Can a gamification platform increase sales results? Is it worth allowing employees to educate on-line on platforms which are similar to games? Shall we allow them play in working hours, or maybe in their free time? Or shall we also reward them for this? Maybe, instead of spending time on gamification, they should work and sell, and gain education during traditional trainings? Is it not a waste of time? Assuming that people from Y generation are a small part of company employees, will others also be interested in such form of development?
These are just some of the questions which come to minds of presidents and directors of companies, with which we were talking about gamification. How was it like in Inter Cars Company, where a “Development Highway” has been realized - coherent, gamified form of development for managers and sales forces?
In the “Development Highway” projects, each of the participants travels along the legendary Route 66, so you are also invited to join the trip. The Route 66 runs from East to West of the USA, and till today is one of the most famous routes in the world. Eight states of the US are also eight missions in this gamification (see the picture “Eight states - eight missions”). Thanks to this trip you will get to know eight challenges and solutions of one of the most interesting and most comprehensive development solutions in Poland!
Illinois – where did the idea of “Development Highway” from?
Every sales operator or sales representative working for Inter Cars branches should know about 1 million items. It is enough to think how complicated the cars nowadays are. This is also enriched with internal processes, projects, special offers. The main part of the salary depends on sales results. Besides the necessary product knowledge one also should have sales skills to be able to realize their own sales targets.
- We know that huge amount of materials describing products is a challenge for our employees. We have created a „knowledge zone” for them – a place, where they can find all the information regarding the company and its products. They are available on an e-learning platform. We needed something more - something combining sales skills, not overloaded with contents, individually adapted to particular user - emphasized Radosław Sujka, Sales Forces Training Manager in Inter Cars.
Wishing to combine those two tasks, i.e. development of product and sales knowledge, the company launched “Development Highway - Drive”, fictional form of travel along the American Route 66. The participant, driving a red Ford Mustang, going through each State, passes buildings on the right and the left-hand side of the road. Those on the right contain tasks and knowledge with soft skills and sales. Those on the left are interactive places containing product knowledge.
Missouri – individual development paths
One of the biggest challenges for the company was creating individual paths for over 2K users. The cost of performing an Assessment Centre for such a big group would be too high. That is why it has been decided to be realized using gamification platform.
In order to diagnose the level of sales skills, a fictional competence game has been created. Seven necessary competences were sewn in it (e.g. prospecting, analysis of needs or upselling). Each of the users went through an adventure in the climate of Route 66, of course on the platform (in the form of a simulation, quiz). Served customers, sold products, checked his or her knowledge on binding standards. This way the company was verifying the level of sales competence. Additionally internal knowledge tests were used, regarding processes, products and current offer of Inter Cars.
Thanks to combination of those two elements it was possible to prepare individual development paths for every user. After logging into the platform, every employee receives materials which are adapted to one’s needs - supplementing knowledge in his areas, which were diagnosed as gaps in his competence. This is how Rafał can see different materials on the same platform than Piotr sitting next to him. But they are both learning on the same platform - Drive 66!
Kansas and Oklahoma – gamification mechanisms + pieces of knowledge
What makes gamification work? It is the use of mechanisms from games, which involve participants to become active (see the frame: „Gamification mechanisms on the platform «Development Highway – Drive»”).
Every participant receives a piece of dedicated knowledge. He fills in his competence gaps which were diagnosed during a competence game and also in the course of internal tests (certification).
On average, new tasks are added on the platform once every two weeks. The time of realization of those tasks is approximately 6 minutes per day. The tasks cannot be boring - that is why they are delivered in an attractive form: interactive e-books, visual thinking, infographics, fictional films, cartoons, quizzes, crosswords and puzzles.
Each tasks ends with a short test asking maximum 5 questions. If the participant makes a mistake, he will be given less fuel, but one always knows what the right answer should be - as it is all about development.
Texas – on-premises trainings
The platform itself is not all. One can gain knowledge there, but can one gain skills as well, only by reading and solving different tasks and problems? For this reason we have prepared a number of on premise trainings. What? We know what the user needs. We learned it thanks to the competence game at the beginning of gamification, which has seven sales competences sewed in. After this stage the employee is invited to a dedicated training. They were prepared, taking into consideration the specifics one works in. One can apply for the training using the platform, just needs to choose the date and place.
New Mexico – chief panel
In order for the real change to take place, and the employee to be able to sell more, there must be three elements: activity on the platform, participation in on premise trainings and support of the boss. But how the chief can know how his employee is doing? There is a special tool prepared for this reason - chief panel, thanks to which he can know which areas of competence his employee must make stronger, and support him or her in achieving that. The boss will know which elements of knowledge about Inter Cars his employee passed, can see the progress and also the place in the rank. Also the chief confirms participation of his employee in on premise trainings. And the employee increases sales results!
Arizona – successes
Radosław Sujka emphasizes that the project generates big interest of sales representatives and sales operators. Inter Cars branch managers and directors started to understand the importance of the project, as it results in higher sales. Those who take active part in Drive project have on average double-digit growths in their sales results.
– We have approximately 350 sales representatives in the project. Around 200 of them have never sold one of our products. Now we can see that 33% started selling it, and they are those who were the most active on the platform. They have 100 percent of realized tasks. If anyone asks me if the project is worth to bother, I will surely answer “yes”. Thanks to gamification platform, access to lots of statistics from many types of activities is very easy - says Radosław Sujka.
California – involvement and statistics
Gamification platform makes it possible to measure practically every move of the participant, thanks to this one can know that:
1. The highest activity is recorded in the mornings – before first customers come and when the day is just starting;
2. Out of 2.2 thousand users, 57 percent have realized all the tasks available for them on the platform;
3. 80 percent of the users are active on the platform;
4. Every day approx. 400 people play;
5. on average, the users spend 8 minutes per day on the platform;
6. Over 15 million educational tasks have been realized.
Well done! You have reached the end of the article – you are rewarded 1,000 miles of knowledge on gamification platform.
source: kadry.abc.com.pl
24.02.2017