Answers: The best games for a call centre
Question: Can you recommend any games I can use in the call centre that will motivate my agents? Ideally, I’m looking for something where the outcomes can be used as part of our rewards scheme.
Answer 1
Courtesy of Tracy Newton-Blows, group HR director at Merchants Group (www.merchants.co.uk)
The first consideration for any manager that wants to enter in to team-focused motivational games operating within a contact centre environment is to ensure they have the budget, time and dedication required to make it a success. Without all three components firmly in place, any company-wide initiative will fail due to a lack of engagement and belief by your staff.
However, when available in abundance – working in collaboration with creativity and imagination – you can visibly see your results, and your staff can be motivated to achieve significantly improved levels of performance.
The use of call centre games has grown and developed from ‘Treasure Island’, through to enormous versions of ‘Snakes and Ladders’ leading to the current vogue of Play Station tournaments (where achievement of sales equals time off dialling to play in tournaments league tables and so on).
But to be clear, the term ‘games’ has come to represent two separate types of team activity: short-term quick bursts of fun and energy as described in Robert Epstein’s Big Book of Motivational Games, and long-term engagement strategies that serve to motivate a centre over a pre-determined period of time.
Both types are valid but, in terms of which works best, I find that those work-related, sustainable competitions that are open to all employees are better at ensuring inclusivity and engagement. An appropriate example is a points-winning competition or recognition scheme, which may be termed a ‘Championship’ or ‘League’, and which is applicable to either individuals and/or teams.
Relatively easy to design and implement, every individual may automatically be entered in to a programme where all participants can earn points for all applicable centre-specific criteria. Typically these might include attendance, punctuality, call average handling time, realisation of quality targets and mystery shopping scores.
Following an appropriate qualifying period of monitored time – one where tables and positions are diligently updated – the winners may redeem their points for prizes according to their final place in the league. You might, for example, want to badge them as Olympic-style gold, silver and bronze medal winners.
In summary, through the use of games you can engage your staff and get their buy-in. In turn, you and your company will reap benefits in terms of tenure, capability, performance, profitability and engagement.
Answer 2
Courtesy of Helen Powell, telephony operations manager at Barclays Gadbrook Park (www.barclays.co.uk)
Be wary about using the word ‘games’ with agents. In trying to motivate them, using such a term might alienate older staff or those who think that call centre work isn’t taken seriously enough as it is. Rather, consider team-building exercises like ‘Chinese whispers’ or ‘test your observation’ energisers. These highlight wider thinking, team work and improve self-awareness.
If you are looking at setting up a reward scheme, something that you may want to consider is a ‘product knowledge challenge’.
The objective of this exercise would be to encourage ownership of self-development through working together as a team. Each team is given a product per month/quarter to champion. It is then that particular team’s responsibility to up-skill the other teams to the same level of product knowledge through whatever methods get the best results – for example, through quizzes, tests or presentations.
After this, the management team will independently test the knowledge across all the products and teams – by randomly selecting and testing an equal number of staff from each team – at month/quarter end.
Two prizes/rewards might be allocated. The first prize would go to the team that has delivered the most effective product training for the product that is best/most widely understood. The second prize would go to the team that has the overall highest scores on product knowledge across all products.
By distributing two prizes, this will encourage effective delivery of accurate product information. It will also encourage ownership to learn/increase product knowledge.
Answer 3
Courtesy of Chey Garland, chief executive at Garlands Call Centres (www.cjgarland.co.uk)
Increasingly, call centre training is becoming far longer in duration, greater in scope and content, and more challenging in terms of the learning approaches and methods used. Therefore training games can not only provide opportunities for introductory ‘icebreakers’, but also a welcome respite from the main training content while strongly reinforcing those training themes previously introduced and explored.
The games we employ at Garlands are voluntary, yet people are enthusiastic to take part. One such team-building game is used during agent induction – usually towards the end of the very first day of training.
‘Light tight’ blindfolds are given to each group and a number of plastic pieces of various colours and shapes are handed to participants. Players are informed that there are seven sets of coloured shapes in total and that, without removing their blindfolds, the objective is to identify which one of the set of 35 is missing. The only external help is provided by a referee – someone who is allowed to identify the colour of any piece held up by a player.
Slowly, and often after some initial confusion, most groups make steady progress. They typically develop a verbal code for describing the shapes involved and, when it is realised that the pieces are in colour sets, will identify each colour and shape present. By a process of elimination, the missing piece is revealed.
