As a well-established international betting business, we strive to find bespoke solutions for each customer inquiry, with the aim of offering the best customer service in the industry.
Tatiana Lyubchenko, Head of Customer Support Parimatch, shares her experiences.
What is the main function of the Customer Support department?
The customer support we offer at Parimatch stands out from our competitors. First and foremost, it is the talented and dedicated customer support team who deliver a superior service to our customers which makes the department so successful.
There are also other differences between us and other betting companies:
- Our team communicates with customers using nine different channels, meaning that they can use whichever method they prefer to contact us, whether that be via the telephone, instant messenger or social media.
- Time is one of the things our customers value the most, so we try to respond to them as quickly as possible. This is why keeping track of operational efficiencies is critical to our service.
- Our team speaks six languages.
- We attempt to predict and in turn answer the questions of our key customers before they contact us.
Customer support at Parimatch has five key teams:
- Incoming line - answers, calls, and emails.
- Social media monitoring - the answering of WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, and forums messages.
- Sales department: works with potential and current customers who have previously played with us.
- Quality control and training – the team select and train new customer support specialists, carry out monthly employee assessments, prepare internal reports as well as deliver employee engagement initiatives.
- VIP department - working with VIP clients to deal with any requests.
What effect has the rebranding had on the Customer Support department?
Parimatch’s rebranding was one of the critical projects of last year. In customer support, the rebranding has resulted in two new workstreams:
- The collection and processing of feedback from customers on the new branding.
- A differentiated service provided to customers depending on age and location.
At present, Parimatch’s standard customer support is offered in 16 locations. The way we communicate with our customers in each region and age group is different, depending on local customs and communication preferences amongst the age group.
For example, under 25s in Eastern Europe prefer:
- Messages should be short
- We do not use templated and transition phrases; communication depends on regional aspects
- Emojis and GIFs to express emotions
- Esports language and phrases
However, a customer who is over 35 from Central Asia needs an entirely different approach:
- Detailed explanations
- Spoken to with respect
- Prefer verbal communication over text messages
How does it work with VIP customers based in different regions?
When it comes to our VIPs, we are dedicated to providing a premier service catered to the individual requirements of the player.
Being a VIP client of Parimatch means having a personal VIP manager, receiving gifts on special occasions, access to benefits with our partners, and the speedy resolution of issues 24 hours a day.
The VIP manager makes payments and solves any issues with the VIP’s account before they are even aware that there is a problem. For example, if a customer enters a password incorrectly, after two minutes the VIP manager contacts the customer to help them.
How do we deal with negative feedback?
Working in customer support, negativity from customers is inevitable. According to our statistics, 90% of all client requests are complaints. Therefore, resistance to stress and the ability to work with complaints are a critical skill of our customer support specialists.
There are four basic rules to follow when dealing with a customer who has had a negative experience:
- A calm voice
- An understanding of the client's complaint
- The offer of a clear, structured and professional answer
- Aim to exceed the customer’s expectations
What does the future hold?
The main focus for the next six months will be to:
- Continue to develop our service by introducing more specialist teams
- Update our CRM system so that we can be even more customer-oriented.
- Change the approach to our evaluation system. In the future, an estimate of the operator's performance during the reporting period will be exhibited by the client, and not by the manager.
There are also several projects planned to help speed up response time. Although we already offer a high level of support, it is critical that we don’t get complacent and continue to improve the support we give to all of our customers.
