Gamification in business. How and when it can be used.

How to properly implement gamification tools in business

Human everyday life is often so monotonous that many people are trying to fix it day by day. Who among us likes to do monotonous things every day? The question is rhetorical.

Gamification in business is the solution to a global problem. The first companies to use gamification in their business were Banchball and Bageville. As a concept, gamification has no creator, which is connected with the idea of introducing gaming technology into other industries by many people at the same time. Let’s move on to the main thing.

Gamification is the involvement of the target audience in complex and monotonous processes with the help of a game. For example, you have to write a scientific article, which you don’t want to do at all. The incentive for this is the announcement of the boss about the prize for the best scientific article of the month. The work is also going much better, right? Such a system, in addition to personal goals, can also be used in the field of marketing.

Agree, it is much easier and more interesting to perform complex work using game mechanisms. The purposes of using such a technique can be diverse. For example, the worldwide Marriot hotel chain uses it as an employee attraction.

Examples of gamification

Gamification is a rather difficult concept. As people’s needs grow progressively, the number of gamification formats is huge. Basic Gamification Tools:

Loyalty cards

Their principle is to issue a card after your purchases, as well as the issuance of stickers after each purchase. That is, the more purchases, the more stickers. A card with stickers will allow you to exchange it for a free product. This gamification format causes excitement and increases sales.

Bonus programs

For example, the airline bonus program is designed for those who often fly on airplanes. Its essence consists in accruing bonuses from the airline for each of your flights. These bonuses can easily be exchanged for a prize, and with special luck — even for a ticket. In addition to bonuses, various kinds of benefits can be provided. As a customer who has a bonus account, priority may be applied to you during boarding the aircraft.

Online contests are a quick way to attract people

The organizers of the contest are raffling off the prize you want, for which they ask you to repost the entries with the contest — that’s the whole point of this system. Each of us would like to receive a nice gift without putting a lot of effort. Of course, the contest can be limited not only to reposts, but also comments under the post, likes and other requests from the organizers. Thus, you, as a participant, receive a prize, the organizer receives his likes and advertising.

Next, consider the principles of gamification.

4 basic principles of gamification

Motivation

As motivation, any reward that causes pleasant emotions in people can be used: material, moral.

The moral reward can be attributed to recognition in the circle of friends in case of victory. A careful description of the prize received when winning the prize doubly motivates a person to participate in gamification.

Knowing your target audience will help you achieve results when using gamification.

Unexpected discoveries and rewards

Any form of gamification will be successful when providing customers with bonuses, promotions, praise from other people and other rewards. With these methods, you arouse people’s interest and increase your chances of successful attraction.

Status

Everyone is inclined to demonstrate success, their status as a winner. It is you who can make this status manifest. Demonstrate the results of the competition publicly, praise for participating in the competition, thereby increasing the level of achievement. The main thing is not to overdo it.

Award

For the efforts made by a person, be sure to reward him. The first item on the checklist of marketers working on gamification in business is the reward expected before the competition with a prize. It is important to choose a prize that will be interesting for the target audience. The remuneration should also correspond to the efforts of the participants. Thus, gamification in business will be effective both for you and for the target audience.

4 gamification practices

These types of gamification are mandatory for success.

Performance management

If in the work of your company there are similar tasks that have to be performed constantly, or tasks that have a specific, measurable goal, then “Performance management” will be relevant. The method is effective because it is easily used in both large and small companies.

Since the management of “efficiency” combines the functions of control, organization of execution, analysis, it is often used in sales and customer service departments. Optimization in these areas is the main condition for high sales figures.

Gamification in order to create community

The practice of “community gamification” was created so that representatives of the target audience could interact and communicate with each other. Thus, full-fledged groups are created that demonstrate their gamification skills.

If we draw a parallel, then this practice resembles the forums we are familiar with, where people can share their knowledge in a certain area. The more active the participant, the more bonuses and other rewards he can receive.

