Interactive BETCLIC EVEREST GROUP
Isabelle Andres will be exploring this topic at the EiG show in Berlin.
Managing disruption and digital innovation
Isabelle Andres, CEO, Betclic Everest Group, will be speaking this month at the EiG show in Berlin. Her topic is an arresting one - envisioning how new technologies will apply to digital gaming and iGaming leaders. Ms. Andres will share her vision for the future and views on technological innovation, research and development, the applicability of disruptive technologies to the iGaming space and how legacy companies can innovate with speed and agility to remain relevant and ahead of the game.
Companies invest aggressively - and successfully - in the technologies that retain their current cus- tomers, but often fail to make other technological investments that customers of the future demand. Is this true of the igaming sector?
Well, you are right, igaming sector, as the whole e- commerce industry, are surely investing in all CRM technologies aiming to enhance their current customer relationships. From a very active Customer Service to a best of breed CRM system able to look after their clients at all time and through any devices. And I would also say that, as for Customer of the future, igaming sector is also good at driving them to their websites. This partic- ular sector has always been very focused and tal- ented, notably through high technology usage, in acquiring customer through different tools such as optimization of affiliation model, or latest SEO/SEM technics.
But compared to other e-commerce websites, igaming sector has not embraced all other usage of latest technology. For example, the majority of the operators came late to full-power mobile usage, does not optimise content yet, and do not develop mainstream new entertaining way of gambling so far. So all in all I would invest from the igaming sector a further investment in those areas rather than focusing exclusively on the next-to-come technology (even if we have to also, obviously).
How can companies stay at the cutting edge of technology in the igaming sector, without exhausting resources in the wrong direction?
By embracing who they are: e-commerce website and entertainment companies. This gives Igaming sector both a clear field of improvement and some model to look after. First of all, other kind of e- commerce websites are ahead as regard to cutting edge technology. We shall not be afraid to learn and copy the best techniques. We do have refer- ence, we shall be able not to repeat the first mis- takes made and more try to optimise e-commerce
6 8
technical usage. Moreover, igaming sector is at an important stage were regulation is forcing us to review our current architecture. It obliges us to perfect our development, this is the opportunity to look at the latest technics and improve our- selves.
How do you identify the significance of disruptive technologies as opposed to sustaining technolo- gies? And who do you listen to about the impor- tance of new technologies - marketing and finance, or your technical personnel?
In the internet industry, disruptive technologies has only an interest if it is meant to be used by a big audience. E-commerce websites shall look into any innovation and technology that will give customer more reasons to stay on their websites and buy more products. It has to give competitive advantage. This is why, all disruptive technology shall be challenged by each stakeholder (market- ing, finance, technical…). At BEG we decided to create a Product and Innovation department directly under CEO’s supervision. It allows us to manage current product using best of breed user experience and technology and also study major trends, create Proof of Concept etc..
One of the reasons ascribed to businesses that fail as disruptive technologies upset their markets is that many ‘stay too close to their customers.’ Customers wield extraordinary control in directing a company’s investments - to the point that inno- vation can stagnate within established business- es. How do you remain creative and still deliver what the customer wants?
You should be able to consistently have a 360° vision. Externally, it is important to look to at all trend within igaming sector, but also to closely study all internet industry technological evolution and embrace user experience trend as the real main one will spread over any sector of internet. Internally, we have to remember that most of the time the Customer does not know the exact prod- uct he wants, but he knows what objectives he is
after entering to a website. This is where creativi- ty has to be focused: fulfilling such customer objective by any innovative, user friendly means. Being customer centric does not mean Customer controlling your product but you product focused on increasing customer’s stickiness by helping him to achieve his goal.
Most businesses seek to meet the needs of their mainstream customers, addressing the next gen- eration performance needs - while rarely are they at the forefront of commercialising new technolo- gies that appeal only to small or emerging mar- kets. You’ve said in the past that the igaming sec- tor is not a mature sector, at least not yet - but is it adopting a mature market’s approach to chas- ing the mainstream?
Indeed, igaming sector is getting more mature every year, but we are not there yet. All actors have still to improve our offer to such main- stream. Looking at other e-commerce websites there are definitively a lot of enhancement to learn from them. We also can look at this as an opportunity. Igaming sector has still the spirit to look for innovation. As we have to still to perfect our offer and product, we have possibility to more heavily think to the future of customer needs and even try to optimise e-commerce technics.
Should the igaming sector be diverting resources from known customer needs in established mar- kets to markets and customers that seem insignificant or do not yet exist? Should this be a goal when companies must still meet the needs of established customers and fend off competitors too?
This is definitely part of the difficult resource allocation equation. Internet and technology are evolving so fast that you do not want to be over- whelmed by something you did not study and prepare for. Every major customer usage has been a real wave that is very hard to support if you are not prepared. For example Tablet: it was a fully new usage, between a computer and a phone. It
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84