The Gamification Company

Author name: Echo Sengupta

Currently heading Sales and Operations at The Gamification Company, she has comprehensive expertise in Operations Management, Client Servicing, Training and Development and People Management. Previously she held the role of Contact Center Manager at Tech Mahindra, where she championed Customer Experience and Sales & Retention.

Contact Center Performance Management

Beyond the Myths: Redefining Success in Contact Center Performance Management

Discovery in the Dust: Unveiling the Truths In the bustling commercial hub stood Horizon Solutions, a contact center renowned for its commitment to excellence. However, within the walls of Horizon Solutions, hidden myths about performance management loomed like shadows, casting doubt on the team’s true potential. In the archives of contact center history, these myths weren’t just misconceptions; they were deeply ingrained realities. Daphne’s Revelation: The Journey Begins The legacy systems and procedures created a snowballing effect, gathering momentum and not willing to get rolled over by this phenomenon was Daphne, a seasoned manager with a passion for innovation and excellence. Despite her dedication, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was holding her team back. With each passing day, the pressure to meet targets grew heavier, and morale plummeted. Myth 1: “Quantity over Quality” Quantity over quality was once the mantra, where call volume reigned supreme, overshadowing the importance of genuine customer connections. In the quest to boost productivity, the team had neglected the importance of quality interactions. Daphne led by example, emphasizing the value of meaningful connections with customers over mere call volume. Daphne, armed with a keen eye for opportunity, recognized the limitations of conventional performance management approaches.  She sensed untapped potential within her team and sought a solution that would unleash their full capabilities. She introduced gamification, leveraging the power of game mechanics to transform mundane tasks into exhilarating quests. Through challenges, leaderboards, and rewards, agents were inspired to surpass their goals, fostering healthy competition and camaraderie. The intrinsic motivators of autonomy, mastery, and purpose became driving forces, fuelling sustained engagement and performance improvement. Myth 2: “One Size Fits All” A one-size-fits-all approach stifled individuality and innovation, breeding uniformity in an environment ripe for diversity. The belief that a rigid set of metrics applied universally stifled individual growth and creativity. Daphne encouraged her team to embrace their unique strengths and tailor performance goals accordingly. Recognizing the importance of individuality, Daphne tailored performance goals to each agent’s unique strengths and aspirations.  By providing personalized feedback, coaching, and career development opportunities, they empowered agents to evolve from mere employees to champions of the game. By empowering each member to shine in their own way, they unleashed a wave of innovation and collaboration. Crafting Customized Avatars of Success Myth 3: From “Fear to Fun”: Unleashing Neuroscience of Play Fear of failure had gripped the team, breeding anxiety and hindering creativity. Daphne fostered a culture of trust and support, celebrating both successes and setbacks as opportunities for growth. With fear replaced by encouragement, the team flourished, unburdened by the chains of apprehension. Bringing in the expertise in neuroscience of play, fear was replaced with fun as agents embraced the game. By strategically employing both extrinsic motivators, such as rewards and recognition, and intrinsic motivators, such as enjoyment and mastery, Daphne rewired behavior and cultivated a culture of continuous improvement. Myth 4: “Performance Ends with the Call” Performance management extended far beyond the confines of a single interaction. Daphne introduced holistic strategies that encompassed ongoing training, mentorship, and feedback loops. As the team embraced a growth mindset, they embraced continuous improvement as a way of life. The Dawn of Transformation With the advent of technology, AKA Game of Phones, a seismic shift occurred. As the contact center embraced digital tools and advanced analytics, a new era of performance management emerged. Daphne’s innovative approach shattered the old myths, paving the way for a new era of contact center management driven by gamification, intrinsic motivation, and behavioral transformation. Quality metrics replaced call quotas, prioritizing meaningful interactions over sheer volume. Customization became key, with tailored strategies empowering each team member to excel in their unique way. Fear gave way to trust and support, fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement. And performance transcended the boundaries of a single call, encompassing the entire customer journey. As the days turned into weeks, and weeks into months, the transformation within Horizon Solutions was nothing short of remarkable. Morale soared, productivity surged, and customer satisfaction reached unprecedented heights. The Endgame: Daphne’s Legacy of Excellence Word of Daphne’s triumph spread like wildfire, inspiring contact centers far and wide to challenge their own myths and embrace a new era of performance management. With each myth shattered, a new dawn of possibility emerged, illuminating the path to greatness for all who dared to dream. And so, armed with knowledge and courage, Daphne and her team marched forward, eager to conquer new horizons and rewrite the narrative of contact center excellence inspiring a new generation of leaders to embrace innovation and challenge convention in pursuit of greatness.

