Gamification Category

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.

Learning Management Systems – Is it Time for Something Different? According to Brandon Hall Group research teams white paper on ‘LMS trends 2015 – Is it time for something different?’ (©2015 Brandon Hall Group), there are many demographic and cultural shifts occurring that are changing the learning landscape: Brandon Hall Group’s research tells us that 57% of learning now involves on-the-job activities and informal learning, while 43% involves formal learning. The power and ubiquity of mobile devices grows at an unrelenting pace. People are continually finding new and different ways to connect and share thoughts and experiences. Millennials, a completely digitally native generation, are poised to take over the workforce. All of these things are causing organizations to take a serious look at the ways in which they deliver learning. The truth is, for all the features and functions of the modern LMS, it is still a technology rooted in serving a very traditional purpose. While the Learning Management Systems (LMS) market has been successful over the last 15 years and technology continues to advance, it seems we are hitting a point of diminishing returns. Companies are demanding more new features, and ignoring much of the functionality that has been built into the systems in the past. The average satisfaction rating for feature sets has dropped consistently from 3.01 in 2012, to 2.95 in 2014, to 2.82 in 2015. Brandon Hall Group’s 2015 LMS Trends Survey indicates that companies are dissatisfied with basically every aspect of the systems they are using and are looking for better options. However, this may be the point in time where simply switching to another LMS is not the answer. Instead, companies seem to be longing for a different strategy altogether. This study – along with LMS Trends studies from previous years, and discussions with learning leaders, technology professionals, and LMS providers – has highlighted some critical calls to action to help organizations rethink their approach to learning technologies. Use Technology to Support the Learning Strategy, not Dictate it Solve Today’s Challenges, but Plan for the Future Leverage Technology for a Truly Blended Learning Experience Realize the Potential in Mobile, Collaborative and Cloud Technologies The shift is happening and its unstoppable! In some cases where organisations and leaders have embraced the shift and in some, where employees are forcing organisations and leaders to sit up and take notice. Low utilization of e-learning, LMS resources, falling attendance in classroom training sessions or the low attention spans displayed by participants in training programs are all symbolic of the fact that we need to seriously re-look at how learning is delivered today. The simple fact is, as a learner, I want flexibility, to learn when I want to, how I want to and where I want to. To deny this is akin to forcing me to do something that I don’t believe in and any learning that doesn’t appeal to the belief level is a colossal waste of time and money. It is a well known fact that for the present and future generations, the mobile device is an extension of their very being. Hence it is a given that learning through the use of mobile device is seeing and will continue to see a significant growth. Simpy put, the lack of time & the need to access learning anytime, anywhere and at my convenience will drive the increase. From an organisation perspective As an organisation, what is it that I really need from my learning systems; Relevance, Utilization & Cost. Given the speed at which both the technology and the millennials are evolving, I need a system that is in tune with the times and is constantly evolving. I need a system that is fun, easy and incredibly scalable. I preferably want a system that works on the OPEX model and not a CAPEX model. I would prefer to optimize my spend on the relevant content rather than an expensive system which quite likely may become redundant very quickly. Introducing M²OST M²OST is an innovative & disruptive smart device application based learning & development distribution platform. It brings together the learner, the knowledge provider, the content and the end customer on a common platform allowing them to collaborate and transact irrespective of time or geographical distances. M²OST application makes learning available anytime, anywhere and on your fingertips. All of this whilst giving you, the organization, 100% flexibility to control the distribution, who, when, what, how much etc. Through the use of the platform, it is guaranteed to improve the ROI of all your learning systems, processes and programs by improving utilization, effectiveness, efficiencies and reducing costs. It can distribute open, wall gardened and hybrid content with ease and instantaneously without any dilution. This platform is industry agnostic. It has an innovative 5 click query resolution format that allows the learner to identify and seek his information within 5 clicks. It has an integrated assessment center feature that allows you to build and distribute your own customized assessments. It even has the capability to host psychometric assessments. It has business to business, business to consumer or employee, consumer or employee to business and employee to employee use cases.

