Yoel Zuckerberg, Soft2Bet’s Chief Product Officer, sat down for an exclusive interview with iGaming Express, talking about product development and the role of gamification, customer-centric methodologies, and artificial intelligence in driving innovation and client engagement in the iGaming industry. 

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1. Yoel, can you share some insights into the product development process at Soft2Bet? What methodologies and tools have been key in aligning your products with clients needs?

We use a combination of methodologies and tools aimed at aligning products with client’s needs:

• Agile Methodology. It enables iterative development and close collaboration between development teams, clients and stakeholders, and emphasizes regular feedback loops and incremental improvements.
• Customer-centric approach. Understanding client needs is at the core of Soft2bet’s product development. We do market research, surveys, interviews to gather insights, pain points and preferences of clients’.
• Product Roadmap. We define our long term vision and strategy. This helps align development efforts with business goals and clients' requirements.
• Collaboration and communication tools. Collaborative tools such as Jira, Slack or confluence facilitate our communications and project management across different teams ensure everyone is aligned and informed.

All these tools work in synergy and allow us to align our products with clients needs as much as possible. 

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2. You've discussed the integral role of gamification in Soft2Bet's success. Can you elaborate on how you've leveraged gamification principles in product design, and what impact it's had on user engagement? What are the primary sources of inspiration for Soft2Bet when it comes to innovating

Gamification has been a powerful tool for us. It helps make our platform and turnkey solutions more engaging and fun for users, and more profitable for the operators. Our latest innovative casino city-builder technology, for example, blends iGaming with casual gaming, offering players an experience they've never seen before, which significantly boosts player engagement and retention.  

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In a nutshell, everything we do is to enhance the players' experience. We feel that today's casino and sports gambling operators  are all the same: they provide the same games, same payment options, same bonuses, and so on, which makes it very hard to differentiate one from another. And if we look back over the last 10 years, innovations are very poor in our industry. This drives us on a day-to-day basis to find the best way to offer the same offering but with a twist that players will like, which will lead to increased engagement and player’s retention. Gamification is a crucial tool for that - although, of course, it’s not 

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3. White-label solutions are a significant part of Soft2Bet's offerings. Can you share your thoughts on the benefits and challenges of white-label solutions, both for Soft2Bet and for your clients?

Turn-key solutions allow our clients to quickly launch a fully operational gaming platform, saving them time and resources. For Soft2Bet, it’s an opportunity to expand our reach and grow our client base. The main challenge, however, is ensuring that each solution can be customized to meet our clients’ unique brand and market needs. We invest significantly in localization and customization capabilities to address this.

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4. What do you see as the most important trends in the online gaming industry today, and how is Soft2Bet positioning itself to capitalize on these trends?

We at Soft2Bet see the greatest potential in gamification technology, as well as customization and localization capabilities. We’ve already touched on their importance. And we are placing a huge focus on these three aspects, making sure to include them in every product and every solution we have. With this dedication and clear understanding of reasoning, Soft2Bet is not one of the market leaders in promoting these crucial aspects of iGaming tech. 

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5. How do you incorporate customer feedback into the product development lifecycle at Soft2Bet? Can you provide an example of a product improvement or innovation that was directly influenced by client feedback?

Incorporating customer feedback into the product development lifecycle at Soft2Bet is a crucial aspect of delivering products that truly meet clients' needs. The company places a strong emphasis on actively listening to clients and using their insights to drive improvements and innovations. 

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How does the feedback cycle work? It starts with feedback collection, where we employ various channels to gather customer feedback, including surveys, direct client interactions, user interviews, and monitoring online discussions. This feedback is collected from both existing and potential clients. After that, we analyze the data by cross-functional teams, including product managers, designers, and developers. They aim to identify recurring themes, pain points, and opportunities for enhancements. The third step is prioritization, where feedback is sorted by frequency of mention, potential impact on the product's value proposition, and alignment with the company's strategic goals. We incorporate valuable insights into the product development roadmap, which outlines the upcoming features, enhancements, and releases, and ensures that customer-driven improvements are addressed in a structured manner. Development teams work on integrating the identified improvements into the product. These changes are rigorously tested to ensure they align with clients' expectations and maintain the product's overall quality. Last but not least, once the improvements are implemented, Soft2Bet actively seeks to close the feedback loop with clients. They communicate the changes made based on feedback and invite clients to validate the changes and provide additional insights.

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This process of addressing customer feedback shows how client insights directly contribute to meaningful product enhancements in line with their needs. A notable example of how Soft2Bet leveraged customer feedback to drive innovation is in the enhancement of their user account dashboard. In response to feedback from several clients who expressed the need for a more intuitive and customizable dashboard, Soft2Bet implemented the described feedback cycle, redesigning the dashboard in question. The experience not only improved the user experience for clients but also demonstrated Soft2Bet's commitment to responsiveness and continuous improvement. 

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6. How do you see the role of artificial intelligence in shaping the future of Soft2Bet's product development and growth? Is AI something that is fundamentally changing the way you approach design and innovation, or do you see it more as a buzzword in the industry?

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The role of artificial intelligence (AI) in shaping the future of Soft2Bet's product development and growth is significant and transformative. AI has the potential to revolutionize the way Soft2Bet approaches design, innovation, and overall business strategies, making them more data-driven, customer-centric, and proactive. It goes beyond being just a buzzword; AI is a powerful tool that is fundamentally changing the landscape of the industry. The integration of AI into their product development and growth strategy not only enhances efficiency and accuracy but also positions Soft2Bet as an industry leader committed to continuous improvement and innovation.

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