Industry News
Efficiency and automation key as Zendesk simplifies customer service
With the igaming industry experiencing rapid international growth, nurturing brand identity and loyalty remains a key focus for operators – a complex challenge when faced with an increasingly diverse customer base. Speaking at the customer service software company Zendesk’s Showcase London, the firm’s president of products Adrian McDermott discussed how Zendesk’s segmentation and automation software is leading the way for efficient B2C interaction.
“Gaming has a set of unique challenges,” said McDermott. “Most games have large populations of casual users, free users, paid users, heavy users, and segmentation of inbound – and understanding how to deal with that inbound – is incredibly important.”
“We have gaming customers that have hundreds of millions of free users they need to serve through self service, and we have gaming customers with some very high-spend individuals, and they need to treat those people differently.”
One of the first things Zendesk offers gaming firms is a self-service environment where users can help users, or access appropriate content, with Harvard Business Review recently stating that 81 percent of people would rather find the answer for themselves than seek assistance. Further stages include an escalation from that channel into an instant messaging environment where customers talk directly to an agent, with an establishment of user identity.
The automated process, which also utilises AI and extensively curated user help functions, allows brands to streamline the customer service response, effectively allowing them to more efficiently utilise customer-facing agents. “Ultimately, serving gaming customers is often about having humans sitting in seats talking to humans who play that game, engaging with them and representing the brand.”
“Our gaming customers bring that to bear themselves, we just give them the tools, and build best practices in, that when a player comes for support, they get a response which is timely, in brand and meets their expectations.”
Not only did Zendesk’s Showcase London offer a positive opportunity to engage with firms keen to integrate the firm’s efficient software systems, but the 12 June event also proved the perfect place to announce an expansion of Zendesk’s AI-powered Answer Bot.
Already embedded in over 10,000 apps, Answer Bot tool will now be extended across all web and mobile channels, allowing companies to provide constant, consistent support and quicker response times across all platforms. “Customers today demand fast responses in a context that suits them, and AI can be used to help companies be more timely and accurate when engaging with customers. With Answer Bot, we’re putting an end to laborious processes to resolve simple questions. We’re not just delivering self-service everywhere – we’re delivering AI-powered self-service everywhere, which will continue to make for a better customer experience.”
Alongside Answer Bot – which also surfaces recommendations to agents during customer interaction, thereby increasing accuracy in response – Zendesk also announced a range of new tools as part of its Guide Enterprise knowledge base. With nearly four billion knowledge base articles viewed on Zendesk in 2018, the firm’s curated catalogue of problem solving and FAQ response articles has been strengthened with solutions such as Article Events – allowing regular appraisals of the usefulness, brand consistency and accuracy of articles – and Content Cues, prioritising the most regularly viewed responses. “This is what AI can do; large-scale pattern matching that goes beyond human comprehension,” said McDermott. “One of the reasons we’re super excited about this is that we are seeing that new capabilities across gaming are being released every month, every quarter, they’re entertainment products unlike any before, they are constantly morphing.”
“This is a challenge for customer service, figuring out the connotations downstream of what’s going to happen to a player in that new reality – it’s almost impossible to be figuring it out without machine automation. It’s uniquely suited to the pace of game deployment.”
Though igaming firms are just waking up to the potential of streamlined customer service software, McDermott added that Zendesk’s experience with gaming firms already extends over seven years, with key integrations in major studios and providers delivering manifold efficiencies. With its suite of systems and software covering consumer-engaged businesses in all sectors, Zendesk offers one of the most multi-faceted B2C solutions on the market, a serious consideration for igaming operators as both product options and customer numbers increase.
“We provide the tools and services to people to help them provide great customer service, and that cuts across all kinds of industries, ecommerce, traditional retail, services IT – and of course gaming.”
“We have a range of products that help people connect with their customers, and we always say that the best customer experiences are built with Zendesk.”
Industry News
Jelly Entertainment enters a new chapter with the appointment of Steven Matsell as CEO
Jelly completes C-level reshuffle
Jelly Entertainment, the iGaming B2B supplier, has appointed Steven Matsell as CEO. With over 20 years in the industry, Matsell brings deep experience, having held leadership roles as Director for GTS Plc and CEO for Leander Games, acquired by RAW in 2022.
To support the company’s continued sales success and growth, David Newstead will transition to the role of Chief Business Development Officer. In this new capacity, Newstead will focus on expanding Jelly’s market presence and driving the development of the company’s sales funnel. Matsell succeeds Newstead as CEO of Jelly, a position Newstead has held since 2020.
Newstead stated that Jelly is at “an important juncture” and praised Steven’s appointment, saying, “Steven has a great working rapport with me, aligns perfectly with the culture and character we’ve built, and has been with us from the beginning, playing a key role in driving our success. I couldn’t think of anyone better to lead us into our next growth phase.”
