,” Buianov continued.
“Highly trained agents can guide players through the onboarding process, answering any questions they may have about KYC, payments, bonuses and more.
“Not all casinos offer this level of service, so those that do gain a massive edge”
“They can also reach out to existing players and check they are enjoying their experience with the brand. Issues can and do arise, and customer support agents are an operator’s first line of defence.
“If the player feels as though their questions have been answered or their issues resolved quickly and satisfactorily, the connection they have with the casino brand strengthens.
“Not all casinos offer this level of service, so those that do gain a massive edge over the competition.”
Addressing the major challenges faced in this regard, an array of potential obstacles are pointed to regarding the “significant undertaking” of establishing an in-house customer support function.
In addition to requiring a “sizable team of highly trained specialists” that would need to be on hand at all times, the necessity to establish direct communication across all departments to to effectively escalate and correct enquiries and issues is also touched upon.
Operators active in multiple markets around the world must also ensure that agents speak each native language as well as possess a “deep understanding” of all aspects of the operation.
“Customer support can also help operators to understand what retention activity and bonuses are hitting the mark”
Regarding the group’s own services, it has been asserted that these can increase retention and loyalty, upsell and expand brand awareness, with Buianov going into further detail on this.
“Retention ultimately comes down to ensuring that players are having a great experience with the online casino brand,” he explained.
“If they are, they’re unlikely to be tempted to play elsewhere, even if rival brands are offering generous welcome bonuses. Customer support plays a vital role in ensuring players are happy, and operators must not be afraid to communicate with their customers.
“Of course, they must do this via the channels that players want to use to communicate, and that’s why BetCare offers support services across seven channels (web chat, email, Whatsapp, Telegram, Facebook, SMS and telephone) with plans to roll out more over the next 12 months.
“Customer support can also help operators to understand what retention activity and bonuses are hitting the mark with players to ensure that future campaigns have the desired impact and deliver the best ROI.
“When it comes to upselling and brand awareness, customer support can help to drive cross-sell between an operator’s various product verticals by helping players understand any new products they wish to try.”
“…we want to continue to educate the industry as to the importance of customer support”
As the year draws to an ever nearing close, Buianov is in reflective mood of a year of “significant growth” that has witnessed numerous fresh operator partners as well as an expanded range of services being offered by BetCare.
“That said, the ultimate highlight is always bringing new partners on board, and we have most certainly done that over the past 12 months with many more partnerships to announce as we move into 2023,” he said.
Concluding on what we can expect from the group during the coming 12 month time frame: “We are going to focus heavily on expanding our international reach. We already work with a wide range of brands running on different platforms and licences, but we want to take this to the next level. We also have a product roadmap packed with exciting innovations and features.
“I can’t say too much, but it includes cutting-edge technologies such as machine learning and AI. In addition to this, we want to continue to educate the industry as to the importance of customer support and how it can aid with acquisition, retention, and, as you put it, ensuring they soar above their rivals.”