May 25, 2017
Many contact/call centers today use sophisticated tracking, recording, and analytics tools to measure their performance. They depend upon key performance indicators (KPIs) as barometers of where the contact/call center process is strong and where it needs more work. When dealing with repeated processes and similar interactions in such large volumes, it can be helpful to boil the operation down to numbers, figures, and trends.
Cutting edge contact/call centers propose transforming these numbers and metrics into a game. This strategy is called gamification, and contact/call center gamification has been shown to increase agent engagement and improve performance.
Call Center Gamification Breakdown
In its simplest form, contact/call center gamification merely creates competition between agents using KPIs as “points.” For example, if an agent has a faster average response time, close rate, or other metric, they win. Some contact/call centers give weekly or monthly cash rewards to their top agents. Other contact/call centers may provide alternative rewards like first choice of shifts for the coming month or a free lunch.
Some organizations implement more advanced, yet familiar, gaming elements in their contact/call centers. One such example is a “level up” system. Agents can earn a “level up” in the same way you would in a role-playing game. The new level could come with added privileges, rewards, or simply bragging rights.
The specifics will vary among contact/call centers, but the point remains the same. Gamification creates competition with the intention for their agents to focus on the game rather than the repetitive nature of the job.
To find out more about how to leverage contact center strategy to drive the customer experience, download our free eBook Customers Drive, You Navigate: Your Contact Center Roadmap to Customer Care Success.
9 Easy to Implement Call Center Gamification Ideas:
- Monthly cash bonus for the agent who fields the most calls in the month.
- Create a spinning prize wheel similar to Wheel of Fortune. Agents get a spin if they meet a certain metric.
- Create a peer to peer appreciation trophy handed out weekly or monthly.
- Raffle off prizes. Agents earn raffle tickets by meeting certain metrics.
- Offer first pick on shifts to agents who consistently arrive on time.
- Create a level up system based on time with the company or performance. Each level up adds privileges.
- Form the contact/call center into teams to increase camaraderie in competition.
- Create badges that agents can display and earn for achieving different milestones.
- Create a “Bozo Buckets” type game where agents earn a throw if they meet a certain metric.
Benefits of Call Center Gamification
Healthy Competition: The competitive spirit that can be fostered by gamification strategies can substantially increase productivity among your contact/call center agents. The agent may push themselves to improve their score, reach the next level, or beat their coworkers, which creates a positive work ethic in the contact/call center. The goal of the agent’s day is to no longer simply reach the end of the shift but to compete and win.
Entertainment: It seems like every company wants to advertise how fun it is to work there, but gamification literally turns work into a game. For many, competition is an enjoyable experience and can actually create a fun work environment.
Assessment: Establishing contact/call center gamification strategies can also help in agent assessments. By looking at which agents are improving their scores, increasing their level, and succeeding in the game, management can more easily identify top talent for promotions. On that same token, they can also find those agents who may need a little extra encouragement to find their stride.
Game Over
There are cheaters in every game. The one thing that cannot happen in the contact/call center is for the customer experience to suffer for the sake of the game or a final score. If agents lose sight of the mission of the contact/call center, management needs to refocus the team on the goal. When implementing gamification strategies, make sure the management team is still performing call reviews and agent assessments.
If implemented correctly and monitored closely, gamification can be a great way to retain employees, increase motivation, and improve the customer experience. Start small. Offer a weekly spiff for the agent who takes on the most calls and build from there. Before long, the contact/call center may be humming with high scores and winning teams.
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