Three Reasons to Integrate Gamification into Customer Care

Chances are you’ve at least heard of the word “gamification,” but what does it actually mean and how can it be applied to your customer care strategy?

Simply put, gamification is the process of applying game design, mechanics, and thinking to non-game activities with the hope that it will motivate customers, boost participation and increase engagement.

Many of today’s companies are using gamification to better engage customers and boost sales. Take Nike for example. The athletic company has experienced success with its Nike+ products, which prompts users to log fitness data to win points.

SAP is another great example of a company enjoying the benefits of gamification. The enterprise software company ranks the top contributors to its SAP Community Network. Users get points when they contribute to forums or when their content is liked.

For companies that want to improve their quality of customer care in a non-conventional way, gamificiation is the perfect solution. Not only does it help turn mundane tasks into exciting experiences, but it also helps to change behaviors, develop skills and motivate employees.

Below are three reasons why you should consider integrating gamification into your customer care strategy:

• Improves efficiencies: Improving productivity is a top priority for many businesses. By creating an environment of healthy competition, employees will often push themselves a little further than they might otherwise.
• Boosts work satisfaction: Your Communicators are your most important asset. When they are happy, your customers and bottom line are happy too. Implementing gamification helps employees become more engaged in activities that they might have found tedious or less-enjoyable in the past.
• Motivates employees: It can be difficult to motivate employees at times. After all, fielding dozens of calls day-in and day-out can be exhausting. Gamification engages Communicators on an emotional level and motivates them to achieve their goals.

If you’re interested to learn more about gamification in the customer care space, read my recently published article featured in CUSTOMER magazine .

Steve Brubaker began his career at InfoCision in 1985. In his current role as Chief of Staff and as a member of the Executive Team, he is responsible for HR, internal and external communications, and manages the company’s legal and compliance departments. Brubaker is a member of a number of professional organizations, including the DMA, SOCAP, and PACE. He also donates his time to serve on several university boards, including the Executive Advisory Board for The Taylor Institute for Direct Marketing at The University of Akron and The University of Akron Foundation Board. He is a frequent speaker for national events and has also been honored with a number of awards and recognitions for his contributions to the call center industry.