Gamification, Presents, and Gifts

Marijn Verdult

We're currently trying to build a higher engagement, and in particular trying to find champions within the end-user communities of our customers. Our technology does not allow us to gamify within the product but we are able to track usage of individual users. 

How would you approach the end users with the highest usage? What is your "excuse" to contact them?

Do you "reward" them with extra add-ons (just for themselves, not the whole team), Amazon gift-cards, anything else?

Any best-practices to develop new champions, strengthen the relationship with them, and build a guiding coalition are welcome  

Jim Jones

So - here's my initial thoughts based on trying a very similar strategy at a company I was with. Gamification  seems to work really well, or it doesn't work at all, in terms of motivating end-user behavior. It's a real crap shoot and we never found any rationale as to the company, the age/level of the employee, etc.

Also, if you can't do it in product and you're having to invent an excuse to reach out to the users...that seems intrusive. I took a quick look at your company: my guess is for your enterprise-level customers they'll have one or more people from HR overseeing internal education. It's better to train them on how to drive adoption and let them bring you potential "power users." That way, you engage them in identifying the audience and in delivering the messaging.

Marijn Verdult

@Jim Jones ! This is the prime example of great advise. Thanks so much

I was building an adoption handbook for the coaches but this just became top of my priority list

Jim Jones

@Marijn Verdult glad you found the advice useful! Good luck on building the adoption handbook.

Tejas Satyan

@Marijn Verdult  - Two ways we currently do it:

1. Have CSMs nominate their top users / advocates from their accounts each year. Invite these users to complete an application to become a Luminary (which essentially publicly recognizes their expertise in our product). An internal panel then selects a small group and recognizes them as Luminaries for a year long period. We have some special events for the selected Luminaries and also use their feedback to shape product features etc. 
2. We can't gamify within the product either. We have built a Product community site, where we request to active users to join to engage in conversations with users from other companies. We find that active users who love the product are happy to share their views and get a broader understanding from other power users. This gives us chance to understand the kind of conversations happening, issues being frequently discussed etc.  helping shape product direction.