Gamification In Call Centers – Series 2 “Go to work, get me the Master Blaster Badge, my son told me last night and that’s why I have come to work today, it is my off day actually.” – said Sarla, walking up to my co-founder, Carl who was in conversation with the head of operations, Sunil (name changed for privacy purposes), taking both of them completely by surprise. Sarla was a call center agent in one of our MNC banking client’s customer services call center which was transitioning from a cost center to a profit center. With sales metrics now becoming a part of the core KPIs, the existing large body of pure customer services agents needed to make new neural learning connections, overcome their fear of sales, and learn new selling skills. Suddenly faced with complete conceptual change, most agents reacted from the limbic brain leading to passive resistance. This was becoming a major roadblock, the transition was becoming a slow and tedious process. We were brought in to make the transition easier, bring is a cultural and mindset shift using gamification as a lever. This was within the month of our gamification strategy and platform implementation. “I can’t believe what I just heard, how did this happen?!”, said Sunil looking nonplussed and pleasantly surprised at Sarla as she walked away towards her workstation. Sarla was, at best, an average performer on the floor. She was not known as a person who ever took the initiative or for that matter showed much drive. This is where, I think, we had our first major learning as gamification evangelists, which has become the founding principle of TGC Ethos of Gamification. TGC Ethos 1: Every individual has a potential, Gamification optimizes THE POTENTIAL of the individual. As appreciative inquiry practitioners, we took a different approach towards implementing the gamification strategy in the call center.  We looked at the performance distribution on the floor, broke it down into quartiles, and set stretch targets accordingly. We backed that up by aligning our platform game mechanics to the quartiles, which included points, badges, leaderboards and rewards. What that did, whilst the sense of competition was retained, it levelled the playing field between the naturally top performers and the average/below average performers. In the conventional approach, the latter when compared to the best would lose motivation right at the outset, leading to limbic brain responses – resistance and disengagement. This simple approach generated self-motivation, confidence and a sense of achievement led by a belief that ‘I have potential, I can push myself to achieve my potential and that I will be rewarded for achieving my potential.’ By gamifying the belief, we helped agents develop their own visions of success and an innate desire to learn new skills to achieve that vision. Sarla was just an example of what was happening on the floor. In a short period of time, we saw a change in the overall energy on the floor. Suddenly the floor was buzzing with a renewed sense of vigor and excitement. Call centers are led and run by humans, subsequently, call center gamification should naturally be human focused design, aimed at recognizing the potential in the human and help in optimizing the same.

Gamification In Call Centers – Series 1 It’s been a while since I moved out of active call center operations. Having said that, I have stayed in touch by leading and delivering quite a few high-impact strategic and culture transformation projects in large MNC contact centers. Also, as a gamification evangelist and the founder of THE GAMIFICATION COMPANY, I have had the opportunity to implement gamification solutions in my projects. The journey has been insightful. It has led me to believe that the BPO industry is one place where gamification will continue to evolve and add value for a long time to come. This is because of the human factor. Currently at both ends and maybe, just maybe, in the future, only at one, there are and will be humans. As long as there are humans involved, the human factors of motivation, engagement, learning, resistance, etc. will play a significant role. Gamification is a human-focused design and will continue to impact those factors positively. With generations changing, the flavors may evolve but the ingredients and recipe will remain the same. Through this blog series – GAMIFICATION IN CALL CENTERS, I am attempting to unravel the layers that exist in the science of gamification. I intend to take it beyond the conventional understanding of points, badges, leaderboards, and rewards, beyond the realm of competition, winning and losing, and beyond the realm of application limited to learning solutions. I intend to take it deeper, into the core beliefs, actions, behaviors, processes, and ultimately achievement of sustained business outcomes. I strongly believe, if call center managers understand the concepts and power of gamification, they will not just be empowered but will be the torchbearers of how human-focused transformation can happen. Here’s the first of the series, feel free to share your thoughts, connect and explore your ideas on how can we use gamification to make the life of an agent better, as a consequence, all of ours as well who do connect with them from time to time. BLOG SERIES 1: TECHNOLOGY IS SEXY, HUMAN TOUCH IS STILL THE GAME