Knowingly or unknowingly, one is likely to utilize a gamification strategy in some form to achieve business goals. Proven to be extremely successful in engaging people, Gamification is leveraged as an engagement tool for years in sales incentives, channel promotions and employee recognition initiatives. Many companies use gaming mechanics like scratch cards, team challenges, sweepstakes, quizzes, completing an online profile, badges, etc. to ensure interest in the key activities that will drive participant results.
As organizations become more focused on business objectives, games can help make the workplace more productive and establish relationships with like-minded people through fun and entertainment. Let us delve deeper to find out if they are appropriate methods to achieve actual business results.
Always ask yourself these questions to determine if your gamification strategy will drive business results.
1. Will setting measurable goals for every player involved be possible for me?
Determine a gaming strategy that will help you recognize specific, measurable game goals to ultimately drive your business objectives. Subjectively, each player will have a clear definition of what to accomplish in order to win.
2. Is it possible to give immediate feedback?
In video games, the results are instantaneous with an immediate feedback after each turn or action taken. Similarly, engaging your sales team in games might require for a quick response system to keep them motivated. For example, apps that plug directly into your CRM system work best to reward for actions undertaken and tasks accomplished.
3. Does it show the participant their progress?
A research study conducted by Harvard University showed that employees have increased levels of engagement if they are able to know where they stand in terms of progress at work. Methods to earn bonuses, win points and reaching higher altitudes in your game structure, will engage and empower players to stay focused on the end goal.
4. Can uncertainty be added to create excitement for the players?
Curiosity builds interest. Identify what can be added to your sales game to make it more uncertain and challenging. Will players risk their earnings for double or nothing? Will they earn a better reward if they take a higher risk? People like to be challenged and games are a perfect way to do this.
5. Is this the most appropriate game for my team and will they reciprocate?
The most ideal game creates a story that equivalent their everyday challenges. It has to be creative and stimulating, but at the same time, be able to achieve the ultimate goals of the organization. Note that the level of effort put in by the players equals the level of reward they can earn.
6. Will your game bring people close to each other?
Games offer a unique opportunity to build relations between people and bring them together. If your game fails to establish interactions among players, then you aren’t making the most of the power that social connection can have on reinforcing new behavior.
To know more about employing gamification strategies that work, contact us.