As well as being great fun to take part in, this game teaches critical team skills: the importance of developing precise and well-honed communications skills, and the need for each individual within the team to play a full part in order for the team to achieve its group task.
Another popular team game is one we use during ‘academy’ training – the top-up training that each new team receives during its first year of formation.
This is an outdoor activity game that requires each team to cross an imaginary chasm. The only equipment they can use is what is provided. The instructions are precise, and it is only at the end of the game that the purpose is revealed.
Far from having to physically transport all the gear, an easy shortcut is available that only the most patient and attentive teams detect. Again, as well as being hugely enjoyable, the game serves as a reminder that a little knowledge can be dangerous and even lead to complacency and ultimately failure. It also reinforces the importance of working together as a team.
What about games for a sales driven call center?
There are so many different options that can be implemented to encourage fun and friendly competition. You can pretty well take any card game or board game and make it a marketing incentive program. For example draw scrabble tiles for each sale and then the person that can come up with the best word at the end of the contest wins a prize.
I have ton’s of ideas and have successfully run an outbound call center on a limited budget for 10 years.
Comment by Isaac — 4 Sep 2008 @ 10:38 pm
Can you please elaborate a little on these games.I have a team of 60 callers (outbound),games that i can play on floor with maximum number of callers.
Thanks
Divya
Comment by Divya — 15 Sep 2008 @ 1:00 pm
i would love to hear some of those too Isaac! any you could share would be great.
Comment by Debra — 6 Oct 2008 @ 5:08 pm
what kind of games and practices that can make the Customer care call center atmospher intersting ?
Comment by haitham |Elfar — 14 Oct 2008 @ 1:02 pm
I play a game called Toss the Boss. One day a week, for every sale that an agent makes I give them an extra imaginary $3. They’re more than welcome to take the $3 and add it to their bonus for the day. However, they can also gamble and ‘Toss the Boss’. We flip a coin, and if they guess heads or tails correctly they get $5 instead of the $3, if they get it wrong, they only get $1. Inevatively, everyone plays, but it’s optional and it ensures that there is always a reward. The staff love it and it becomes a really big and enjoyable battle between the sales reps and myself. They all gang up and want everyone to get the $5 and beat the boss. Great for team building and reward giving; a cheap game that has a big effect.
Comment by Owen Richards — 19 Feb 2009 @ 11:18 pm
Try a Bingo Game. If your call center is anything like ours, we take calls from all over the U.S. Create a bingo card. Put a variety of states on the card. One state for each square. Obviously, there will be states more apt to place orders than others so fill the card up with those states, but put a couple of tough ones in there such as Utah, New Mexico, Hawaii, etc. to make it exciting. Also, under each state put an area where they can write down the Sales Order#. For every order they take, they look on their bingo card. If the order is from New York and they have New York on their bingo card, they write in the Sales Order#. You can play traditional bingo where the player must have 5 or 4 squares filled in with Sales Order#’s including a free space in a row, or you can play other versions such as 4 corners, postage stamp, etc.
This is a great way to keep the excitement up for the day not to mention improving number of calls answered.
Good luck and have fun!
Comment by Chris — 6 Apr 2009 @ 4:26 am
Every day Team Building activity in a Call Center environment that does not effect production.
Comment by Tariq Lakhani — 27 Jul 2009 @ 2:09 am
Hey guys I’m running a call centre of about 20 staff, if you have any ideas of some games we could do on a limited budget that would be excellent.
Comment by Steven — 10 Oct 2009 @ 3:58 am
Draw a grid on a dry eraser board. Letters on one side, numbers on the other. Depending on the number of reps, you want to have many more boxes than reps. “Hide” prizes that the manager has predetermined. For example, a rep makes a sale and gets to pick a box. Under box 3d there could be a small cash prize, an extra break, a snack etc. You can play it two ways. Reward the pick right away, or leave the names in the boxes until the contest ends and reward reps then. Make sure the manager has chosen the winning boxes ahead of time and has written the winners down so reps know everything is fair.
Comment by Steven Boring — 13 Oct 2009 @ 12:40 am
Tools – Wipe board and a set of dice that are different colors or can be marked a different color.
Draw a grid with 1-6 across the top (in red) and 1-6 down the left side (in blue). For every sale (or any initiative) your reps get, they put their name/initials in a box. Once the board is full, roll the dice and the numbers that match is the square that wins. You can make the prize whatever you want. My team really enjoys this game.
