Happy Monday! The last week was a busy one for gamification, with Oscars promotions, Google updates and more. If you were busy and missed out on the news, catch up below.

Gamification: It’s Not All About Trophies Business2Community 2/25/2012 With gamification gaining followers in many different industries, there is also a higher risk of bad gamification. We often see people talk about gamification as if it is nothing more than slapping a badge onto your website and calling it good. In order for gamification to have any real impact, says Andrzej Marcewski, “There needs to be a strategy in place that will keep the users engaged, one that uses the more obvious rewards to enforce the less simple to grasp game mechanics.”

Is 2012 the Year for Gamification? Social Media Today 2/24/2012 Gamification received a lot of buzz in 2011, but most people believe that it won’t really emerge as a trusted marketing practice until 2012. Social Media Today took a look at the industries and applications they think will most embrace gamification over the next year.

TumTiki uses Oscar-themed gamification to engage viewers Digital Media Wire 2/24/2012 TumTiki, a streaming service offered by Frontier Communications incorporated gamification in its Oscar promotions. The site offered challenges to viewers to watch interview videos, check out actor’s movies and share Oscar content with friends.

Gamification: The Key to Preventing Support Agent Burnout Software Advice 2/21/2012 This is a great article taking a look at how potential gamification of support agent software could prevent burnout and increase productivity among agents. By taking a look at the user, and the goals of the company, altering software to include gamification elements seems like a great idea to make a challenging job a bit more fun.

Google Launches a Leaderboard for Check-Ins, But Foursquare Has Been Here Before  BetaBeat 2/20/2012 Google launched an updated version of Google Maps for Android this past week which included a leaderboard, location based check-ins and hints at status levels for users. While this update clearly directly competes with Foursquare, PR manager Erin Gleason says Foursquare plans to stay focused on their product. It will be interesting to see the gamification in these two apps compete.

Posted in: Blog, Gamification, Loyalty, Social Media

The Mygamification.com blog has previously discussed very technology heavy examples of gamification at work. We’ve demonstrated the ways that gamification is helping the environment with companies like Chevy and Nissan’s new vehicles, and we have looked at the ways that companies like Starbucks have used gamification successfully in their mobile app to draw new users into their rewards program. While these examples are a great look at where gamification is heading and what it is capable of, it is important to remember that gamification is not a new thing, and look at the successes of gamification in our everyday lives.

Gamification has been around for a long time, and even before it made its debut on the internet, smart business owners were using game mechanics to draw customers into loyalty programs. These loyalty programs were designed to encourage new customers to return, as well as provide status for frequent customers to reap the rewards of their business.

At BigDoor, we see these kinds of successful gamification implementations all the time. Users are drawn in visually with the promise of status; they are kept in the game with a frequent, but relatively irregular feedback system and are confined with strict rules. These examples are everywhere and while the web can make gamification seem like an challenging marketing concept that is difficult to understand and even harder to implement, we want to make it clear: gamification doesn’t have to be. Gamification can be as simple, low cost, easy to implement as those real world examples that we are all familiar with. While implementations like the Chevy Volt might be cool, it doesn’t take building a software program in a new car to excite users to come back and enjoy content. Gamification doesn’t need to require a huge developer staff with designers, upfront cost and complex solutions.

It probably wouldn’t come as a shock to know that most of the BigDoor employees are foodies, and enjoy testing out every new restaurant, food truck and hotdog stand that opens up within a 2 mile radius of the office. With so much selection in the area, companies need to work harder to establish the kind of return customer that keeps their businesses flourishing. One company that has done an amazing job of this through game mechanics, is a local pub called Feierabend.

Feierabend is a German themed pub with a great selection of authentic german beers and a wide variety of German fare. While the food is great, and the beer is cold, those two things alone might not be enough to keep some customers flooding back through the door. But Feireabend has found a way to not only reward long term customers, but to challenge newcomers to achieve visible status through their “Stein Club”.

The Stein Club is a simple rewards program, new visitors who ask about the plaques on the walls, chairs and steins will be welcomed into the club with their first punch card. The card which features fifty punches is filled for each 1.2 liter of beer a patron drinks. The cards are then exchanged, once full, to move up levels towards the ultimate goal: A plaque on the back of a bar stool and the status that goes with it.

