Tag Archives: technology

Feb 6 2013

Koolbit launches mobile casino games in Britain

Summary: San Francisco-based Koolbit has brought 25 real-money gambling games to British mobile users.

Koolbit has announced it is entering the real-money gambling market and launching its first mobile casino games in the UK.

In an interview with GamesBeat, chief executive of the San Francisco-based company Gerard Cunningham explained the company has rolled out a full suite of gambling casino games on a new website called iGoSlots.com, which can be accessed either by a PC or a smartphone.

The portal – which features an HTML5 foundation and went live at the weekend (February 3rd) – was set up by Koolbit alongside Cozy Games and it even has a license for use on the Isle of Man.

Mr Cunningham stated the firm took a mobile-first approach with the design of the website, but it can be played on all devices. “We’ve had virtual goods casino games running for nine months now and we’re now going to have the biggest real-money mobile casino network with 25 games,” he was quoted as saying.

Mobile gamers hoping to experiment with one of Koolbit’s new games will be able to choose from various popular titles on iGoSlots.com, including roulette, blackjack, video poker, scratchers and bingo.

The games business will continue to operate its flagship collection of casino games on City Slots, which is regularly ranked as one of the top 20 Cards and Casino games on Google Play. With these games, customers play by purchasing virtual chips, which they are unable to cash out.

However, with iGoSlot, Mr Cunningham said Koolbit is moving into the $44 billion (£28 billion) real-money online and mobile gambling market and away from the social casino games industry, so there is now the option for players to cash out their winnings.

According to Social Casino Intelligence, he called Koolbit one of the first game companies to “make the leap into real-money gambling,” which it is doing with a “unique, mobile-first site”.

The expert is a former executive at online horse race gambling company Betfair and he founded Koolbit in 2011 in order to pursue his interest in mobile casino games. Mr Cunningham is set to deliver a presentation at the ICE real-money online gambling conference, which kicked off in London today (February 5th).

http://venturebeat.com/2013/02/03/koolbit-expands-into-real-money-online-gambling-casino-games-on-mobile/

http://www.socialcasinointelligence.com/tag/koolbit/

Dynmark helps gaming companies engage customers through fully automated SMS communications; from welcome and activation to in-play bets and service messages. With proven experience integrating with gaming platforms such as Playtech, Dynmark has been providing SMS messaging and services to the gaming industry since 2006. Read more about Dynmark’s gaming experience here.

Nov 27 2012

Report: Over two-thirds of Brits expect mobile usage to surge by 2015

Over two-thirds of Britons expect their mobile usage to surge rapidly over the next three years, a new report has found.

The Internet Advertising Bureau (IAB) UK conducted the research to determine how consumers in the UK, US and South Korea will use technology in the near future.

The study of 2,000 consumers found that UK consumers have the deepest emotional attachment with their mobiles, with 59 per cent of Brits claiming that ‘they couldn’t live without their handset’. In comparison, just 53 per cent of people in the US and 31 per cent in South Korea expressed similarly strong feelings towards their mobile. This could go some way to explaining why 69 per cent of UK respondents expect to use their phone more by 2015.

A total of 62 per cent UK consumers also revealed that they use their phone more to surf the web than make calls, although South Koreans were found to be the most likely to access the mobile web on a daily basis.

Those from South Korea, a country renowned for being technology advanced, also appeared to place higher demands on their mobile device, with just a quarter of respondents saying that they were satisfied with their phone. Us Brits appear to be less critical, with 51 per cent claiming that they were satisfied with their smartphones, although the proliferation of such devices could lead to us becoming increasingly picky over our choice of handset.

Andrew Crysell, Crowd DNA’s managing director, said: “The IAB presented us with a great opportunity to produce a striking piece of research work – one which clearly demonstrates that mobile, remaining a device that we all have very strong personal connections with, is viewed as increasingly powerful by consumers.

“People are demanding more and more from their mobiles and tablets. The pressure is definitely on brands and media owners to really deliver in this area, and this research provides valuable pointers.”

The survey, which was carried out in partnership with research agency Crowd DNA, also showed that tablet usage and penetration was higher in the UK than in the US or South Korea.  Brits were also more emotionally attached to their tablet than respondents from other countries.

Alex Kozloff, IAB’s senior mobile manager, said: “It surprised us to see that the UK was actually leading the way in tablet usage out of the countries we surveyed. This is further proof that advertisers and publishers must make mobile and tablets an integral part of their strategy.”

As part of the research, consumers were also asked to rank a range of mobile technologies depending on how much they appealed to them. There were three very clear winners from the survey, with consumers expressing a desire to see the roll out of mobile wallets, mobile optimised websites and cloud based storage solutions.  In fact, 74 per cent of UK respondents felt that the mobile wallet was an appealing new concept, though the majority felt that the other two technologies are more likely to become a reality in the near future.