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The Call Center

The Call Centers Chronicles: Revolutionizing the World of Performance Management – Chapter 2

Meet Alex, a dedicated team leader in a vibrant call center, where the clamour of customer queries and the pressure to meet targets echo through the corridors. Alex, passionate about fostering a positive work environment, found himself facing numerous challenges that tested his leadership skills. The Motivational Conundrum: Every morning, Alex observed the struggle of his team members to stay motivated. Call after call, the repetitive nature of their tasks began to wear them down. Determined to uplift the team spirits, Alex decided to infuse elements of #play into their routine. He introduced short breaks with fun brain games, designed to refresh their minds and create a sense of camaraderie. He started used #pokes and nudges to appreciate efforts real time and encourage one and all. Alex fostered healthy competition within the team by throwing daily #challenges at them. Slowly, the office buzzed not just with calls but also with laughter and a renewed energy. Coaching Sessions that Connect: Recognizing the pivotal role of personalized development, Alex took a proactive stance by incorporating intricacies from behavioral sciences into his coaching sessions. Departing from traditional feedback approaches, he directed his attention to pinpointing and fostering the strengths of each team member, utilizing techniques rooted in appreciative inquiry to unveil their utmost potential. This innovative methodology not only heightened team morale but also acted as a catalyst for individual growth, concentrating on the unique strengths of team members and thereby initiating a positive cascading effect throughout the entire team. Daily Operations and Performance Juggling Act: The day-to-day operations of a call center demanded a tight ship, and Alex was determined to navigate it seamlessly. Leveraging a gamification platform, he turned routine tasks into engaging challenges. Metrics and targets became part of a larger game, where achievements were celebrated collectively. The team’s performance soared as they embraced the friendly competition, transforming the office into a dynamic and vibrant space. Self-Development Amidst Chaos: While dedicated to uplifting his team, Alex knew the importance of self-development. He committed time each week to enhance his leadership skills, attending workshops and seeking mentorship. By staying ahead of industry trends and adopting new strategies, he ensured that he could guide his team effectively through any challenge. The Race to the Top: In the midst of these efforts, Alex found himself in friendly competition with fellow team leaders. The leaderboard became a symbol of achievement, and Alex was determined to claim the top spot. However, rather than creating a cutthroat atmosphere, this competition fuelled a collective drive for excellence. The entire team rallied behind their leader, and success became a shared journey. As the days passed, Alex’s energy was contagious and transformed his center into a hub of productivity and positivity. His innovative approach, blending elements of neuroscience of play, behavioral sciences, appreciative inquiry, and gamification, not only elevated his team’s performance but also propelled him to the coveted position at the top of the leaderboard. Through challenges and triumphs, Alex’s story serves as a testament to the transformative power of leadership that prioritizes both team and individual growth.

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Revolutionizing Call Centers

The Call Centers Chronicles: Revolutionizing the World of Performance Management – Chapter 1

The Mundane  Once upon a time, in the bustling realm of call centers, where the symphony of ringing phones and the clickety-clack of keyboards played a daily melody, there existed a world of performance management that seemed, well, a tad mundane. Picture this – the office lights flicker on, and the call center floor comes alive with a sea of agents, armed with headsets and scripts. It’s the start of another day in the routine of meeting targets and striving for excellence. Sarah’s Routine Our story begins with the tale of Sarah, a diligent call center agent who navigates the labyrinth of KPIs and metrics like a seasoned explorer. Each day, she’s greeted by the relentless drone of supervisors reciting metrics like a mantra: Average Handling Time, First Call Resolution, Net Promoter Score and Customer Satisfaction. A seemingly endless cycle of numbers that echo through the cubicles.  As Sarah sits in her cubicle, the monotony of the daily grind sets in. She wonders if there’s more to performance management than ticking off checkboxes. Little does she know that change is on the horizon. The Beacon of Change- From Metrics to Stories As Sarah contemplates the monotony, a beacon of change emerges. In a corner of the call center, led by the innovative team manager, Alex, a group of rebels plots to revolutionize performance management. Alex envisions a world where performance goes beyond targets, fostering a culture of engagement and growth. One day, as Sarah attends another feedback session, she is pleasantly surprised. Instead of the usual dry recitation of numbers, Alex takes a different approach. The performance conversation becomes a storytelling experience. Alex shares success stories, challenges overcome, and lessons learned, transforming the metrics into narratives that resonates with the agents. The Birth of “Game of Phones” In this fast-paced realm of buzzing commotion, the quest for optimal performance management and employee engagement found a new champion: the “Game of Phones.” The rebels introduce gamification into the call center, turning performance improvement into a collective adventure. Agents earn badges and rewards, not just for hitting targets but for collaboration, innovation, and going above and beyond. The call center transforms into a place where agents are not just cogs in the machine but characters in an unfolding story. At its core, Game of Phones is more than just a platform; it’s a paradigm shift, blending game mechanics, behavioral sciences, and the neuroscience of play to create a dynamic approach to performance enhancement and employee engagement. Sarah and her co-workers are no longer just numbers on a spreadsheet; they become players in an interactive game where achievements, rewards, and recognition fuel their motivation. Every Action Matters In this game, every action matters. The platform creates value by aligning performance metrics with meaningful milestones. The likes of Sarah are not only working towards targets but actively contributing to a larger narrative of success, where their efforts are acknowledged and celebrated.  As word spreads about the innovative changes, other team managers join the rebellion. The call center becomes a hub of creativity, with agents actively participating in shaping their performance journey.  Agents Shaping their Journey- From Mundane to Extraordinary The once mundane performance management rituals now feel like chapters in a book, each contributing to a larger narrative of growth and success. Agents find themselves transported into a world where work seamlessly merges with play, creating an environment that fosters creativity and innovation. They become agile learners, ready to face the challenges of the ever-evolving call center landscape. The Beginning of a New Era And so, our tale concludes with the transformation of the call center’s performance management landscape. From the mundane to the extraordinary, the rebels’ vision becomes a reality, proving that even in the most routine of places, a touch of creativity can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. The end? No, just the beginning of a new era where call centers become vibrant arenas of achievement, collaboration, and unparalleled employee engagement.

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