The power of AI and gamification: CX, EX and beyond

What do we mean when we talk about AI in the contact center? Typically, improving customer experience (CX) is what comes to mind. Think leveraging AI technologies to provide more knowledgeable AI agents, smarter chatbots, faster resolutions, and generally enhancing the CX.

But customer experience is the result of more than just technologies and processes—it is also a reflection of the people behind them, which means employee experience must be prioritized, too. And AI technologies can go a long way to significantly elevating employee experience (EX).

Why EX?

Recently, contact center leaders have really focused on EX due to high attrition rates, and the challenging economy that demands our workforce do much more with much less.

Agents—both on the front line and in back-end operations—have been working remotely or in hybrid settings. Far from supportive surroundings, they feel less engaged as they strive to manage multichannel interactions, hit their KPIs, make an impact, and still maintain work-life balance.

Elevating the work

AI technologies can better the employee experience by being leveraged as a copilot for agents, relieving them of mundane tasks or processes. For example, AI can offer agents automated call summaries that they can then easily edit and submit. Such simplification of “busywork” allows agents to focus more attention instead on the human side of things where their personal touch and discretion are actually needed.

AI can also empower agents to make faster decisions during complex cases by retrieving all the interactions and data that are relevant to a certain customer, recommending the next best course of action, and offering the exact knowledge and support precisely when needed.

By creating a better sense of competence and control and lessening the mindless tasks, AI certainly streamlines the day-to-day experience for employees.

But what about the bigger picture? How can agents be kept engaged over time? Beyond just improving the individual situations as they emerge, how do you boost their overall performance?

This is precisely where gamification comes into play.

Elevating the culture

Generally, gamification takes it all a step further and helps change larger workplace culture. Contact centers use game mechanics to enhance employee engagement and performance. Elements like points, badges, and leaderboards turn routine tasks into exciting challenges, fostering a competitive yet collaborative atmosphere.

This approach makes work enjoyable and motivates agents to achieve goals and exceed performance metrics. For example, agents earn points for resolving customer issues promptly, achieving high satisfaction scores, or successfully upselling products. Leaderboards showcase top performers, creating a sense of accomplishment and accountability and motivating others to strive for more. Badges awarded for milestones provide immediate recognition and reinforce positive behavior.

By integrating gamification into daily workflows, contact centers create a dynamic and motivated workforce, leading to enhanced productivity and better customer service. Gamification is not just about making work fun; as countless testimonials show, it fosters an environment where agents feel valued and motivated, resulting in a more engaged and productive workforce.

Elevating the results

A 2024 survey report entitled The Power of a 360 Performance View shows that companies implementing performance management solutions that feature gamification report positive impacts. They manifest with increased transparency and accountability at 56% and improved customer satisfaction at 13%. These are key when ultimately, the quality of customer experience is often what sets brands apart.

Impact of Implementing a Performance Management Program with Gamification and Desktop Analytics

Performance management solutions are often rated based on their ability to motivate and inspire employees. A happier contact center team leads to better customer service and higher CSAT scores. In fact, according to the report, 76% of companies state that gamification significantly boosts productivity—whether employees work in the office or remotely.

Impact of Implementing a Performance Management Program with Gamification and Desktop Analytics

The widespread endorsement of gamification is evident, with 99% of companies either already using it at 61%, or planning to adopt it within the next year at 38%. And the benefits of transparency, accountability, and customer satisfaction are all too clear.

Dream team

Despite its multiple benefits, the report shows that 35% of companies struggle to measure gamification ROI. However, incorporating AI technologies into gamification strategies can address this challenge by providing an intuitive way to boost employee engagement. Together, gamification and AI form a dream team.

By analyzing historical data, AI can predict the potential impact of a game or competition before it is rolled out. It can recommend the best games, their duration, the appropriate teams or agents, the key metrics or KPIs to focus on, and strategies to achieve goals.

Moreover, AI-driven gamification can personalize the experience for each agent. Tailored challenges and rewards can address individual strengths and weaknesses, making the engagement more meaningful. This personalized approach not only boosts morale but also helps in skill development and career progression.

Winning EX

The integration of AI and gamification in contact centers offers a powerful solution to enhance both agent performance and customer satisfaction. By automating routine tasks, providing real-time support, and creating an engaging work environment, AI and gamification together can transform the contact center landscape. Embracing these technologies can lead to a happier, more productive workforce, and ultimately, a superior customer experience.

Looking ahead, it’s clear that the trends in AI and best practices in gamification will continue to evolve, setting new standards for customer service excellence and empowering agents to thrive and enjoy their daily work.

Contact us at NICE to learn more about AI, gamification, and transforming both the employee and customer experience.