Dynmark is the power behind global cloud mobile messaging and mobile marketing. We help organisations from SME through to global enterprise, to leverage the power of messaging as a business communication tool, for marketing or operational uses. Read more about Dynmark here.

Nov 16 2012

SMS can help banks ‘improve customer service’

Banks across the world are looking at how they can use mobile to improve their customer service, with many firms using SMS as a platform to carry out traditional services.

For example, financial service providers are now allowing customers to access online banking services via text messages. After registering their mobile number, customers receive a single-use PIN code which are delivered to their handset via SMS and can then be used to securely access banking facilities.

Tobias Johnsson, head of business development at mobile payment system Ericsson IPX, revealed that Swedish banks in particular are delivering PIN access for internet banking via text, with 500,000 such messages estimated to be delivered each month.

In addition to one-time passwords for accessing account information, Mr Johnsson added that credit and debit card companies are now allowing their customers to request their account balance via SMS after completing a registration form. After assigning a card for the service, they can find out their account balance by simply texting in the word BALANCE to a shortcode.

“Through this service, customers can access banking services and in turn, the bank receives a permanent presence in their customers’ pockets, whilst lowering customer service costs,” he wrote on the mobile marketing blog.

“By choosing to take advantage of the services a global connectivity enabler provides, banks are able to extend these kinds of messaging services simply and efficiently to the majority of their customers.”

As well as providing services, SMS is also an excellent way for firms to advertise new deals and rates, especially as competition between banking providers continues to increase. 

However, one of the biggest developments in mobile banking is undoubtedly the advent of mobile payment technology, which allows consumers to pay for goods with a simple swipe of their Near Field Communication (NFC)-enabled smartphone. NFC allows data to be transferred wirelessly and securely between two devices over a short distance and is therefore the perfect platform for contactless payments.

A recent study by MasterCard revealed that over 60 per cent of US mobile phone users would be willing to purchase goods and services using their handset and it seems that banks are capitalising on this, with Bank of America (BoA) the latest major firm to embrace the technology.

The company is currently testing a new system that allows a customer to pay at the checkout by simply scanning an image with their smartphone, according to Reuters. Only BoA’s employees will be able to access the program during the three-month pilot as the bank looks to test out the software at its headquarters in North Carolina before rolling it out to its customers.

“The pilots provide us with the opportunity to explore innovative mobile solutions, engage our customers and utilize their feedback,” bank spokeswoman Tara Burke tells Reuters.

Michael Bristow, DMA Mobile Marketing Council member, urged firms not to get too carried away with mobile payments technology as it still has its limitations.

He said: “We’re a long way off from seeing complex products, such as mortgages, being sold and processed entirely through mobile. Saying that, for people joining the workforce now, the mobile is an integral part of their daily (and social) life.

“They have never known life without it. Financial services need to recognise this and stay ahead of the curve so that they can tap into the needs and desires of these mobile-social consumers.”

Dynmark has been working with various financial services companies for over a decade, providing tailored integration solutions as well as best practice and campaign management advice. Our experience means that we know how to make the most of SMS for the financial services sector and understand how to support your business. Read more about Dynmark’s financial experience here.

Oct 16 2012

SMS is the key to unlocking the potential of apps

There’s an app for that.

Apple’s famous advertising slogan to promote the iPhone 3G in 2009 has perhaps never been truer as heighten demand for these bits of software means firms both large and small are creating an app in a bid to boost sales.

A recent report from Juniper Research forecast that more than 66 billion mobile apps will be downloaded by 2016, up from 31 billion in 2011. With app downloads expected to surge over the next four years, revenue from consumer mobile apps is set to rise accordingly and eventually reach $51.7 billion (£32.2 billion).

The majority of this revenue will be generated from smartphone apps, followed by those made for tablets and feature phones. In fact, tablet computers are set to account for a quarter of mobile app revenue by 2015, up from just seven per cent last year.

With the app industry set to explode over the coming years, it is important that firms do all they can to promote their app following its development. After all, it is no good spending countless hours creating a fantastic application to then just leave it wallowing away in an app store.

“If an app is not present in the top Top 100 of its category in a particular store, then – as far as the app-buying public is concerned – it effectively does not exist,” Dr Windsor Holden, principal analyst at Juniper Research in Hampshire, told the Mobile Marketer website.

“Thus, it is incumbent upon the content provider to seek to drive that app into public awareness by marketing that app via various channels.”

Companies clearly need to do all they can to set their app apart from the competition, so how should they go about doing so?

One of the best ways to make mobile customers aware of a new app is to send them targeted SMS messages. After all, 100 per cent of smartphone users can receive text messages, meaning that all of a company’s intended audience for an app can be reached via the medium.

Moreover, unlike email, firms are safe in the knowledge that their SMS message is almost guaranteed to be read. Figures show that 98 per cent of all text messages are read by the recipient, whereas just 10.8 per cent of all emails sent in the first half of 2011 were read. This makes SMS – an inexpensive communication method anyway – a much more cost-effective way to promote an app as companies have to send out fewer texts than emails to publicise their app.