CHANGER. In the present day, while we as customers expect a seamless, omnichannel, and personalized experience when interacting with call centers, the human factor remains a critical component of the call center experience. Technology has reduced the propensity of our having to connect with call centers, but it has increased the complexity of the issues with which we call them. When that happens, the human factors impacts our experience in call centers: Empathy and emotional intelligence: We want to feel heard and understood. We want the agents to listen actively, show compassion, and connect with us on a personal level. Personal touch: Even in the age of technology and automation, the fact is, we still appreciate the personal touch. Agents who take the time to address us properly, use a friendly tone, and build rapport can make a big difference in our experience. Problem-solving skills: We expect call center agents to be able to help us resolve our issues quickly and efficiently. Agents with strong problem-solving skills can quickly diagnose and resolve issues, leaving us feeling satisfied with the resolution and the overall experience. Communication skills: The question is, do we expect the call center agent to be the most eloquent and articulate person in the world, certainly not! But what we do expect is that the agents can articulate solutions clearly and concisely, listen actively, and adapt their communication style to ours. Continuous improvement: Every time we call, we do hope and expect that the experience will be better than the previous time. The best call center agents are always striving to improve their skills and deliver a better customer experience. They are receptive to feedback, eager to learn, and constantly looking for ways to improve their performance. Makes you wonder if we are asking for a ‘Super-Agent’, who exists exactly where our superheroes do, in our imagination and in our movies. The answer is no, what we need are agents who are better trained, motivated, and engaged enough to care. Overall, while technology and automation play an important role in the call center experience, the human factor remains critical and generally unaddressed. Call center managers need to prioritize the recruitment, training, and development of agents with a strong focus on the interpersonal skills, problem-solving abilities, and sound technical knowledge. This means cognitive flexibility, commitment, openness, and willingness towards continuous improvement needs to be displayed across all levels in the call center, right from the top management to the agents. This is where the real difficulty lies, when faced with change, the natural human mind responds from the limbic brain, with resistance or variable commitment. Whether it is changing the hiring, training and performance management practices that were developed with the advent of call centers decades back or adapting to the learning needs to the new age call center agents, the change process is a rather arduous one. And this is not because of technology, rather it is the human resistance to change at play. It is this human factor where gamification comes into play. Using gamification to suppress the limbic brain and activate the prefrontal cortex is an effective way to amplify learning and business outcomes, leading to improved employee focus, performance, and motivation. By providing a sense of autonomy and mastery, and encouraging social connection, call center managers can create a more engaging and productive work environment.

Gamification – Does it work? Have you been wondering if Gamification is just a buzz word or if it really does work? Having successfully implemented a gamification platform with a top MNC bank, I can tell you for sure, it does! I have seen some amazing performance transformations and engagement levels in the journey, change in water cooler conversations from idle gossip to winning points and badges, child prodding his mother to perform better so that she could bring in home a master blaster badge, one employee even changed his mind about quitting. Having said that, there have been some learnings. If you are in the midst of a roll-out or are planning to bring in gamification into your organisation, I would urge you to keep the following aspects in mind. I call them the ‘Ethos of Gamification‘. Have a sponsor at the senior level: We were lucky that we had a couple of extremely engaging and positively challenging sponsors for the program. It helped drive the engagement and the concepts both, up the line and down the line. Whilst one sponsor constantly challenged us to make the program better, the other sponsor’s infectious energy levels brought the program alive. Clear tangible outcomes: Be very sure of the outcomes you are seeking from your gamification platform/program. There has to be a measurable tangible impact on either the top-line or the bottom-line. Increase in Sales, improvement of margins by reducing costs, improving customer experience or build engagement, as long as you have a measurable outcome set right at the beginning, the program is sustainable. Keep it fun & engaging: Gamification is not a replacement for your performance management system, don’t make it one. Neuroscience of play states that we are at our productive best when we are in a state of play. It allows for our withheld intelligence