Gamification in the enterprise is about solving a business problem. We’re letting ourselves be gamified and as a result business operations are happily changing thanks to disruptive technologies and new business models, said Ray Wang, Principal Analyst and CEO for Constellation Research, in his presentation, “Demystifying Enterprise Gamification” at the CRM Evolution 2012 conference in New York City.
Gamification in the office looks at the how, when, where, and why of work. We have lots of other motivations outside of money, said Wang. If you can tap into these other motivations, you can change behavior.
Goal of any gamification effort is to create an intention-driven economy where those that initiate the game know what you would want from an initial decision. Gamification becomes a series of processes to create incentives to change behaviors and outcomes. The shift starts with active listening to determine rewards, achievement, and broader trends, said Wang.
When do you use gamification within your business?
According to Wang, these are the most common reasons:
Encouraging collaboration among functional teams
Improving outcomes in training and learning
Fostering employee referrals
Driving onboarding success among new hires
Creating a culture of sharing and recognition
In the office environment, you want to move beyond game-oriented tactics (e.g., badge, widgets, points systems) and think about the overall business goal and individual motivation.
With your customers, use non-monetary rewards to influence behavior
Cash incentives are less effective by 33% than non-monetary incentives, said Wang. Instead, go after people’s aspirations which appear on three different levels: recognition, access, and making an impact.
Level 1: Recognition
Influence tracking
Leaderboards
Achievement badges
Featured placement
Awards and contests
PR and media placement
Speaking slots
Virtual currencies and points
Level 2: Access
Community resources and tutorials
Virtual goods
Special groups
Key executives
New features
New products
Beta versions
Public events
Private events
Level 3: Impact – These are people who want to change the product, transform the experience, or build another service. Heck, you want to hire these people. At best it’s 1% of your customers. These are your stars, said Wang.
Raise personal and community profile
Participate in feedback surveys
Influence product direction
Drive business outcomes
Provide proof point references
Evangelize products and concepts
Non-monetary incentives come in many different ways and you can use them to motivate your employees and your customers. Half your audience wants to be recognized and known, and half wants their privacy but still want their rewards.
If you want to figure out how you can gamify your audience and employees, you must first listen to determine what it is that motivates them, said Wang.
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