Reflecting on his time as CEO, Newstead shared, “It’s been an honour to watch Jelly grow into a globally recognized B2B supplier. Now feels like the right time to step aside, and I’m confident the company is in great hands with Steven.”
This move is part of a broader leadership restructuring at Jelly, with Silvio Insigne joining as CFO in June and Kim Eaglestone and Salvador Lima recently appointed as COO and CCO, respectively.
In his first remarks as CEO, Matsell expressed enthusiasm: “Stepping into this role excites me, and I’m inspired by the talented team around me. My goal is to build on the strong foundation David established, accelerating growth and new market expansion while upholding our commitment to service, relationships, and values.”
Thanking Newstead, Matsell added, “David has been key in building Jelly into what it is today. His determination and resilience have driven much of our success, and his move to Chief Business Development Officer will allow him to focus on his true strength – developing new business opportunities and nurturing international partnerships.”
With new developments underway, Jelly’s leadership is setting the stage for continued growth into 2025 and beyond.
Industry News
Amusnet Italy Wins Casino Content Supplier at EGR Italy Awards
Amusnet Italy announced that it has again been recognised as Casino Content Supplier of the Year at the prestigious EGR Italy Awards. This consecutive win, presented to the team by Marco Castaldo, CEO at Microgame, highlights the company’s exceptional contributions and leadership within the iGaming industry, solidifying its reputation as a top-tier content provider in the European market. Demonstrating its support to the Italian gaming industry, Amusnet Italy served as a Headline Sponsor at the Gala event, where Polina Nedyalkova was honored to present two awards: Operator of the Year to Sisal and Casino Operator to 888casino.
“This consecutive recognition by EGR Italy Awards is a reflection of our team’s dedication to excellence and progress in every aspect of our business. We are honoured to receive this award and remain focused on driving the future of iGaming in the region with forward-thinking solutions that create exceptional value for operators and players,” said Polina Nedyalkova, Director at Amusnet Italy.
Amusnet Italy has recently achieved several notable milestones that enhance its presence in the country. Last November, in tough competition, the company was recognised as Casino Content Supplier of the Year at the EGR Italy Awards. According to iGaming Tracker, Amusnet Italy ranks as the fourth-best casino provider (results for June 2024), marking a significant leap of three positions in the rankings. Additionally, since January, Amusnet Italy has forged nine new long-term partnerships with operators, increasing its total to over 30. The company has released 15 new games since the beginning of the year, with more games planned for release by the end of 2024, such as 5 Power Hot, 10 Glossy Hot and a special Christmas slot collection, boasting a portfolio of more than 100 certified signature and top-performing casino games.
The EGR Italy Awards is an esteemed annual event organised by EGR Global that recognises excellence in the Italian online gaming industry. Celebrating innovation and operational excellence, the awards cover a range of categories, including Best Casino and Best Sportsbook, with winners determined by a panel of industry experts. The event highlights the achievements of leading operators and suppliers. It serves as a vital networking platform for industry professionals to connect and collaborate, reinforcing the dynamic nature of the Italian gaming market.
Industry News
MiFinity to Showcase Innovative iFrame at SiGMA 2024
MiFinity, a leading global payment services provider, is excited to announce its participation at SiGMA 2024, held in Malta from 12 to 14 November. Visitors can find MiFinity at Stand 2012, where the team will be showcasing its award winning PayAnyBank service, and the latest version of the MiFinity iFrame and demonstrating how it helps iGaming operators acquire and retain players with a seamless, flexible payment experience.
Paul Kavanagh, CEO of MiFinity, commented: “SiGMA is a fantastic opportunity for us to showcase our latest developments and engage directly with the iGaming community. The MiFinity iFrame is a game-changer for operators looking to streamline their payment processes and enhance the player experience. We look forward to demonstrating its capabilities and connecting with both existing and prospective partners.”
MiFinity’s Business Development and Account Management teams will be on-site to discuss the new iFrame features in-depth and highlight how MiFinity can optimise payments for iGaming operators. They will also be showcasing MiFinity’s innovative suite of payment solutions developed specifically for the iGaming sector, including MiFinity PayAnyBank — a powerful tool that enables operators to send payouts directly to players’ bank accounts in multiple countries and currencies, enhancing the user experience with faster, more localised transactions and reduced FX fees.
The MiFinity Affiliates team will also be available to explain the benefits of MiFinity’s affiliate program, which offers some of the highest commissions in the industry and unique promotional opportunities via the MiFinity Bonus website.
Meet the MiFinity team at Stand 2012 at SiGMA 2024 to learn more about the company’s solutions and how they are transforming the iGaming payment landscape. Pre-book a meeting with the MiFinity team or drop by the stand during the event to explore how MiFinity can support your business.
Book a meeting here > outlook.office365.com/book/[email protected]/
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