Industry News
Zendesk’s customer experience research reveals power of one “seamless conversation”
“Customer expectations are at an all-time high, and loyalty is fleeting,” according to the annual flagship report from leading global CRM provider Zendesk, which provides customer experience software to industry brands such as Big Fish Games, GameSys, Mr Green, LeoVegas, White Hat Gaming and more. At a time where brand allegiance is transient across land-based and online brands, the research provides insights into how companies, from start-ups to successful pioneers, can drive service and ensure customer reliability…
Zendesk, Inc., which serves more than 150,000 customers across a multitude of industries in over 30 languages, has been established in the gaming industry for more than twelve years and has recently released its annual Customer Experience Trends Report 2020 research, identifying trends that translate to gaming companies of all sizes.
Elisabeth Zornes, Chief Customer Officer at Zendesk explained: “While customer expectations continue to rise, the Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report 2020 shows that companies aren’t living up to these expectations. For example, according to the report, many of the channels people want for fast, efficient resolution aren’t being offered. In fact, only a third of companies offer self-service options like knowledge base help centers, and less than a third offer chat, social messaging, in-app messaging, bots or communities.”
The issue of tech-based service solutions isn’t restricted to just iGaming as the report also highlights the increasing market saturation in land-based and hospitality too. “Businesses are facing competition from companies that are providing purpose-driven solutions in service of the customer, raising the stakes for everyone,” she said. “Well-established and iconic brands like the Four Seasons remain one step ahead because they invest in new technologies in continued pursuit of an easy and excellent customer experience.
“This presents a challenging landscape, and for companies that are struggling to navigate, the report identifies what businesses of all sizes, in every industry, can do to provide excellent customer service and create loyal customers, starting with the initial sales process.”
Based on global survey results and the Zendesk Benchmark, an index of product usage data from more than 45,000 global companies using Zendesk’s leading customer experience platform, the 2020 report highlights how the most successful companies achieve their position by executing four essential customer service attributes. These comprise: maintain one seamless conversation; harness customer data; embrace artificial intelligence; and, give customer experience a seat in the C-suite.
“Customers today expect uninterrupted conversations that don’t start or stop in the middle of their interaction or get lost in a different communication channel,” Zornes said. According to the report, half of customers will switch to a competitor after just one bad experience, and 80 percent will leave after multiple bad experiences. The research also reveals that service is a primary driver of customer loyalty, second only to price in determining whether customers feel loyal to a brand.
When it comes to data, the Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report 2020 findings show that customers prefer companies to keep track of their data if it leads to better experiences, with more than 75 percent of customers wanting the personalization that comes with better insights. Being able to manage and interpret data is crucial for understanding customers and proactively identifying opportunities to better serve them.
Speaking about AI innovation in customer service, Zornes added: “As AI innovation becomes more accessible, it represents the future of customer service, and there is still a huge opportunity for companies to start taking advantage of the technology. Our findings show that only 37 percent of customer experience teams are using AI. However, high-performing customer experience teams are twice as likely to embrace AI, incorporating the technology across more channels and interactions with customers.
“And finally, in terms of C-level customer service approach, the most successful companies are tapping into the value of prioritizing the customer experience, and forward-thinking companies are bringing in leaders who can understand and champion the customer.”
While these four attributes aren’t a shortcut that immediately equals success, they are definitely a step in the right direction as customer service continues to evolve in the next decade. Focusing on the approach companies can take going into 2020 and beyond, Zornes concluded: “We are in an entirely new era of customer expectations to such an extent that service can make or break a company. To build a loyal customer base and truly differentiate themselves, companies of all sizes across industries and geographies must provide an easy and frictionless customer experience, earning and re-earning a customer’s business with every interaction.”
To learn more about the most important trends in the customer experience industry, the full the Zendesk Customer Experience Trends Report 2020 can be downloaded via https://www.zendesk.com/customer-experience-trends/.
Gaming Laboratories International
GLI Promotes Malvina Mikaelian and Reenesh Mahabeer to Senior Directors of Engineering
Gaming Laboratories International (GLI) has promoted Malvina Mikaelian and Reenesh Mahabeer to Senior Directors of Engineering.
Mikaelian has been with GLI for 22 years and is based in the Las Vegas lab. Over her history with the company, she has opened GLI’s South Africa and Las Vegas labs and has led the technical group through the most dynamic advances in gaming technology.
“Malvina brings a proven track record of technical leadership, operational excellence, and cross-functional collaboration. In her new role, she will lead strategic engineering initiatives, strengthen organizational execution, and help drive the next phase of innovation and growth for the global land-based division,” Andrea Bossard, Vice President of Engineering at GLI, said.
Mahabeer is based in GLI’s South Africa lab and has been with the company for just under 20 years, working his way from a Senior Engineer to his current position as Senior Director of Engineering. He has led his team through multiple changes in the South African gaming landscape, in both land-based and iGaming.
“Reenesh is a trusted, exceptional leader driving our global digital initiatives and accelerating innovation in emerging technologies. He combines vast market and technical expertise to deliver global consistency and a world-class experience for our clients, while inspiring peers and empowering his team,” Ginnie Hollis, Vice President of Engineering at GLI, said.
