To say that the location-based reality game Pokémon GO is big is possibly the understatement of gaming history.
In August this year Niantic, the company behind Pokémon GO, easily dethroned King, the maker behind hit game, Candy Crush. And so, Niantic is now the most popular games developer in the world, according to SimilarWeb.
This is an incredible feat, as the game was only released in July 2016 and since then millions of players have used their mobile device's GPS to locate the roaming monsters, capture, and train them. In fact, in its first week of release Pokémon GO was downloaded 7.2 million times, compared to Candy Crush Jelly Saga, which shows 1.8 million downloads in its first week.
So what can the success of the game that's merging actual and augmented reality and taking over social media platforms teach call centres?
Tim Dreyer, director of public- and analyst relations at Ocular Technologies' partner company, Aspect Software, highlights five important lessons:
1. Your customers are going mobile. Be sure to offer mobile-friendly customer support channels: optimise your Web site, develop a customer-facing mobile application and update your IVR system to get active with conversational commerce and chatbots to boost visibility and bolster communications.
2. Service should be available anytime, anywhere. Pokémon GO is leading the charge for how online-to-offline interactions should be structured for optimal customer experience. Offering customers services online that will benefit them offline, or vice versa, is a significant way to improve satisfaction.
3. Integration is vital. Pokémon GO isn't just a standalone application. The game uses GPS to create a digital map, which can earn in-game rewards for users interacting with brands. The more inclusive your services, the more likely your customers will be to have a satisfactory experience.
4. Users value autonomy, but have the right to choose. Users can play alone and simply hunt for Pokémon to catch, or find other users to test their abilities on the field of battle. Your contact centre should pursue cutting-edge self-service offerings, but be prepared at any time for customers that would rather interact directly with an agent.
5. You can play games with customers. Many businesses have found their own ways to increase engagement with customers by leveraging the popularity of Pokémon GO. Offering in-game promotions for purchases has been one successful method. Even increasing on-premises foot traffic has been made possible thanks to the creation of "lures", which attract Pokémon to the location. By setting up lures, businesses have compelled game players to venture into their restaurants and stores in the pursuit to catch them all. Your strategy should leave room to play games with customers.
New technology in branding and consumer engagement is opening up a whole new world for organisations.
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