We also play Battleship. You’ll need a wipe board and you will need to draw two grids 1-10 down the sides and A-J across the top. Split your team into two groups. On a sheet of paper, you plot the ships for each team – 1 ship = 2 squares. 2 ships =3 squares. 1 ship = 4 squares and 1 ship = 5 squares. For each sell (or initiative), the rep gets to pick a square from the opposing teams board. The objective is to sink all 5 ships on your opponents board. The first team to sink all five wins! Let me know if I need to explain more. Have fun!
Comment by Sydney Marvins — 13 Oct 2009 @ 2:33 pm
We are trying to come up with different “Christmas” sales games for our call center. Any ideas?
Comment by Diane Huber — 1 Dec 2009 @ 7:42 pm
Any one has a 1 minute games for an Inbound setup, or games for a group of 10-15 reps at a time…
Comment by Praveen — 18 Mar 2010 @ 10:45 am
There is a brand new solution to this problem. I was a sales manager for many years and I had to develop sales incentive games to motivate my employees. It was always time consuming and although they worked very well they were at best semi professional looking.
Motivaids are a professionally produced game board which acts as a visual aid and uses a patent pending random reward system as well as an overall contest to keep sales people motivated. There are four different designs, THE HEAT IS ON which is a thermostat, THE RACE TO THE WINNER’S CIRCLE which is a road race, THE KING OF THE MOUNTAIN, which has sales people climbing to a peak and THE RIDE TO VICTORY which is a horse race.
These are so inexpensive and easy to use, they just make sense.
Comment by Ace Starry — 3 May 2010 @ 3:12 pm
you have alot of sales call center games.. we are a tech support call center and looking for team building games. and maybe reduce stress..can someone assist please.
Comment by maria — 13 May 2010 @ 9:59 pm
i would like to know also…
Comment by Anonymous — 28 May 2010 @ 6:57 am
Hi i have a team of twenty people which i need to keep motivated. Do you have anything that i could do to keep them energized.
Comment by Rafiek Otto — 7 Jun 2010 @ 6:14 am
PASS THE PARCEL
Very simple game, every time sales staff get a sale they get to open a layer of the parcel. use post it notes as corisponding prizes. we use things such as energy drinks, little bags of chips or small choc bar, maybe even some boobie prizes.
We sometimes will get bottles of wine and beer and put single bottles as prizes.
Cheap and works a treat
Comment by Anthony — 9 Jun 2010 @ 4:37 am
I run a call center of about 20 agents that generate about 10-20 deals per day per agent. A game that they love to play is called Survivor Island. I start off in the morning and write all their names in a big circle on the whiteboard. Everytime an agent gets a lead they can erase someone’s name off the board. If they get a lead and someone has already erased their name they can put their name back up. It is really fun to watch the agents team up against each other. We start the game on Monday and if nobody wins we up the prize and continue it on to the next day. It has lasted like 5 days before.
Comment by Lisa Stroh — 27 Jul 2010 @ 8:30 pm
Hi I’m trying to find a game on the importance of creating call continuity for Drug representatives (the importance of taking call notes after each call. Any idea? thanks a lot
Comment by Joy — 4 Aug 2010 @ 8:18 pm
Hi i have a team of 30 people which i need to keep motivated. Do you have anything that i could do to keep them energized.
Comment by Rakesh — 9 Aug 2010 @ 12:10 pm
I am currently working on a book of call centre reward and recognition programs and ideas and would love to get your input on a brief survey. If you are interested, please add a comment in the box below. If you complete the survey I will send you a copy when it’s completed.
I’m looking for input from 2 groups – front line call centre agents, and team leads/supervisors/managers.
Thanks in advance
Comment by Kim Vey — 10 Aug 2010 @ 7:14 pm
I work am a supervisor at a large call center, with 75+ agents on the campaign. The Survivor Island game sounds fun. We’re about to try it now. Looking forward to other great ideas!
Comment by Dusty — 12 Aug 2010 @ 4:39 pm
Hi Kim,
More than happy to participate in your survey.
I have used a sales pinata to great effect.
Stuff it with lots of small prizes and at each sales meeting the reps who made sales the day before get a wack.
Make sure you have room for this so no one gets hurt. I find it not only encourages sales but also team bonding as everyone gees the others on so they can all get in the free for all when the goodies come out
Comment by NickD — 2 Sep 2010 @ 1:18 pm