Call center gamification and how it can help your employees

For some, working in a call center can be boring and unmotivating, leading to poor performance and low morale. While it may not be the most exciting job, you can definitely make the most of it using call center gamification.

What is call center gamification?

Call center gamification turns call center work into games and competitions where employees can earn prizes to incentivize them to work harder. It lets firms monitor employee productivity and performance, set goals, and boost customer satisfaction. 

Gamifying call center analytics and metrics and giving prizes and rewards motivate employees to bring the best results possible.

Furthermore, players can either play by themselves and gain individual rewards or work in teams and foster an environment of teamwork and friendly competition. It is up to the company to decide.

Call center gamification is a great way to keep things entertaining while getting work done simultaneously. It is a fun and engaging way to keep your employees energized while unleashing their competitive nature.

Benefits of call center gamification

Working at a call center doesn’t have to be as monotonous and routine as some might think. Gamifying has several benefits both in the workplace and for oneself.

Motivated employees

Other call center tasks are often mundane and don’t have much excitement to them. Employees usually get demotivated and lose their energy to do the work.

This is where gamification comes in. Turning slow or dull tasks into fun, engaging activities all employees can enjoy can take the boredom out of work.

With prizes and rewards on the line, they will be more motivated to accomplish tasks and outperform themselves. They will strive harder to achieve better results, which is great for productivity and boosting the company’s overall performance.

Increased productivity

In relation to increased motivation, agents can work harder while enjoying gamified call center activities. Employees engaged in their work will likely work harder and complete their tasks quicker and more efficiently.

Increased productivity and engagement ensure that tasks are accomplished everyday with consistent results.

Decreased stress

On hectic days, working at a call center can be tiring and stressful, especially with high call volumes and clients with many demands.

Gamification removes that stress and allows employees to perform their tasks in an exciting and stress-free environment.

Gallup’s survey revealed that 65% of employees are not engaged in their work. So, implementing steps to get employees occupied is key, and gamification is a great way to do that.

Additionally, lower stress levels in the workplace lead to a decrease in turnover rate as employees will find fulfillment in what they do.

Boosts morale

Like with any job, doing the same mundane daily tasks can be unfulfilling, which decreases team morale and overall productivity.

However, call center gamification can immediately elevate the mood in the workplace by turning everyday tasks into a friendly competition.

Stress-free games and activities encourage employees to partake and work together, forming a sense of teamwork and camaraderie, ultimately boosting workplace morale

These activities also allow employees to form stronger bonds with each other, turning the workplace into a more positive and welcoming place.

Increased sales

On the business side of things, businesses are always looking for ways to increase their sales and maintain their reputation.

Gamification is a unique way to accomplish this as it is an out-of-the-box solution that encourages employees to strive for the best results.

For example, employees can aim for higher numbers by upselling or cross-selling products, and if they are successful, they can receive a bonus or incentive. The type of game can be specifically catered to the job or tasks involved.

Challenges of call center gamification

While gamification may be great for business and morale, there are a few challenges that may arise. It is important to keep an eye out for these signs and respond to them immediately.

Balancing healthy competition and rivalry

Of course, whenever competition is involved, it is important to balance healthy competition and excessive rivalry.

An employee’s competitive spirit may be too much that it creates unnecessary rivalry among coworkers, which negatively affects the business and fellow employees.

It is important to reiterate that gamification is for the benefit of the company and all its employees, so bringing in any unnecessary rivalry is a hindrance to that.

Clash among coworkers

Similarly, while competition may be fun for some, it also leaves room for friction among coworkers. Some coworkers may not always get along while working on some tasks, leading to poor performance and affecting the overall outcome.

Key components of successful call center gamification

In order to successfully implement call center gamification, clear components need to be set in place.

Goal-setting

Before the company can turn call center tasks into games or activities, they must set clear goals that need to be accomplished.

Setting clear benchmarks of success will motivate both the employees and the managers to participate in the games.

With the right goals in mind, everyone involved will know what needs to be done and work to achieve it, increasing productivity and motivating employees.

Balancing collaboration and competition

Even though some games may unleash an employee’s competitive side, it is still important to remember to balance collaboration and competition.

While it may be fun to compete against fellow employees and try to one-up them, at the end of the day, these games benefit the company and its employees.

Gamification is meant to bring people together in a fun, no-stress environment as they work together to achieve a common goal. 

Feedback and recognition

Call center gamification is a way for business operations to be accomplished quickly and efficiently, with rewards and incentives as prizes for those who perform the best.

It is also a way to get feedback and recognition from those in higher positions. The people in these higher positions can notice the hard work of their employees, and employees ensure that their work doesn’t go unnoticed.

Positive or negative feedback is helpful whether the agents perform well or poorly. Higher-ups get a clearer idea of an employee’s strengths and weaknesses as well.

Understanding of employee needs

In relation to giving feedback, before setting up the games, it is important to understand the needs of your employees.

By getting a clearer picture of what the employees need at the moment, you can cater the games so they answer the employee’s needs.

Doing so will encourage your staff to participate in the games and get whatever they need or want as a reward.

Call center gamification ideas

There are countless gamification ideas that you can incorporate into your call center. The games will depend on your organization’s requirements, but here are some ideas to get you started:

Sales bingo (or any kind of bingo)

Everyone knows how Bingo works and it is a great way to get a lot of tasks done throughout the day.

Depending on the kind of tasks that need to be done, you can prepare a set of Bingo cards with various tasks that the employee must accomplish before the day ends. These can include sales goals to be made or KPIs that need to be hit.

You can also get creative with the rules, such as smaller rewards for those who complete one row or column, and grander prizes for those who complete the entire card.

Fundraising for charity

Competing for individual prizes is always fun, but having a competition for a better cause is just as rewarding.

Call center agents can choose a charity they’d want to donate to and come up with a series of competitions that determines how much money goes into the donations.

For example, if one team accomplishes a specific sales goal, the company donates a certain amount to the charity. Whoever raises the most money wins.

This game is great because there are no winners or losers. In the end, everyone contributes to a common cause, and values like teamwork and collaboration start to shine.

Compete for time-off

If any incentive motivates employees to achieve their quotas immediately, it is getting to go home early.

Give the employees a list of quotas or KPIs that must be achieved within a certain timeframe, and if they succeed, they can clock out early and enjoy the rest of the day.

After all, maintaining a work-life balance is a top priority. The ultimate reward is going home, relaxing, and knowing that all tasks and responsibilities are completed.

Keeping things fun and productive

Call center work can be dull for the most part, but there are moments of fun and engagement that can come with the help of gamification.

Employees work harder, and results come by more efficiently. Additionally, the winners of said activities can indulge in rewards for their hard work.