For any consumer, customer service is one of the most important hallmarks of their interaction experience. If there is any issue in the process of purchasing goods and services, nothing beats good customer service. A helpful, polite response that swiftly resolves any and all problems might be encountered key.
When it comes to online casinos, one of the last things they need to do is leave a sour taste in the mouths of their players. With real money on the line and no physical storefront to take issues to, players need to be reassured that they won’t be left in the dark. These days, a majority of online casinos openly tout their superior customer service experience. However, a recent study has found that many online casinos still have a long way to go with their efforts in this area.
Highs and Lows
The firm iXP Consulting conducted an audit of online casinos and the quality of their customer support services and how customer issues are addressed. iXP’s research was published in partnership with online gaming site iGaming Business. The research of online poker and casino operators took place over the third quarter of 2013.
In regards to online casinos with the best performance, iXP listed 32Red based out of Gibraltar, Bet365 based out of the United Kingdom, and InterCasino based out of Malta. The lowest-performing sites were listed as the United Kingdom’s NetBet and Club World, and Ireland’s Paddy Power.
Help Wanted
The first part of iXP’s research into customer service issues analyzed the overall results of the audit and the level of accessibility for the casinos researched. 32Red was one of the few sites leading the pack in regards to how easily customer support can be contacted, the quality of FAQs, and how good customer service agents were at keeping players informed on the status of their issues. Ladbrokes and Paddy Power also excelled at these fields.
iXP saw that many of these online casinos and gaming sites weren’t lacking on their acknowledgement of the importance of customer service. In fact, the company found supporting customers and providing excellent service to them was heavily incorporated into their work culture. That being said, these ideals weren’t held up by corresponding actions.
Issues were still found with how customer problems were addressed and how the overall message was relayed across the site as a whole. Part of the reason for this imbalance was due to the nature of larger casino companies or gaming corporations. It is with those larger sites that maximizing efficiency trumps a more personal, friendlier touch to helping out customers.
“There are operators who have successfully incorporated service excellence into their culture; however the majority continue to regard this critical touch point solely as a cost driver,” told iXP to iGaming Business. “As long as this perception persists, the revenues lost through unnecessary churn and negative PR will continue.”
More Results to Come
The impression of providing quality customer service is obviously key to many online casinos. Their reputation in reviews, social media, word of mouth and more is greatly influenced by this very important quality.
To further inform players and potential customers, iGaming Business mentions they plan to publish more results found in iXP’s customer service research. The next installment of the audit covers email response times, product knowledge and the quality of presentation across the various casino operators looked into.
