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// Public Gaming International // March/April 2015
CRM (Customer
Relationship
Management) and
focus on the consumer
Paul Jason, PGRI:
We all aspire to be
“customer-centric” and customer-driven busi-
nesses. But, government lotteries resources and
funding are limited, and investing in short-
term sales generates more short-term income
than investing in CRM. Doesn’t that make
it difficult to allocate resources in ways, like
CRM, that have a longer ROI time-line?
Antonios Kerastaris:
CRM is about
understanding and connecting with the cus-
tomer. And a business is not likely to accom-
plish its goals without that understanding
and connection. CRM is the cornerstone for
any business that aspires to be genuinely cus-
tomer-centric. In fact, the drive to maximize
sales, even long-term sales, is what interferes
with the true mission of the business. Think
about it—whose business “Mission State-
ment” focuses on maximizing sales? Mission
statements all refer to a higher calling, like
delivering the best products and acting with
integrity and serving the customer. The rea-
son we should “walk the talk,” and actually
embrace our mission statements that point
us towards a genuine commitment to under-
stand, connect with, and serve the customer,
that is good business.
It’s true that there needs to be a balance.
Knowing and investing in your consumer
may not have the shortest ROI time-line,
but it is the key to building a sustainable
business, and key to optimizing the long-
term value of the business. The pressure
to meet our short-term business objectives
can sometimes cause business leaders to
lose sight of that fundamental concept.
For that matter, CRM is not a mission
statement like “dedication to serving the
customer.” Customer Relationship Man-
agement requires investment in technol-
ogy and business processes that capture
the data so necessary to understanding
and connecting with the customer. Truly
effective data analytics requires commit-
ment and investment of resources. But
the application of CRM stretches across
all aspects of the business, from product
design to marketing and distribution.
And that’s why the first acquisition we
did in my role as CEO was a CRM plat-
form that is truly revolutionary.
You acquired Bit8
)
A. Kerastaris:
Yes. The Bit8 CRM plat-
Public Gaming
Interviews
Antonios
Kerastaris
Chief Executive Officer, INTRALOT Group
PGRI Introduction:
Antonios Kerastaris joined INTRALOT in January of 2014 as Chief Financial Officer, and was tapped to lead
INTRALOT and became an executive member of the Board of Directors in November of 2014. Prior to joining the INTRALOT
Group, Mr. Kerastaris served in senior management executive positions at the INTRACOM Group, Procter & Gamble, Hilton,
Mercedes, and the OTE Group of Companies.
Since its inception in 1992, INTRALOT’s focus on the Player has driven its growth to span fifty-seven jurisdictions across five continents. As a
supplier of integrated gaming and transaction-processing system, sports-betting management, and Interactive Services, INTRALOT is forging
innovation in business process and technology that promises to drive sustainable growth for state-licensed gaming organizations worldwide.
We met with Mr. Kerastaris at ICE to drill down on the three strategic pillars that will be guiding INTRALOT’s service to its customer in
the coming years. In fact, PGRI is honored to be the first interview granted by Mr. Kerstaris after assuming the role of CEO of INTRALOT!
• CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and Focus on the Consumer
• Technology as the Enabler, and Not an End in Itself
• Broadening the Portfolio of Gaming Products