For each completed level the patron receives an award, the first: a shirt that reads “Ich Liebe Deutsch Bier” (I love German Beer) can be seen on 3 of the BigDoor employees regularly, and is a status symbol they won’t soon let anyone forget.

The ‘game’ requires no technology, minimal staff effort and has clearly proven successful, looking at the number of steins and plaques bearing proud patrons names. The staff recognizes its regulars and the restaurant is nearly always full of new and old customers.

The press that gamification is getting is fantastic, and we love seeing gamification become a term many marketers are familiar with. But we also want to remember that gamification isn’t a new thing, and it is a tool that can be implemented with minimal hassle and huge gains.

Posted in: Blog, Game Mechanics, Gamification, Loyalty

Today we feature a guest post from CRM Analyst Lauren Carlson who recently wrote up a post for the  help desk software review site Software Advice about the idea of adding gaming elements to help desk software.

The article focuses on how adding gaming elements can boost employee retention by providing help desk agents with a sense of accomplishment. Gamification can be a great motivator for people to share, participate and engage.

As Carlson says, “Gamification is slowly but surely gaining wide acceptance across the enterprise, with many software vendors already integrating gaming elements into their products.” She proposes that “gamifying the help desk will enhance the user experience and, as a result, reduce the notoriously high turnover rate among support agents.”

We agree with Carlson that gamification is a very powerful motivator in many situations.

Posted in: Blog, Gamification

Happy Presidents Day! Here is some gamification news you may have missed over the past week. Enjoy!

Motivating Students and the Gamification of Learning Huffington Post 2/14/2012 Recently there has been quite a bit of discussion on gamification in education. The Huffington Post put together a great piece on the concerns of using gamification in education, as well as the potential benefits. Rather than trying to disguise learning as a game, they suggest using game mechanics as a motivation and incentive system. “When learning once again becomes a personalized path full of individual triumphs, students will reclaim their natural enthusiasm and passion for learning.”

The 12 Keys to Successful Gamification (Part 2) Social Fresh 2/17/2012 We posted part 1 of this a few weeks back, and wanted to share the follow-up. Our VP of Marketing Carrie Peters put together the 12 keys to successful gamification. This is a great article to look at if you are considering gamification but aren’t sure where to start and what solution is right for you.

Ray Wang of Constellation Research: Gamification Is On Small Business Trends 2/17/2012 Ray Wang of Constellation Research sat down and discussed gamification and its benefits for small businesses. He has some great examples of gamification in the real world and some great suggestions on getting started with gamification.

Posted in: Blog, Game Mechanics, Gamification, Loyalty, Social Media

Hello, my name is Carlos Gonzalez. I am a Social Media curator and manage the social media for many different clients and brands. I assist BigDoor with their social media goals. I have been socially promoting a gamification design studio in Park City, Utah for about two years now. I have remained focused in this niche of “gamification”, as the industry is relatively new, and frequently share my personal thoughts on my blog, gamifiXation.com. BigDoor has invited me to write a guest blog, and so I thought I’d share one of my favorite examples of gamification that works.

I often monitor the threads on Twitter regarding gamification, and see many posts from folks looking for examples of gamification. Yes, the word “gamification” has caught a big buzz in the last year, but it is nothing new at all. Some of the most successful companies online have relied on game mechanics to self monitor their large online communities. The most obvious example, eBay, which has successfully used game mechanics since day one. However, the usage of game mechanics in eBay’s strategy is rarely mentioned in any eBay news.

Status and leader boards are also nothing new, (you were probably introduced to them in Kindergarten). When game mechanics are implemented well, they create engagement and accountability within the online community (I didn’t want to read those books, but I was definitely not going to let my classmates beat me on the status board!). One of the first things I check on eBay before I buy something is the feedback score of the seller -basically the seller’s status. If the seller has a bad rating, especially on an item I am interested in –then I am less likely to buy. These type of game mechanics and online community self-policing saves eBay a lot of dollars in customer service. On eBay, you can’t buy your favorite badge or rating, you have to earn it.

While eBay has a great program for existing users, I also love catching examples of great gamification that influences potential users to become active community members. Starbucks is a prime example of a major franchise chain that is doing it right. Great gamification means a GREAT User Experience (on AND offline). You can always count on the wi-fi working flawlessly at a Starbucks location.

