Creating a strong omnichannel strategy has always been one of the key challenges for any operator to overcome if they are to have successful online and land-based operations.
Francesco Postiglione, CEO of Casumo, will be taking part in a panel at SBC Summit in Lisbon later this year about this very topic, sharing his experience across both sectors and how they can help one another.
Speaking to CasinoBeats ahead of the event, Postiglione shared his thoughts on omnichannel strategy, his time as Casumo CEO so far, how land-based operations can boost their traffic and the operator’s preparations for online slot stake limits in the UK.
CasinoBeats: Thank you for taking the time to talk to us, Francesco. We’re fast approaching 18 months since you were appointed CEO of Casumo. How has your time in the role been so far?
Francesco Postiglione: My time at Casumo has been both challenging and exciting.
Challenging because I found a company that had very much neglected product and technology in the last few years, creating a material gap with the competition. It required a lot of hard work to bring Casumo back to where it belongs: a cutting-edge operator, at the forefront of product design, customer service and experience, as well as technology.
We are now able again to offer players an incredibly engaging journey when playing with us.
Exciting because I had the opportunity and the privilege to work with brilliant, talented people whose efforts have been instrumental in the comeback of Casumo.
CB: What challenges have you faced as Casumo CEO to date and how have you overcome them?
FP: As I said the biggest challenges were in Product and Technology: an obsolete front-end platform, a very asperous experience for the players, starting from the registration up to document verification and the gameplay itself.
To overcome these issues, and many others, we have put in place a strategic framework based on three pillars: smooth and simple experience, fun and engaging journey, and responsible gaming.
The making of each of these pillars has been sustained by five different strategic initiatives, that were all aimed at offering the players a best-in-class gaming experience through a number of improvements across the board: people, data, product, technology, commercial proposition, rebranding and marketing repositioning, focus on core markets.
CB: At SBC Summit in September, you will be taking part in the panel ‘Omnichannel Strategy for Enhanced Customer Experience’. What specific topic are you looking forward to highlighting in this discussion?
FP: I had the opportunity to manage two hybrid operators: Napoleon Sports and Casino in Belgium and PSK in Croatia. Both of them had important land-based operations, respectively gaming halls Napoleon and betting shops PSK.
I want to highlight how important is the training of the land-based personnel and how relevant are payments for a proper omnichannel strategy.
CB: What steps can be taken to boost traffic to the land-based betting sector?
FP: A combined digital and land-based commercial approach is fundamental to boost traffic to the land-based sector: hybrid promotions, cross-functionality of deposits and withdrawals, and KYC support are all elements that can make a difference today for the land-based sector.
And, of course, a good entertainment experience that can be reached in situ not only through a proper layout of the shops but also (and especially I would say) through proper training of the salespeople (welcome experience, cross-selling and upsell of both online and land-based promotions).
CB: Casumo operates across many regulated markets including the UK, which will introduce online slot stake limits from September later this year. How has Casumo been preparing for this introduction?
FP: We are working with our gaming providers and we will be ready. In the UK, we are experiencing strong, double-digit growth fuelled by very recreational players, so we do not expect major issues from this change.
CB: Finally, what are you and Casumo hoping to achieve by attending the SBC Summit?
FP: SBC is a great opportunity for learning, sharing experiences and knowledge, for creating a great network. As usual, Casumo is happy to be here.
