Gamification in the Call Center Can Mean Victory for Employees, Employers
March 11, 2014
By Michelle Amodio, TMCnet Contributor
Games are fun. Playing games is an easy and excellent way to let the mind escape a bit, it builds imagination, and yes, it promotes social skills, whether you’re a little kid or a big kid. That’s why gamification is such a big deal when it comes to learning and working; it provides an outlet for employees to work together while promoting a healthy work environment.
The use of gamification in the workplace is becoming popular in the call center industry in order to improve employee engagement and offer employee rewards. One of the initial benefits of introducing gamification is increased motivation. If a work environment caters to repetitive job duties and tasks that are more routine versus creative, getting a good game going with a distinct goal can break up the mundane workflow.
Gamification helps in creating a positive work culture because it introduces camaraderie and good-spirited competition within the workplace. Employees are more engaged and will start interacting more with each other, which increases their attitude on a day-to-day basis. It works by encouraging users to engage in desired behaviors, by showing a path to mastery, and by taking advantage of our human psychological predisposition to engage in gaming.
According to 1to1 Media, this works in the call center and contact center environments by offering a creative way to solve customer problems through friendly competition and team effort.
Gamification can “power up” call center staff by helping call center managers identify top performers. This knowledge can then be shared with the rest of the workforce. For example, the employee who won a recent sales competition can document and share their approach to cross-selling.
The shift toward more competitive and engaging customer care environments through gamification is further validated by analysts. Gartner (News - Alert) called gamification "a powerful tool to engage employees, customers, and the public to change behaviors, develop skills, and drive innovation." The firm also predicted that by 2015, more than 40 percent of the top companies would be using gamification to transform their business operations.
For managers who want to drive employee engagement and unlock the potential of their people, it’s a good idea to get in the game. Gamification is not just entertainment; it is a powerful way to measure and motivate a call center workforce.
Edited by Rory J. Thompson