to come out because our threat responses are suppressed. The game design, platform launch, dashboards, rewards etc all have to be aligned towards keeping it fun and engaging for 100% of the participants. This brings me to the next point. It is for your average and bottom performers: Simply because your top performers will perform in-spite or despite of gamification. Your game design, target setting etc must factor for the fact it encourages every individual in the team to perform at their optimum potential. It is those incremental improvements across the board that will give you the quantum jump that you are seeking from the program. Target setting: Set targets which are a stretch but achievable. Gamification is not a magic wand that will help you achieve the impossible. Every individual in the team having the same target is akin to thinking all my team members are Usain Bolts. Bucket the participants in ranges as per their performance and set stretch targets for those specific buckets. Important aspect to keep in mind is to ensure that the outliers are taken out of the equation else target setting is bound to be erroneous. Another factor is that the target setting & the platform must also factor for the checks and balances to keep the poor behaviors away. It’s not about Points, Badges & Leader: The most common misconception that exists is that as long as I have fancy points, badges and leaderboards, gamification will be successful. Gamification is about engaging at the core belief level. Its about tapping into those core drivers that make us push ourselves that little extra step more than what we would do normally. Read up on Yu Kai Chau’s ‘Octalysis principle‘ or better still watch his video on YouTube before you start working on your gamification program. Reward & Recognize – Its not all about : The reward & recognition strategy is critical to the long term sustainability of the program. There has to be a healthy balance between intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. Sometimes, a pat on the back in front of the entire team can go a longer way than a monetary reward. Also, do not go overboard on extrinsic rewards. You may be tempted to give out iPhones, expensive watches, cars, bikes etc, which, understandably will have to sit in the topmost percentiles of the performance curve. The real question to ask here is, if that’s going to motivate the real target segment of people gamification is designed for or will they just give up even before they have started. It has been an exciting journey, consulting with the client, helping them get their gamification strategy right, conceptualizing, designing, developing and implementing Coroebus, our Gamification Platform.

Revolutionizing Corporate Learning: Pop-Up Learning Cafés In the ever-evolving landscape of corporate learning, a fresh and innovative approach is taking centre stage – entering the era of Pop-Up Learning Cafés. These temporary, immersive spaces are revolutionising corporate training by seamlessly combining the principles of microlearning and play-based interventions, all backed by the neuroscience of effective learning. Microlearning Magic: Pop-Up Learning Cafés embody the essence of microlearning, offering employees bite-sized, easily digestible learning experiences. In these vibrant spaces, employees can engage with focused content tailored to their specific needs, ensuring that the learning process is efficient, relevant, and conducive to on-the-job application. The Neuroscience of Engagement: The neuroscience of play-based learning is harnessed through interactive activities within the café environment. From collaborative problem-solving activities to learning from experience, these interventions trigger the release of dopamine, fostering motivation, and creating positive associations with the learning process. This engagement not only enhances information retention but also fuels a culture of continuous learning. Bridging Learning Styles: Pop-Up Learning Cafés bridge the gap between diverse learning styles within the corporate world. Microlearning caters to the preferences of employees with varying attention spans, while play-based activities break down traditional barriers, promoting collaboration and inclusivity. The café atmosphere encourages a sense of community and shared learning experiences, fostering a more interconnected and motivated workforce. Memory Brew: Neuroscience underscores the impact of multisensory engagement on memory retention. The dynamic and stimulating environment of Pop-Up Learning Cafés enhances memory consolidation, ensuring that employees retain and apply the knowledge gained during their brief visits. This leads to a more proficient and adaptable workforce, crucial in the fast-paced corporate arena. Conclusion: Pop-Up Learning Cafés represent a transformative approach to corporate learning, addressing the need for microlearning and play-based interventions with a dash of creativity. The fusion of these elements, backed by neuroscience, not only meets the demands of the modern workforce but also sets the stage for a corporate culture that values continuous learning, adaptability, and innovation. As these cafés pop up across the corporate landscape, they bring with them a brew of knowledge, engagement, and success.

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.

