The popularity of sports betting has risen dramatically over the last five years in the USA. Ever since the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 was judicially overturned in 2018, every US state were handed the right to develop their own laws on sports betting and gambling. In that time, thirty-eight states and Washington, D.C. have legal sports betting operations. Super Bowl 58 took place in the gambling capital of the world, Las Vegas, so it is perhaps fitting that it was the most wagered on in history. The American Gaming Association estimated that 42.7 million U.S. adults wagered on this year’s game. Astonishingly, this was up more than 40% on the previous year.
With sports betting becoming increasingly popular in such a short amount of time, many sportsbooks have had to learn fast about how to deliver the best possible experience for their customer base. Customer service is integral to this experience and operators must strive to achieve an extremely high standard.
Sports betting can elevate the fan experience of sports tenfold. Wagering on teams and players, especially while watching live, adds an extra layer of excitement to the game. The operator that fans choose to bet with serves as more than just a platform for them to place their bets, but also as a partner on their sports-fuelled journey. However, especially with most betting taking place online through apps, there is always a chance that things may not run smoothly. This is where customer service comes in.
Why is good customer service important?
To begin with, good customer service helps to aide brand identity and loyalty. The landscape of sports betting is vast and continues to grow so an exceptional service is often the difference between betting with one sportsbook and another. Prompt, helpful responses to customers and solutions build trust with customers and keep them coming back to specific operators despite any minor hiccups.
Where money is involved, technical issues can be very delicate. A responsive and efficient customer service team is crucial to not just the brand but the customers themselves who will be extremely wary of losing money or winnings in situations where they may not be at fault. The nature of online betting means that technical issues are inevitable, odds can change in an instant, for example the NBA lines would shift dramatically if a player like LeBron James got injured in the warm up before a big game. If they are displayed incorrectly, it could cause a user to wager on something they aren’t happy with.
There are of course many nuances in sports betting markets and offers that vary from platform to platform. Rule clarifications are often integral to the experience for fans to minimize unnecessary losses. This is why a fully briefed customer service team and detailed guides are so important.
How can these issues be addressed?
There are a number of ways that operators can proactively resolve issues:
FAQs – There are a number of questions that can be expected from customers, particularly new customers, that can be addressed quickly through FAQs pages. These could be on subjects like how do odds work, what are the differences between markets or what are deposit methods. These can be addressed promptly and often do not require one-to-one help.
Comprehensive help guides – These are essentially for more detailed but not necessarily integral issues. For example, customers may need help with bonuses or even legal guidelines on betting with any one platform.
Live chats – Live chats are often the last line of defense for sports betting operators but are also the most important. People generally prefer talking to real people for help with issues that may be out of their hands e.g. wrong settlements, technical issues and glitches. A responsive, fast and efficient help line that is readily available to customers when they need it is incredibly important to fan experience, loyalty and trust.
How can they help improve the platform?
Interactions between customer service and sports bettors can also be a treasure-trove of information and data on productivity and user experience for operators. By monitoring these interactions operators can pick up on the frequency of specific, frequent problems which can help improve the overall experience and allow the platform to evolve along with the expectations of customers.
The cost of poor customer service can be incredibly detrimental. Customers could switch their loyalties, brands can limit their growth and could even come under scrutiny from regulatory bodies. By having strong customer service, sports fans can wager on sports in a far more relaxed manor and strengthen their overall experience of both watching sports and wagering on it.
