Using gamification in business isn’t a trend. It’s a smart strategy that taps into our basic human inclination towards competition (in this case, healthy and friendly competition).

That inclination towards is something that businesses can lean into to:

• Drive engagement
• Increase productivity
• Motivate sales teams
• Improve customer loyalty
• Create an engaging employee training experience

In this article, we’ll explore:

• A real-life example of gamification in action at the workplace
• What a gamification app for business actually is and why it matters
• Top features to include in the app

What Is A Gamification App for Business & How Does It Work?

A gamification app uses game mechanics—like points, leaderboards, challenges, and rewards—to encourage employees to take specific actions. When designed to suit the needs of an organization, a gamification can be used to:

• Motivate employees in their day-to-day work
• Encourage collaboration and healthy competition
• Improve learning and retention in corporate training
• Enhance customer loyalty programs through rewards and incentives

Key Features To Include In A Gamification App for The Workplace

To add gamification to your app, you’ll need essential features like:

• Leaderboard: the points system that is built into the leaderboard allows employees to see how they’re doing compared to their colleagues, in real-time.
• Private messaging/chat: this allows you to give struggling employees pointers to improve their score.
• Push notifications:you can notify employees as soon as they receive a new reward or badge.
• Photo sharing:since most people have at least one mobile device, you can set up a points and rewards system when employees share photos that meet a set of pre-defined criteria.

In addition, other features that are great for supporting gamification and creating a more engaging employee experience are:

• Live polls
• Surveys and forms
• Profiles and networking
• Social discussion feeds
• Document and presentation hosting
• Instant content updates

Guidebook’s event management platform provides all of the above features, and more, making it easy for any business to create a custom app that incorporates gamification.

4 Ways for Businesses To Use Gamification Apps

1. Sales Team Performance

Sales is a competitive field. Everyone wants to be a top performer, especially since much of their pay compensation is commission-based.

By building an app with a leaderboard, you can highlight the team members who make the most sales, complete the most cold calls, and more.

2. Employee Training and Development

With a mobile app, you can build quizzes that allow employees to evaluate and retain more of what they’ve learned after a training session. 

You can also store documents and presentations in your app so that employees always have access to the information they need to review.

Furthermore, with a chat or messaging feature, team members can ask each other questions and support each other as they move through training. 

3. Customer Loyalty Programs

Gamification isn’t just for employees. It’s also a powerful tool for engaging and retaining customers, specifically as it relates to customer loyalty programs.

By integrating point systems, achievement badges, and exclusive rewards, companies can incentivize customers to take a variety actions, such as:

• Completing a purchase
• Referring friends
• Engaging with content.

With a well-designed gamified app, organizations can drive repeat purchases, boost brand loyalty, and create a memorable customer experience.

4. Build A QR Code Scavenger Hunt

With Guidebook, you can create a QR code scavenger hunt where participants search for QR codes.

If you’re running an in-person event, the codes can be scattered throughout the venue. On the other hand, if your event is virtual, you can place the codes in presentations or websites your users will access.

Here’s how the game works:

• When a participant finds a code, they’ll scan it using the QR Scanner module in the game folder.
• Scanning the code will take them to the Game Progress page and fill in part of the phrase or image.
• A participant completes the game by finding and scanning all of the codes, and in doing so, will reveal the entire image or phrase.
• Optionally, the game can display a link below the completed phrase or image that, when tapped, takes participants to a Guidebook form or external website.

The QR game works best if the players receive a small reward or entry into a larger contest for completing the game. The competitive aspect works to make the game fun, and the potential reward provides motivation to complete the game.

Watch this video to see how a QR Code Scavenger Hunt works for an end-user.

Real-World Gamification for Business Success Story: Aggreko Employee Training

By implementing a mobile app for their corporate training, Aggreko was able to digitize their classroom and transition to a training model that provides a more interactive, and engaging, learning experience.

The app supports Aggreko’s goal to empower everyone on their own learning journey and makes it easier than ever to find an expert and to be an expert. Their team members are already seeing a change in how employees connect, communicate, and learn. 

“This is an exciting time of digital transformation. Employees who go through courses with the app want more, asking for every piece of content to be digital,” said Davis. “They see we take their development seriously, and that has a profound impact on retention.”

Read the full case study to learn how Aggreko used their Guidebook app to revitalize their employee training across multiple countries.

How to Measure The Success Of Gamification Apps for Work

To determine whether your gamification app is effective, you’ll need to track key performance indicators like:

• Usage Metrics:this allows you to see how much your staff is using the app.
• Activity Tracking:this gives insight on the features that resonate with employees.
• Feedback & Surveys: this is where you can measure employee satisfaction levels. If you’re using your app for a customer loyalty program, you can also survey customers.
• Engagement Metrics: evaluate the level of engagement with leaderboards, challenges, or quizzes, for example

Build a Gamification App for Your Business with Guidebook

Gamification apps are transforming the way businesses engage their employees and customers.

Whether you're looking to boost sales performance, retain customer or something else, gamification can make a real impact.

Ready to see the difference that a gamification app can make in your business? Book a demo with one of our dedicated product experts or start building your app here.