Game on! The power of game elements in the contact centre

Rewards work, that's nothing new. They motivate humans – and animals – to exhibit a certain desired behaviour. We call this ‘positive reinforcement’. The bonus structure within a company, the shoe-lacing diploma in kindergarten, a biscuit for the dog when he sits down on command… It really all comes down to the same principle.

About 10 years ago, the term ‘gamification’ started to gain popularity. In essence, it means applying game elements outside the context of the game itself. In schools, for example – Squla is a good example. Or what about sports apps in which you can earn all kinds of ‘badges’ based on your performance?

Proven positive effect

It is also increasingly being used in contact centres as a way to enhance employee engagement and performance. It appeals to employees’ competitive side, promotes collaboration within teams and meets the natural need for achievement and recognition.

Especially since the arrival of the pandemic, which caused a huge surge in remote working, the need has grown for ways to keep contact centre employees engaged and motivated. Research¹⁾ shows that gamification makes employees feel more productive (89%) and happier (88%) at work. This not only has a direct positive effect on the customer experience, but also on absenteeism and staff turnover!

^{1) TalentLMS: The Key Gamification Survey at Work}

Gamification in practice

On the one hand, gamification can be used to ‘score’ teams on their results. This can be based on various call centre KPIs, such as First Contact Resolution (FCR), average waiting time, call duration, or follow-up duration. It is important that the scores are measurable and transparent. Make sure you have a clear idea in advance of what motivates your contact centre employees to do their best, and set clear objectives.

On the other hand, gamification is used as a tool to train employees and to keep them up-to-date on, for example, new products or services, company objectives, and temporary offers and promotions. It makes training varied and fun. The game element is a proven motivator and ensures that the adoption of new products and services is much faster.

An additional advantage is that it gives employees insight into their own progress and performance. This makes it easy for agents and supervisors to identify and work on any deficiencies in skills or knowledge. Imagine what that could imply for employee and customer satisfaction, not to mention the effect it could have on the business results!

Not just a game

Gamification is therefore not just a game with which you can score points and ‘badges’. It is pure psychology, with the aim of changing behaviour. And it works!

The great thing is that it is easy to implement. There are many gamification tools on the market that address the winning mentality of employees through quizzes and challenges. It is the motivation to compete, win, reach a higher level and be rewarded that makes all the difference.

Are you curious to know how gamification can make a difference in your contact centre? Let us know! Our experts are happy to tell you more about it.

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