Why Gamification Works- Some Examples
It can feel like in today’s world, games are everywhere. We’re surrounded by new technology and new ways that games can become a part of our daily life. With attention spans shortening, gamification is expanding. Gamification actually has helped businesses run smoother and people work harder. Here’s how:
Gamification in Sustainability
0power is an example of a product that has been gamified for more extensive use. 75 electrical companies have decided to use this service. Here, you can track your energy consumption in comparison to your neighbor’s.
This brings out that competitive edge in people to be lower in electricity than the house beside them. This helps with sustainability and even your electrical bill, saving money and the planet.
This is also seen with the Nissan Leaf. Not only does this car have a points system that can earn you rewards through driving sustainably, it also has a way to compare progress. You can connect this gamification tool to your Facebook and compare your environmental progress to that of your friends. Efforts to be sustainable are gamified and therefore, increased.
Gamification for Restaurants
We see gamification used in reward systems for many popular restaurants. You rack up a certain number of points at a restaurant; you get a free meal or a free item. Gamification is all about that rush of earning a reward and “winning” at something.
Though the restaurant loses a little for the free item, they make it up by the extra money that is sent by the customer to get to that free item. Also, many of these reward systems are through apps where the customer can check how many points they have while on the go, just like they would with a game on their phone. This makes the game aspect of reward systems work even better.
This type of gamification ultimately increases loyalty. Since the company is giving back to their customers in some way, the customers feel like buying from the brand is worth it. This encourages customers to go to the store with the point system over another restaurant.
Gamification in Training
Gamification is also used in many businesses to train employees how to do their job to the company’s standard. For instance, Xerox uses a gamification method to train managers by having them complete “quests” online when they learn how to do a task.
This can be a great way to train employees, old or new, in a way that is motivating. Also, this training can be done online, so employees can complete challenges from home. With the changing world, more people are working remotely, so this online form of training will serve greatly to help various companies.
Gamification in the Future
Gamification still is expanding and growing into different sectors of the world every day. We can only expect that its reach will continue to grow in the future. Gamification increases sales, loyalty, and overall improves management. From reward systems to competitions, the gamification of our world is just beginning.
