How Gamification Can Boost Agent Engagement

It’s a fast-paced world out there for gambling operators. Not only is there plenty of competition, but there’s a raft of strict regulations to ensure you’re acting responsibly for your customers.

Since agents are at the forefront of customer interactions, their engagement with and knowledge of the rules is not only important for success, but absolutely vital when it comes to demonstrating compliance.

With the Gambling Commission having introduced new rules in 2022, operators must do more to identify vulnerable customers, stepping in where necessary to promote responsible gambling.

Overcoming Industry Challenges

Gambling operators face an array of challenges. For one, agent engagement is essential for delivering excellent customer experience.

After all, the happier and more motivated your agents, the better service they’ll deliver for customers– and this is true for contact centres across all industries.

A Glassdoor study backs this up, stating: “There is a strong statistical link between employee well-being reported on Glassdoor and customer satisfaction among a large sample of some of the largest companies today.”

For gambling operators though, engagement is just one side of the coin. There’s also the strict regulations and compliance standards from regulatory bodies, which demand adherence. Absolutely necessary, but a tough sell when it comes to the agent engagement piece.

Combining the repetitive nature of contact centre tasks with regulatory complexities, you’ve got a recipe for layers of pressure and low motivation. Definitely not a winning formula.

So how do you help motivate agents to keep on top of it all and deliver great customer experiences? The answer is gamification.

Harnessing Intrinsic Motivation

At the heart of agent engagement lies an untapped source with tons of potential: intrinsic motivation. That is, the agent develops a drive to perform tasks because it’s bring them satisfaction.

A brilliant way to harness this intrinsic motivation is gamification. By infusing gaming into the work environment, you create space for a more engaging and rewarding atmosphere for agents.

One which creates healthy competition and conversation among agents, reducing stress by bringing elements of fun into the contact centre.

In the context of gambling, this could mean being recognized for providing empathetic customer service during a vulnerable interaction, or being a knowledgeable compliance champion.

You can already make use of features like this, rewarding your agents for a job well done with badges.

The Key to Launching a Successful Gamification Program

Gamification demands a customized approach that resonates with the specific needs and dynamics of your agents. Here are four key considerations for an effective gamification strategy:

1. Understand What Motivates Your Agents

Design rewards and challenges that align with their interests – this is vital to get right! Include them in the discussions to set the program up for success.

2. Create Fair and Inclusive Mechanics

Ensure all agents have equal opportunities to participate and excel in the gamified environment – otherwise, you could have the opposite effect demotivate some agents.

3. Monitor and Adapt the Program

Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of your strategy, make any necessary adjustments to keep it engaging. Again, ask your agents for their thoughts.

4. Align with Regulatory Processes

Effective gamification integrates seamlessly with existing regulatory workflows, reinforcing compliance as a core aspect of daily tasks and fostering agent commitment to compliance.

The Positive Impact of Gamification for Gambling Operators

When implemented effectively, gamification can bring about a truly positive transformation in agent engagement and compliance adherence for gambling operators.

It can make work more enjoyable, boosting morale and create a culture of customer experience champions. In the long-term, this has the potential to lead to lower attrition rates too.

Companies are increasingly becoming aware that highly engaged, happy employees also lead to better business outcomes. In fact, engaged employees have the potential to drive a 23 percent rise in profitability!

Simultaneously engaging agents and ensuring compliance can seem a daunting task, but by tapping into the intrinsic motivations of your agents and harnessing the principles of gamification, it can be overcome!

After all, we spend so much of our time at work – it’d be a shame not to have some fun along the way.

This blog post has been re-published by kind permission of EvaluAgent – View the Original Article

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EvaluAgent provide software and services that help contact centres engage and motivate their staff to deliver great customer experiences.

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Call Centre Helper is not responsible for the content of these guest blog posts. The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of Call Centre Helper.

Author: EvaluAgent