Bespoke customer support is the next frontier in player retention, says Daisy White, Head of Business Development at Rdentify

It’s become very clear over the last few years that fantastic customer experiences need to be tailored to the individual.

The gaming industry took a little longer than some to catch on, but we now proudly take the lead of tech giants like Netflix, TikTok and Spotify by curating individual journeys for each user.

The player can be served the specific games or betting markets they prefer. They can be bonused in a way that matches their play style. And they can receive marketing outreach on the channels where they are most responsive.

But I’m still seeing one area where many operators appear to feel like a one-size-fits-all approach is sufficient: customer support.

Lack of support

Why has CS been overlooked in the great rush towards personalisation?

Well, historically, it has usually been viewed solely as a cost centre, a necessary but uninspiring part of business operations. A box that needs to be checked.

I believe this is missing a vital point. In an industry where player retention is now the lifeblood of profitability, customer support is in fact a key differentiator, and an area where operators can gain a strategic advantage over the competition.

I predict that delivering best-in-class support will become one of the most fiercely fought battles of 2025. But first, there needs to be a change in how we view support.

It pains me to say it, but many operators still run their support as a reactive function: Player has a problem. Player messages us. We respond.

I think we all realise this isn’t good enough. But many are still stuck when it comes to moving towards something more comprehensive.

Let me paint you a picture of what great support should look like in 2025. I see two critical areas.

Firstly, pain points should be anticipated. When a player reaches out to support, it usually means something’s gone wrong. The best customer experiences are those where issues are anticipated, and dealt with before they become full-blown problems.

And secondly, there’s the role of support in gaining a better understanding of your customers. Remember, every interaction with a user is an opportunity to learn something. What they love about your product; what frustrates them about it. Whether they are thinking of leaving and what it would take to get them to stick around.

Leveraging technology

Don’t get me wrong, I understand that traditional models of customer support make achieving much of this impossible.

But we’re now in a position where we can leverage technology to do so much more with support.

When most people think about using AI to improve the support function, the vision tends to be about fully automating the process.

We see another route forward, using AI to supercharge existing CS teams to achieve far better results.

By using LLMs to turn millions of CS interactions into a comprehensive understanding of how your customers view your brand, you can upskill your team and deliver better support to all customers.

This can take the form of proactive prompts, so you can engage customers before they feel like they’ve hit a roadblock.

It can also mean delivering that personalised, bespoke support I previously mentioned.

Imagine a scenario where support agents don’t just solve problems, but guide players through tailored experiences based on their preferences.

If a player frequently bets on a specific sport, an agent armed with AI insights might be able to suggest upcoming events or promotions that align with their interests, creating an additional layer or engagement.

Applying LLMs to the trove of direct feedback acquired from support chats can also help operators move beyond merely addressing complaints to start identifying trends that can transform the business.

For instance, if players are regularly flagging confusing bonus terms in chats, the LLM can turn disparate sentiment into an actionable insight before it begins causing bigger problems.

Another overlooked advantage is the power this approach has in terms of building greater trust. Players want to feel heard and valued, and they want to see their feedback make a difference.

If your agents can display this depth of understanding, and players can see positive change, you begin to foster greater loyalty among customers.

So, the message for 2025 is clear. Smart, proactive and personalised support is no longer optional. It’s now your competitive edge.

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