Trust сapital: How customer-centricity becomes a key anti-crisis strategy

Customer-centricity is becoming a crucial element of business resilience amid changes in regulatory policy and an unstable market. According to Andrii Dobrovolskyi, transparent interaction with users is what ensures long-term audience support for companies.

"In times of uncertainty, the customer remains the only point of stability. Their expectations stay the same: honesty, predictability, and humanity. These are the factors that shape the economy of trust," the expert noted.

He emphasized that companies that build relationships based on transparency spend less on audience acquisition and navigate crisis periods more easily.

Stability of interaction as a trust factor

Dobrovolskyi stressed that in sectors where market conditions can shift rapidly, the predictability of operational processes becomes a key element.

"No one can guarantee market stability — especially in gambling — but everyone can guarantee the stability of their own actions. Customers accept changes if they see the logic behind decisions and transparent communication," he explained.

According to him, interaction is considered stable when a user is confident that:

• communication is open;

• issues are not concealed;

• promises are fulfilled or revised honestly;

• they will not be left alone in a difficult moment.

Such an approach, Dobrovolskyi noted, retains customers more effectively than bonus programs.

International examples and the iGaming market practices

Dobrovolskyi cited Netflix as an example of a brand that strengthens trust through simple rules of user interaction — no hidden fees and the ability to cancel a subscription at any time. According to him, this approach demonstrates that honesty and user control form the basis of loyalty.

In the iGaming sector, where regulatory changes are commonplace, customer-centricity carries even more weight, Dobrovolskyi added.

"Licensed operators know they cannot promise market stability, but they can guarantee procedural stability. They communicate rules and licensing openly and, crucially, offer a transparent and fair gaming process," the expert said.

The decisive trust factor here is the speed, transparency, and predictability of financial operations.

Dobrovolskyi referred to Optimove reports on player preferences, which confirm that transparent communication and genuine customer care are critical. In particular, 75% of players view responsible gaming tools as a factor that strengthens their loyalty — a clear indication that honesty and care function as a business instrument.

How this works in gambling

In stable companies, trust is built not through bonuses or marketing but through controlled processes. In gambling, this is not merely a matter of reputation but of the market’s survival, the expert believes.

Any delay in payouts or contradictory information from customer support immediately undermines user confidence.

“Even a few hours’ delay in payouts can reduce repeat deposits by 15–20%,” Dobrovolskyi explained. Conversely, when all stages — from KYC (Know Your Customer) to financial operations — run like clockwork, LTV (Lifetime Value) increases and CAC (Customer Acquisition Cost) decreases, because a satisfied customer does not need to be “convinced twice.”

According to the expert, trust emerges where a business controls every stage of its operations — from the financial cycle to a consistent communication tone. This is an operational discipline that includes stable payouts, clear SLAs (Service Level Agreements), and a coherent risk management policy.

"In essence, trust is an operational infrastructure. A company that prioritizes transparency and rapid response gains not just loyalty but a stable cash flow. And this, ultimately, is the new language of a mature industry," Dobrovolskyi concluded.