GAMIFICATION IN CALL CENTERS

It’s been a while since I moved out of active call center operations. Having said that, I have stayed in touch by leading and delivering quite a few high-impact strategic and culture transformation projects in large MNC contact centers. Also, as a gamification evangelist and the founder of THE GAMIFICATION COMPANY, I have had the opportunity to implement gamification solutions in my projects.

The journey has been insightful. It has led me to believe that the BPO industry is one place where gamification will continue to evolve and add value for a long time to come. This is because of the human factor. Currently at both ends and maybe, just maybe, in the future, only at one, there are and will be humans. As long as there are humans involved, the human factors of motivation, engagement, learning, resistance, etc. will play a significant role. Gamification is a human-focused design and will continue to impact those factors positively. With generations changing, the flavors may evolve but the ingredients and recipe will remain the same.

Through this blog series – GAMIFICATION IN CALL CENTERS, I am attempting to unravel the layers that exist in the science of gamification. I intend to take it beyond the conventional understanding of points, badges, leaderboards, and rewards, beyond the realm of competition, winning and losing, and beyond the realm of application limited to learning solutions. I intend to take it deeper, into the core beliefs, actions, behaviors, processes, and ultimately achievement of sustained business outcomes.

I strongly believe, if call center managers understand the concepts and power of gamification, they will not just be empowered but will be the torchbearers of how human-focused transformation can happen.

Here’s the first of the series, feel free to share your thoughts, connect and explore your ideas on how can we use gamification to make the life of an agent better, as a consequence, all of ours as well who do connect with them from time to time.

BLOG SERIES 1: TECHNOLOGY IS SEXY, HUMAN TOUCH IS STILL THE GAME CHANGER.?

In the present day, while we as customers expect a seamless, omnichannel, and personalized experience when interacting with call centers, the human factor remains a critical component of the call center experience. Technology has reduced the propensity of our having to connect with call centers, but it has increased the complexity of the issues with which we call them. When that happens, the human factors impacts our experience in call centers:

• Empathy and emotional intelligence: We want to feel heard and understood. We want the agents to listen actively, show compassion, and connect with us on a personal level.
• Personal touch: Even in the age of technology and automation, the fact is, we still appreciate the personal touch. Agents who take the time to address us properly, use a friendly tone, and build rapport can make a big difference in our experience.
• Problem-solving skills: We expect call center agents to be able to help us resolve our issues quickly and efficiently. Agents with strong problem-solving skills can quickly diagnose and resolve issues, leaving us feeling satisfied with the resolution and the overall experience.
• Communication skills: The question is, do we expect the call center agent to be the most eloquent and articulate person in the world, certainly not! But what we do expect is that the agents can articulate solutions clearly and concisely, listen actively, and adapt their communication style to ours.
• Continuous improvement: Every time we call, we do hope and expect that the experience will be better than the previous time. The best call center agents are always striving to improve their skills and deliver a better customer experience. They are receptive to feedback, eager to learn, and constantly looking for ways to improve their performance.

Makes you wonder if we are asking for a ‘Super-Agent’, who exists exactly where our superheroes do, in our imagination and in our movies. The answer is no, what we need are agents who are better trained, motivated, and engaged enough to care.

Overall, while technology and automation play an important role in the call center experience, the human factor remains critical and generally unaddressed.

Call center managers need to prioritize the recruitment, training, and development of agents with a strong focus on the interpersonal skills, problem-solving abilities, and sound technical knowledge. This means cognitive flexibility, commitment, openness, and willingness towards continuous improvement needs to be displayed across all levels in the call center, right from the top management to the agents.

This is where the real difficulty lies, when faced with change, the natural human mind responds from the limbic brain, with resistance or variable commitment. Whether it is changing the hiring, training and performance management practices that were developed with the advent of call centers decades back or adapting to the learning needs to the new age call center agents, the change process is a rather arduous one. And this is not because of technology, rather it is the human resistance to change at play.

It is this human factor where gamification comes into play. Using gamification to suppress the limbic brain and activate the prefrontal cortex is an effective way to amplify learning and business outcomes, leading to improved employee focus, performance, and motivation. By providing a sense of autonomy and mastery, and encouraging social connection, call center managers can create a more engaging and productive work environment.

In my next blog in this series, I’ll talk about call center gamification practices in play and the impact we have seen.?