Today’s marketers need to understand the value of a Social Media Impression. A good game keeps you coming back to play. Because of the lousy experience I received at the last non-Starbucks coffee I tried –I never went back. Starbucks,  on the other hand –has their free wi-fi blasting 24-7 and is very consistent. They know how to keep customers happy and returning to their stores. While their online experience is smooth, I believe BigDoor could do some cool stuff with the Starbucks landing page to create stronger engagement and social loyalty to the site (such as implementing BigDoor Quests). However, I have to say –the Starbucks iphone app kicks ass and does a great job of using game mechanics (progress bars, badges, and points) to keep people playing.

I recently decided to visit a Starbucks to pay with my iPhone for the first time. Confident that my money wouldn’t go to waste, I uploaded $20 to my Starbucks iPhone app and began to play.

Without even realizing it, I had become a green level member, well on my way to gold, and in the process become even more hooked on Starbucks (or maybe caffeine?). While Starbucks does a fantastic job using gamification in their mobile app; the possibilities of gamification on their website, rewards site, and integration with the app from the web, are limitless. BigDoor’s experience in web gamification, could beef up the gamified program Starbuck’s already has with mobile and create a more engaged and loyal web audience. Like the app’s encouragement to join the rewards program, Starbuck’s website has a great potential for a landing page that encourages web users to join, engage online, download the app and start drinking more Starbucks.

Thanks for reading, would love to hear of some feedback and gamification examples you’ve come across in the comments!

Posted in: Advertising, Badges, Blog, Game Mechanics, Gamification, Gamification Tips, Loyalty, mobile, Monetization, Social Media, Technology, User engagement, Virtual Currency

The gurus over at truaxis put together this great infographic titled “10 ways to increase sales in 2012″. We are really happy they decided to include both loyalty programs and gamification as valuable tools for marketers. While we think that gamification is the most valuable, we also think they have some great other suggestions on marketing to a new customer as technology changes.

From their website:

“Customers are always the core of any business. However, in 2012, customers will require more personalized attention than ever before. Luckily, businesses can easily accomplish this by embracing analytics and new technologies that will help them build unprecedented relationships with their customers.”

Posted in: Uncategorized

Happy Monday! Last week was a busy week for gamification in the news, so if you got overwhelmed, here are some of the news pieces that we don’t think you should miss.

Fun and games with serious cash The Globe and Mail 2/10/2012 With the state of the economy still leaving many people jobless or in strained financial situations, education around personal finance has seen more interest than in previous years. The Investor Education Fund decided to put together a financial literacy game to test financial literacy in hopes of raising awareness. The game, The Cranial Cash Clash takes the user though a series of levels testing knowledge of different financial categories, and allowing them to educate themselves on areas they did poorly in during the game. We haven’t seen much gamification in personal finance yet, but love the idea!

Geek Speak: Michael Fergusson, CEO of Ayogo Games Straight 2/10/2012 CEO of Ayogo games, Michael Fergusson sat down and talked about gamification and the creation of serious games, or games that impact health and society. Ayogo’s recent game release, I ♥ Jellyfish, is designed to teach kids about heart rate and how to improve fitness levels. On gamification he said, “Well, people naturally play. It’s sort of humanity’s fundamental behavior. It’s how we learn. It’s how we test out new behaviours in a comfortable, safe environment before we apply them to the real world.”

No Longer an Awkward Teenager? Gamification Grows Up TechCrunch 2/12/2012 We have all seen the ups and downs in the popularity of gamification, but according to TechCrunch, it looks like it’s here to stay. As our CEO Keith Smith stated, gamification is especially useful for marketers who “spend more money on acquiring users than working to retain those users and providing them with a reason to come back to the site”. Gamification is proving itself as a valuable way to take existing users and keep them coming back to your site. We really appreciate TechCrunch allowing us to be part of this article!

Motivate Employees To Travel Cheap: Gamification of Travel Business Insider 2/12/2012 Many small companies don’t have the staff to support a centralized corporate travel plan, leaving most employees to book and organize their own corporate travel. As anyone who has traveled knows, the costs associated with travel can often add up quickly. For a small business looking to encourage employees to save money and work within a travel budget, SmartTrip has introduced its travel management solution. The web-based system uses gamification to ask travelers to set expense goals and encourages them to find ways to come in under that goal. Employees, who successfully do so, unlock gift cards, points towards travel upgrades or other customizable rewards.