By following a simple set of steps, firms can easily advertise their app via SMS:

1)     Gain customer’s phone number via a lead generation mechanism

2)    Send relevant website address to the customer

3)    Customer will then open the link on their smartphone and open up a landing page

4)    Track the number of people who have clicked through

5)    Redirect users to their app in the app store

And it really is as simple that. So what are you waiting for? Start plugging your app via SMS today.

If you would like to benefit from mobile marketing why not register for a Dynmark Cloud Portal account today, it’s FREE and you get 10 FREE credits to try it out. Or you can sign up to our FREE to SME proposition meaning your get your messaging credits for FREE.

The Dynmark Cloud Portal is the primary interface for interacting with any Dynmark service. From the portal you can gain access to all services and solutions. You are greeted with a full reporting dashboard to show you exactly how you are using the Dynmark Cloud Platform. From there you can access the solutions by choosing the correct tab and clicking through to the relevant service. It’s also where you can purchase or sign up to additional services.

Jun 13 2012

How different industries can benefit from SMS marketing

Summary: See how firms in different sectors can use text message marketing to their advantage

The benefits of SMS marketing have been widely publicised.

It is more cost effective than many traditional forms of marketing, it has a much higher engagement rate and it gives customers a direct line of communication with their customers, wherever they are.

However, many organisations may be unsure about how text message marketing can be used to improve their operations in particular and how the platform can cater to their industry-specific needs.

Our guide will shed light on how SMS marketing can be used in a range of sectors to enhance business-client relationships and ultimately boost sales.

Finance

Organisations in the finance sector, such as banks, insurance firms and loan and mortgage providers, all use SMS marketing to keep in contact with both prospective and existing clients.

One of the most common forms of SMS communication within the sector is the secure delivery of confidential account information directly to customers. Firms can keep mobile phone users updated about recent transactions or changes to their account and send related promotional texts.

For example, if a client is consistently in their overdraft or regularly only paying back the minimum amount on their credit card each month, banks could consider offering them a loan in order to clear these debts.

As SMS messages have a much higher open rate than emails or direct mail, and are cheaper than phone calls, financial organisations can also keep clients updated about the progress of their loan application. With greater certainty that the text alert will be seen, companies will be safe in the knowledge that they are providing a useful service to clients and not wasting funds on proportional messages which will not be seen.

If a customer is late with a payment or a payment is due, SMS alerts can be sent in bulk to all affected customers within a matter of seconds to remind them payment is due. A follow-up text can be sent to any customer that fails to take action.

Text messages can also be scheduled to be sent on specific days throughout the month, such as paydays, to reassure customers that the funds have reached their accounts. Automated text messages can save businesses a lot of time that would normally be used to manually send out messages, allowing staff to work on other projects.

When correlated with information in a database, pre-scheduled texts can help boost sales. For example, a text could be sent out to 18-year-olds in education informing them about how they can upgrade to a student account when they go to university.

Financial organisations can also help guard against fraud by informing their clients of any suspicious activity on their account. This can subsequently improve business-customer relationships as clients will be reassured that their funds are in safe hands.

Travel

Travel agencies can use SMS in a number of different ways. Whether promoting last-minute deals, confirming bookings or directing customers to mobile websites, text messages are becoming one of the main communication channels for businesses in the travel industry.

Specific deals can be sent to a target audience depending on their previous travel destinations, providing a boost to sales. Once they make the booking, send out auto-reply confirmation messages and ’thank you’ texts to further enhance your relationship with the customer.

Constant communication with customers in transit is crucial for businesses to reassure them that their flight is on time or to immediately inform them of any delays. This will help soften the blow of any changes to customers’ travel plans.

Furthermore, all SMS communication should also feature links to your company’s mobile website to attract more people to online resources where they can book their holiday.

Food and drink 

Restaurants and takeaways are among the biggest users of SMS marketing as they regularly run discounts and meal deals to attract customers.

The immediacy of text messaging enables eateries to send out such offers just before meal times and during special events such as Valentine’s Day, when they are likely to get the biggest response.

Cross referencing with a customer database system will also help provide extra impetus to marketing campaigns as special offers can be sent to clients on their birthday. Moreover, if you are opening a new outlet closer to a customer’s home address, why not let them know?

Order confirmation texts can also be sent to clients to reassure them that their food is on its way and their payment has been received.

If you would like to benefit from mobile marketing why not register for a Dynmark Cloud Portal account today, it’s FREE and you get 10 FREE credits to try it out. Or you can sign up to our FREE to SME proposition meaning your get your messaging credits for FREE.

The Dynmark Cloud Portal is the primary interface for interacting with any Dynmark service. From the portal you can gain access to all services and solutions. You are greeted with a full reporting dashboard to show you exactly how you are using the Dynmark Cloud Platform. From there you can access the solutions by choosing the correct tab and clicking through to the relevant service. It’s also where you can purchase or sign up to additional services