The post GLI Promotes Malvina Mikaelian and Reenesh Mahabeer to Senior Directors of Engineering appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Andy Hendrickson
IGT Executive Andy Hendrickson Expands Role to Become Chief Product & Technology Officer
IGT announced that Andy Hendrickson has expanded his role to become Chief Product & Technology Officer (CPTO), subject to receipt of all required regulatory approvals.
Hendrickson previously served as IGT’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) since joining the merged IGT and Everi enterprise in 2025. He is recognized as a transformative technology executive behind industry-disrupting platforms and technologies that blend strategic vision with operational excellence to deliver measurable results at scale.
“I’m very pleased that Andy Hendrickson is expanding his role at IGT to become our Chief Product & Technology Officer, leveraging his vision and expertise across technology, products and solutions to help our global customers deliver industry-leading games to players while enhancing their operations. Andy’s leadership as CPTO ensures tighter alignment between our products and processes, and how we leverage world-class talent across our global game studios to create value,” IGT Incoming CEO Hector Fernandez said.
“I’m excited to expand my global technology leadership role to become IGT Chief Product & Technology Officer. I believe IGT has the ingredients to deliver industry-leading products and solutions to our customers, and with the strength of our game studio talent, disciplined content creation and product management, we are well-positioned for growth and innovation,” IGT CPTO Andy Hendrickson said.
Prior to joining IGT, Hendrickson served as CTO of one of IGT’s global competitors. Earlier in his career, Andy served as CTO of Activision Publishing and led technology for some of the world’s most successful console game franchises, including Call of Duty, Crash Bandicoot, and Sekiro. At Walt Disney Animation Studios, Andy led technology for blockbusters like Frozen. Earlier leadership roles include Head of Technology at Pacific Data Images/DreamWorks Animation, where he enabled multi-film annual releases including Shrek 2 and Madagascar, and Senior Technology Officer at Industrial Light & Magic, where he elevated visual effects to new creative frontiers.
A named inventor on multiple U.S. patents, Andy has led innovation spanning remote collaboration, stereoscopic depth rendering, and advanced image processing. His work has garnered film credits on landmark titles including Forrest Gump, The Mask, Men in Black, Frozen and Wreck-It Ralph, alongside numerous blockbuster gaming releases.
He holds a BA in Physics from the University of California, Berkeley, and is an active member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, SMPTE, and ACM SIGGRAPH.
The post IGT Executive Andy Hendrickson Expands Role to Become Chief Product & Technology Officer appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) has announced new development details related to its charitable gaming facility in Salem, New Hampshire. The company currently operates Casino Salem, located in 19,000 square-feet within The Mall at Rockingham Park. Casino Salem will be redeveloped as Rockingham Grand Casino.
Rockingham Grand Casino will occupy 160,000 square-feet over three floors and will feature 825 historical racing machines, 32 table games, 12 electronic table game seats, a 900-seat live entertainment venue, and several food and beverage concepts, including a center bar and full-service sports bar and restaurant. The Company received approval from the Salem Planning Board for its development plan in December.
Rockingham Grand Casino will be a key tenant of The Mall at Rockingham Park which is the largest shopping mall in New Hampshire. Rockingham Grand Casino is also positioned near Tuscan Village, a prominent mixed-use development offering dining, entertainment, retail shopping, residential areas, hotels, and commercial office space. CDI plans to open Rockingham Grand Casino in mid-2027, with an expected capital investment of $180-200 million.
“We are proud to officially begin our development of Rockingham Grand Casino in partnership with Joe Faro and Sal Lupoli. We look forward to contributing to New Hampshire’s charitable organizations while bringing outstanding entertainment experiences to our guests across the greater Boston region,” said Bill Carstanjen, Chief Executive Officer of CDI.
“We are excited to take the next step alongside our valued partners at Churchill Downs as we begin our journey to bring Rockingham Grand Casino to life. We remain fully committed to strengthening our local economy through the creation of vibrant consumer destinations,” said Joe Faro and Sal Lupoli.
The post CDI Announces Development Plans for Casino in Salem, New Hampshire appeared first on Americas iGaming & Sports Betting News.
-
Alex Lorimer7 days agoMega Mammoth – Multiplier Mayhem Charges into the Gaming Corps Portfolio
-
Arizona6 days agoArizona Department of Gaming Reports $44.9 Million in Tribal Gaming Contributions for the Second Quarter of Fiscal Year 2026
-
Booming Games5 days ago
Booming Games and Live Play Mobile Launch “LivePlay™ Slots” with Exclusive Modo Debut
-
Big Hot Flaming Pots7 days ago
Big Hot Flaming Pots: Tasty Treasures – Lightning Box Brings Land-Based Hit Online
-
Blask Index7 days ago
How Venezuela’s iGaming market is reacting to US pressure
-
Affiliate Events5 days ago
Taking Off with N1 Partners at iGB Affiliate 2026 in Barcelona: Grand Final and a Helicopter for the N1 Puzzle Promo Winner
-
Affiliate Management5 days agoN1 Faces: Daria Maichuk — “Communication as the Key to Strong, Effective Partnerships in Affiliate Marketing”
-
Affiliate Management5 days ago
N1 Faces: Daria Maichuk — “Communication as the Key to Strong, Effective Partnerships in Affiliate Marketing”
