S P O U T I O N D E N T T O R I AS D L OLNSORE C EDIRE L
CRM FOCUS
Era of engagement
David Tam of Alterian, now part of SDL, reveals how technology is changing consumer behaviour, and how customer engagement is crucial for player retention
The emergence of digital channels and internet-based social media has created a new wave of consumers that are smarter, savvy and have the potential to become deeply invested in your brand. That is, if you communicate with them effectively. Digital has disrupted traditional marketing techniques; where once brands had control over almost all communications, now they have to learn to interact with individuals, to listen and engage with them. David Tam of Alterian, now part of SDL, explains how his ?rm allows global businesses to manage their brands and engage with customers. eGaming Review (eGR): What techniques are used to improve player engagement and why is it important when it comes to player retention? David Tam (DT): Customers are online 24/7. Mobile technology allows customers to be more switched on, connected and empowered, and they expect the services they use to be as available and real-time as they are themselves. This, combined with the advent of social media and online social networks, has created a paradigm of a consumer-driven economy. In the online gaming world, where new products are being launched every day, operators need to appear above all the noise and be attractive to players. They must know their players [? ?]Z[? [H?H?[?\?][?? \???[\?Y??\??[??XY??[?\?X??\??\?\ ??X?\? ?? H??[][?X?]H??\?? ]\?H ?[]?[?[? [Y[ K?Q???]\?H H ?\ ? ?X?Y]?[?? ^Y\?[??Y?[Y[?[????\??[??\?H??\[?Y\?X?Y]?H H?X?\??\?H ?\ ???H ?Y????H H?X\??X\??][??[?[ ??\??Y\?[??Y?[Y[??\??&]\ [??\??Y? ?]8?&\?H??\??^H?{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