Gamification in companies, have you heard of it? Do you know the advantages of introducing this practice into your business?
In this post I'm going to explain what this technique is and how it can be used as an internal communication strategy. And you'll find out how it works and why it has become a trend.
Let's go!
What is gamification?
The term gamification was coined in 2002 by a British business consultant called Nick Pelling and, according to him, was created with the intention of being "intentionally ugly".
Gamification, then, is a method of engaging teams in the digital age.
This means that players will interact through digital means, such as smartphones, computers and other gadgets.
More technically, gamification is an approach in which the elements and principles of a game are used to create an experience that generates effective and much more engaging learning.
Bringing it into practice, players are offered rewards for completing predetermined tasks, where most of the time there are levels and stages to overcome.
The structure of gamification involves defining tasks that are part of the company's objective, which can be through the creation of rules and the application of controls and measurement of indicators.
Gamification creates new models of team involvement. Its main objective is to motivate people to achieve their goals, even though they often don't believe they can.
We assume that fun is the easiest way to change people's behavior. Therefore, the practice of gamification brings out strong characteristics in people: cooperation and competitiveness, as well as involving status and a sense of accomplishment and responsibility.
What are the benefits of Gamification?
Games are nothing new in our general context, and they exist in many different formats and with many different objectives.
What they have in common is that they conquer different genders and ages in various sectors.
Jane MCGonigal is one of the main references on the subject and he says that games can be a tool that changes the world and gives people feelings of optimism and hope.
82% of Brazilians aged between 13 and 59 play some kind of game on a wide variety of platforms, according to a survey carried out by the NPD Group.
By analyzing the players' behaviors, we can come up with reasons why the various range techniques are an excellent strategy for managing people.
How to apply gamification in your business?
Applying this technique to business routines can seem complex and often managers don't even try for fear of not succeeding.
But like any strategy, it is necessary to create a plan so that you can identify the objectives you want to achieve and also the ways of monitoring and evaluating the results obtained in each game.
This requires five steps:
1) Identify the problem: Knowing why it will be used is the first step towards a successful strategy.
2) Define an objective: Understanding where you want to end up with this action is important for evaluating what will be applied. The objectives can be diverse, ranging from motivating the team, increasing sales or improving team engagement.
3) Understand the persona: Identifying the differences of each participant and the characteristics they have in common is a crucial step in successfully applying the game.
4) Define the strategies: What action will be used? A brainstorm or research that generates ideas and ways of applying the game needs to be aligned with the persona and objectives created at the start of the planning.
5) Measure the results: Evaluate through surveys and tests whether the game is being accepted by the participants and, above all, what results it has generated for the business in a general context.
How to apply gamification with your customers?
We've seen how gamification can positively impact your business internally, engaging and motivating your employees.
But how does gamification impact your business externally by involving your customers?
When you develop a gaming strategy, your company interacts with its customers and at the same time focuses on promoting its tools, services and products that can and should be publicized, whether through referrals, benefits or social networks.
Therefore, gamification not only acts as a game that will arouse the curiosity of customers or prospects, or to encourage and motivate the fulfillment of routine activities, but also as a means of publicizing your company.
Duolingo, for example, is a foreign language company and through its app, it developed ways of scoring its users who were constantly challenged, generating competition within the group and check-ins to earn points to exchange for services and products within the app itself.
Another example is Starbucks, which, through its loyalty card, encourages its customers to accumulate stars so that they can exchange them for free benefits and other products.
Conclusion
Gamification is a simple strategy, but one that requires planning and clear objectives if its goals and results are to be successfully achieved.
Several companies around the world are taking actions like these and have in fact experienced major internal and external changes.
Motivated, engaged employees and customers with a higher loyalty rate is the main reason to start developing this strategy in your company.