Amplification of Organizational Performance and Individual Outcomes using Gamification – A Case Study In my previous blog post, I discussed how gamification can revolutionize the new norm of work. In this post, I’d like to explore how gamification can be harnessed to amplify both individual and organizational outcomes. Many of us have experienced the pressure to perform our best at work – whether it’s driven by deadlines, caffeine, or the promise of a big bonus. But the truth is, these stressors can often take a toll on our mental and physical well-being, and ultimately hinder our performance. In fact, this “always-on” mentality has become a norm in many workplaces, but it’s not necessarily the most effective way to achieve our goals. Disengagement in the new norm? In today’s fast-paced work environment, the traditional goal-oriented approach to work culture has struggled to keep up with the pace of change. The rapid evolution of technology and market ecosystems, as well as the changing thought processes and behaviours of the younger generation entering the workforce, has led to a lack of engagement in the workplace. This has resulted in rising attrition rates, falling productivity, and a talent drain.  Traditional top-down approaches to rewards and consequences management are no longer effective and can even be counterproductive over time. Limited social interaction in the current and possibly future working environment exacerbates this issue. While going digital can help, it is essential to focus on the “human” factor in the entire process. This is where gamification can make a difference. By leveraging the principles of play and intrinsic motivation, gamification can help individuals tap into their natural curiosity, creativity, and desire to achieve. Rather than relying on external stressors, gamification can create a more engaging, enjoyable, and ultimately effective way to approach work. To build engagement from the bottom up, gamification can be a powerful tool. Gamification drives self-motivation and takes the disengaged brain into a state of play, leading to higher levels of engagement and belief in the task at hand. In this blog, we will discuss a case study that showcases how gamification successfully built employee engagement and amplified organizational performance in a complex, remotely distributed multinational organization with a traditional brick-and-mortar structure. The prelude The company, a major Engineering, Manufacturing and Projects player in India with a worth of 21 billion USD, embarked on its digital journey in 2016. Despite the implementation of numerous digital solutions on a regular basis, it was evident that a unique and innovative approach was necessary to effect the desired transformational change in an industry where “human capital” was of paramount importance. During a cross-functional meeting, the heads of digital and HR brought up the concept of gamification, which seemed like a potential solution. Given the industry’s context, they cautioned the team to proceed with care, but the idea resonated with everyone and the pieces began to fall into place. Can gamification be effective in traditional brick-and-mortar business settings? Many people in the industry were skeptical about whether gamification could be applied in conventional brick-and-mortar business environments. There were doubts about whether it could be executed digitally without disrupting productivity, and whether it could truly bring about long-term change. People were also wondering how to make it understandable, appealing, and motivating, and how it could contribute to business performance. The Projects business, being a steel and concrete industry, had problems for being dull and uninteresting. Despite the confusion surrounding gamification, the leadership decided to consult with us, The Gamification Company, (operating under the umbrella of Paathshala Learning Solution) on how to implement it effectively. After several discussions, we raised awareness about how gamification principles could transform human behaviors, and the team began to move forward with implementing the plan. In addition to our expertise as gamification evangelists, we were fortunate to have developed an innovative gamification platform called COROEBUS™, which we were able to offer to the organization. Step 1: Defining the desired outcome – The Have By applying the ‘Ethos of Gamification’, which we practice at TGC, the initial step of the initiative was to clearly define the expected results, both tangible and intangible. As we progressed, it became apparent that there were multiple outcomes visible, both tangible and intangible. One of the most significant and sustainable results identified by the leadership was to instil a sense of discipline and efficiency in Billing and Collections, while also driving digital adoption, reducing working capital, and improving productivity. Step 2 – Identifying the GAMIFICATION theme The gamification initiative was designed around cricket, a popular sport and almost a religion in the Indian subcontinent. The backdrop of a well-known cricket tournament, TIPL (Transportation Infrastructure Premier League), was used as a central theme. With the cricket theme available on the Coroebus platform, designing the game and execution became relatively easy. The selection of the theme was crucial as it was the first time such an initiative was introduced in a very traditional organization. The theme had to appeal across various levels, age groups, and genders. Step 3 – Defining the engagement levers – The ‘Do’ To ensure high engagement levels, the business KPIs that would drive the desired outcomes were aligned with game elements in a critical exercise. The alignment had to be designed based on the frequency of available data as a continuously moving scoreboard was essential. The scoring runs in cricket were aligned with the business KPI of the daily progress report, as it was the first thought that came to mind when thinking about cricket. The Coroebus platform’s built-in balanced scorecard mechanism ensured that all KPIs were subliminally focused on. To drive “digital adoption,” the organization’s digital tools were used as the only data source for the KPIs. Step 4: Driving Engagement: Using Neuroscience of Play & “Yu Kai Chou’ inspired Octalysis Principles – The ‘Be’ Throughout the gamification initiative, Octalysis principles were implemented at multiple levels and layers. The primary objective was to create a sense of ‘Accomplishment’ and ‘Ownership’ at the project level by using leaderboards