Social Visionary Believes Gamification is now a Cultural Movement [Social Media Week] PSFK 2/11/2012 Social Media Week kicks off today and with it of course comes discussion of gamification and its social power. Gabe Zichermann, noted gamification expert, sat down and gave a great interview on the future of gamification and its power in society. On gamification as an agent of change he said, “Gamification is a new discipline with deep roots and extraordinary potential.”

Posted in: Blog, Gamification, Loyalty, Social Media

Our good friends over at GeekWire posted yesterday that according to Travel + Leisure magazine, Seattle has the most tech-savvy people in the USA. Additionally, we also rank #1 in terms of wireless coverage, probably because of all of us tech addicts!

We may not have as much sunshine as our sometimes rivals to the south in San Francisco, but we are proud to be ranked #1 in terms of tech savvy geeks. We know how awesome our team is here at BigDoor and feel pretty lucky to be in an area that has an abundance of talented tech minds.

It wasn’t long ago that GeekWire also pointed out that we top the charts in terms of coffee shops, with about 35 stores per 100,000 residents. Which begs the question, are the two connected?

Posted in: Blog, Technology

Today we’re pleased to announce that BigDoor has been nominated for the Washington Technology Industry Association’s Industry Achievement Awards. Along with Appature and GreenCupboards the WTIA has nominated BigDoor in the “Best Early Stage Company” category. We’re really excited to see many of our fellow startups listed as well, including Founder’s Co-Op; Lighter Capital; Simply Measured and Zipline Games. Congrats to everyone!

The list of nominees include:

·      Best Seed Stage Company: Simply Measured, Spiral Genetics, Zipline Games
·      Consumer Product or Service of the Year: DocuSign, Parallels, Zillow
·      Commercial Product or Service of the Year: EagleView Technologies, SEOMoz, Skytap
·      Technology Accelerator Award: Founder’s Co-Op, Lighter Capital, Opscode
·      CEO of the Year: Ben Huh (Cheezburger), Steve Singh (Concur), Bryan Mistele (INRIX)

Posted in: Awards, Blog, Technology

Happy Monday! We hope everyone had a great weekend! With the Super Bowl playing, many of us probably missed out on some gamification news, so here is a recap of last weeks notable news.

How Social Sharing Changes What You Drink ReadWriteWeb 2/1/2012 Gamification has become a beer drinker. Untappd, a social site and app for avid beer drinkers to track and share their favorite beers, has added some game elements to the app. In order to link breweries with drinkers, Untappd added incentives for users to check-in to certain breweries and share their experiences. Untappd also released some interesting stats on what people share and when according to what they deem socially acceptable. “[Users] tend to share craft beers or beers that are higher status like Sierra Nevada or Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale.”

RedCritter Tracker: Motivation by Gamification AppStorm 1/30/2012 What if group projects at work or school were gamified? Would it motivate all the participants to work harder? RedCritter Tracker is a new website launched to help manage, motivate and gamify social projects. The app allows a user to create a project, add participants and delegate work. While the tasks are being completed, each user earns points for completing tasks on time. The app then allows for users to redeem these points at their company or group store. Maybe group projects can be fun!

“Gamify” TV Viewing with TvTak – Demo at Mobile Work Congress Barcelona PRWeb 2/2/2012 TvTak is an exciting new app that would allow users to point their smartphone at a TV to instantly identify what is on, and link those shows with branded social opportunities on their phone. The app comes on the wave of data collected showing the number of people who watch TV with their smartphone/tablets open at the same time. The app will gamify what users watch and include a social aspect to share with friends. While this isn’t released yet, it looks like it could change the way we watch TV in some really exciting ways.

Gamification of PR messages could be a game changer Holtz 2/1/2012 While gamification is often thought of as mainly a marketing technique to help ‘sell’, this article discusses the ways that gamification can help companies expand their PR messages, tell their stories and get broader reach across users. It talks about NASA’s attempts to improve their image through game mechanics as well as a few other awesome examples.

Gain greater staff engagement on the service desk with gamification Ovum 2/6/2012 We have heard about how games put us in an optimal mindset to accomplish things before, but this is a new look at how that optimal ‘game’ mindset can help better engage service desk staff. By rewarding, challenging and engaging workers you are encouraging better service overall. “Issuing points increases employees’ awareness of their goals, and motivates them to consistently improve.”

Posted in: Blog, Gamification, Loyalty