Badges can be one of the types of rewards for participating in a discussion or competition. Having such an icon in the profile, a person demonstrates their specification, level of knowledge and achievements.

Competition

This method is very effective when there is a task that needs to be completed by a group of people. This way you can attract attention to yourself, increase the efficiency of working in a team. For example, you, as an employee of the company, take part in a competition that was created by your boss. The main prize is a vacation, a salary increase, a bonus. Here you can use any gamification tools. Does it not stimulate action and the desire to fight to the last? Absolutely!

Competition can be expressed in the rating, the number of comments and likes.

Payment

The practice of “redemption”, namely the reward for the action performed, is used both in bonus programs and in loyalty cards, which we have already talked about. A person who performs an action is waiting for his reward, this is what drives him. A common example would be a system used in some coffee shop chains. An avid coffee lover comes to the same coffee shop again and again, knowing that the sixth cup of coffee will be his bonus. Very attractive.

But you should know that this practice is quite expensive in many cases. If this is not for you, it is worth considering other types of gamification.

Goals of using gamification

Definitely, the first goal can be considered the replacement of routine work with an interesting one. Thus, the efficiency of work and competitiveness is significantly increased. In addition, employees improve their knowledge and skills under the conditions of using the program. In turn, customers have the opportunity to get rid of the gray everyday life and get new opportunities. There are significant changes in motivation.

Gamification reserves huge advantages. Examples of advantages are as follows:

• If you have bad habits and want to get rid of them, then using the HabitRPG game it will be easier than usual. In addition, the game allows you to create lists of skills and positive habits for their further implementation. A simple procedure for registering and creating an account will immediately entice you into the course of events. This is quite an interesting gamification, examples of which prove that with the right approach, everyone is able to gain irreplaceable experience and the desire to act.
• The Captain Up WordPress plugin, which has long become popular, demonstrates an example of a real reward for the actions performed. The formula is simple: completed the task — received points — exchanged for a reward.
• In addition to points, you can get badges. Such a system is used by the HubPages portal. Here you perform an action, for example, write high-quality posts, receiving a status reward for it. Such a system is often used in online trainings, stimulating people to complete tasks.

Where to start gamification?

Let’s consider gamification tactics in business that will bring results faster than others:

Increasing the number of comments

When you get to a site with a lot of comments, you immediately think about its popularity. But we are in no hurry to comment ourselves for various reasons. Unwillingness to express one’s opinion is a common feature of many people.

The Huffington Post blog solved this problem in a familiar way of rewards. You can get titles and other exclusive rights for your comments.

Another strategy is used by the Disqus system for comments. Here you can vote for any comment, both for and against, which also arouses the interest of readers.

Not a few hobbies cause contests for the best comments. By choosing the best commentator and publishing his results for everyone to see, you automatically make other people want to comment.

Expansion of the promo campaign

Do you want to expand your promo campaign? Don’t forget about the rewards. For example, announce that a person can be rewarded for important information. At the same time, provide information for participation in the competition as clearly as possible.

Motivation of students

All types of gamification are a good way to motivate participants to achieve their goals and improve their results.

Badges, bonus points, financial reward, praise and publication of results perfectly motivate the participant. In addition, this process is unexpected, pleasant and effective.

What mistakes can be made when using gamification?

To begin with, do not invent something that does not exist yet, use proven processes:

• An insufficiently thought-out course of action will not bring you results. Think over your actions so that they bring pleasure and benefit to the representatives of the target audience.
• Misunderstanding the target audience will pull you down. Select contests and rewards for participation in accordance with the target audience.
• Don’t put your needs above the needs of the target audience. Otherwise, you will only get a negative return.

Why is gamification so effective?

Because a well-thought-out algorithm motivates the consumer to the actions that you put in front of him. As a result, both you and the target audience receive benefits, interest and an undying desire to complete exciting tasks.