Gamification – The Game Changer As the world begins to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s become increasingly clear that sustained behavior change and engagement are more critical than ever. With social distancing, remote work, and reduced in-person contact becoming the norm, our daily lives – both personally and professionally – have undergone a rapid transformation. This transition to a more technology-driven and socially-distanced world was already underway, albeit slowly. However, the pandemic has drastically accelerated this timeline and caught many of us off guard, emotionally, socially, and infrastructure-wise. We must make significant changes to every aspect of our lives to adapt to this new reality, including how we interact and engage with others. Unfortunately, our brains are wired to resist change, particularly when it comes to sudden and major cultural shifts. This is due to our limbic brain’s natural threat response, which makes it harder for us to accept and adapt to new circumstances. However, accepting change is a crucial skill that we must learn in order to navigate this new normal effectively. As businesses navigate the post-COVID landscape and adapt to new ways of working, they’ll need to quickly revamp their processes, up skill their workforce, and increase productivity to survive in a challenging economic environment. To achieve these goals, organizations will need to foster a culture of learning, engagement, and accountability. This is where gamification can be a game-changer. By leveraging the neuroscience of play, gamification can activate the subconscious brain and spark engagement at a fundamental level, leading to transformative shifts in behavior and ultimately driving positive business outcomes. This approach is especially valuable in overcoming resistance and fatigue in an overtaxed conscious brain, which may hinder motivation and productivity. At TGC, we’ve achieved remarkable results by combining gamification principles with other key behavioral sciences such as Appreciative Inquiry and Value Creation Process. By leveraging these approaches, we’ve observed sustained and positive impacts on critical human processes that drive success in organizations. Our approach has resulted in tangible benefits across several key areas, including amplified organizational and individual outcomes, improved organizational processes, sustained engagement and enhanced learning outcomes, and even nation-building and sustained behavioral transformation at a social level. In our upcoming blog posts, we’ll dive deeper into case studies and concepts that demonstrate the power of gamification as a tool for driving behavioral transformation in organizations, institutions, and society as a whole. When implemented effectively, gamification can be a truly transformative force for positive change.

How to get your employees excited about an upcoming gamification solution at work? You are a smart employer who wants the best for your employees as well as your business so you found a gamification solution (Does gamification really work? Find out) and are getting ready to roll it out. How do you do it?  Just sending an email to your employees with a link to a gamification portal is not the best way to go about it. In this blog, we will highlight how to make a gamification roll out exciting! Start with why gamification is so awesome There must be a reason that you are rolling out gamification at your workplace. Some examples include – lack of constructive feedback, lack of motivation and generational shift in the workforce. Create messages around this so that gamification is the star. Now, highlighting a problem is not a good idea. Just use it to create relatability. For example, Tired of negative feedback? Time to flaunt your strengths and get noticed! Gamification coming soon. Be super clear about the rules of play Any gamification solution that you adopt will have a structure in place. There will be rules and these rules must be communicated very well to employees well in advance. In a regular game, it is fun to explore the gameplay and find out things as you go. But in a gamified business environment, the rules have an impact on how work is done or measured. So, do not leave this bit to the last minute. Once your employees are excited about gamification, start releasing information about exactly what is going to happen. Organize a launch event Create a nice and short event to announce ‘Game on!’ to your workforce. Make them feel like a part of something great. Showcase rewards. Involve senior leadership and showcase how things will be more fun and productive for employees. Pro tip: Always be prepared to drive engagement after launching the gamification solution. For most of the workforce, it would be a new experience and it would be amazing of you to give them that extra attention along the journey. Are you looking for a corporate gamification solution? AT TGC, we have ready-to-roll out as well as custom-made solutions. We also do gamification consulting, workshops, and end-to-end roll-out planning along with execution.  Reach us here for queries.

Top 3 ways to use gamification for a sales team The sales team of every organization is going after targets every day. They feel the heat and are game-changers for their organization. How we keep a sales team engaged and motivated? Because obviously a salesperson who is going out there to do their best is going to drive better sales than the salesperson who is tired of rejections. The best way to drive engagement and motivation is by implementing gamification in sales. Does gamification work? You can dive into that separately here. (The short answer is, yes!) Create achievement badges Most organizations have a recognition system in place, however, very often they don’t leave the impression that they should. They become forgettable or just another thing that exists. Badges work very well when they have an attractive design, a memorable name and inherent value because they should not be easy to win. Badges should serve their purpose by providing recognition to achievers through multiple mediums (not just emails) like WhatsApp groups, Workplace by Facebook and in-person announcements. Don’t have a design team at your workplace? Use Canva. Update real-time performance The faster the sales teams know how they are doing, the faster they can do better. And we don’t mean update excel sheets. We are talking about gamification. Create a leaderboard that measures what matters the most to your sales team and update it in real-time. This will create both competition and collaboration. Let your teams name themselves Gamification taps into the power of the human being by creating an emotional connection. A sure-shot way to create this connection? Names. Give the teams a date by which they need to come up with names for themselves. Maybe even a tag line! Once they identify themselves as part of a team at an emotional level, their motivation will be boosted. Gamify the process by showing teams their ranks using the names that they chose and not by their brand names or manager names. Bonus: Use a Gamification solution A full-fledged gamification solution automates multiple processes which makes it easy for you to focus on your core business while still enjoying the power of gamification. Themes, levels, points, dashboards, KPI mapping… a complete gamification solution has it all. There are various solutions out there – some are built for sales, some for specific industries and others for large organizations. At The Gamification Company, we have developed gamification solutions that can be configured to meet the need of every function across all industries. In fact, our product, Coroebus, has been successfully deployed to drive sales for the customer contact centre of a large MNC bank as well as for a large fashion retail organization. Do you need a completely customized solution? We do that as well. In conclusion, if you are thinking about using gamification then you are on the right track and you can do it in multiple ways. For more gamification queries, you can reach out to us at info@thegamificationcompany.com.

How to engage employees using Gamification in BPO Why do BPOs need engaged employees? In the customer-centric culture of BPOs, an engaged employee will lead to customer satisfaction and retention. The enthusiasm of the employee will reach the customers. It is challenging for any organization to keep employees engaged day in and day out. Ultimately, it needs to come from within. Gamification is a brilliant way to bring about long term engagement and positive behavioural change. For more information visit us at http://masterspokerclub.com/ Here are the top 3 ways to engage employees using Gamification in the BPO industry, 1. Capability-based goals While it is great to aim high and applaud the top achievers, large scale engagement requires motivated employees at every performance level. Gamification achieves this by allowing multiple KPIs to be measured in a transparent and engaging way. 2. Mentorship Gamification balances out competition and collaboration beautifully. Being a mentor in a gamified environment is the best feeling because it makes you feel like a part of something bigger than yourself. It is an exciting journey for those who are being mentored as they can express themselves and observe their progress. 3. Recognition Gamification is one of the best methods to bring about positive behavioural change because it is fair. It enables the recognition of not only the best performers but also the most-improved performers. In a BPO environment where every day brings a new challenge, a reliable recognition mechanism works wonders Are you looking for a Gamification solution? Let’s connect.