How gamification helps companies: 
 
We explain that gamification changes the way we interact with technology and with each other, by making life more personalized and rewarding. Game mechanics – missions, points, badges – tap into intrinsic motivators that are bigger than money:

• Smart – Employees discover new things and prove their knowledge.
• Successful – Employees get the chance to "win" and out-play their colleagues.
• Socially Valued – Earning points and moving up the leader board elevates an employee's status.
• Structured – Missions and badges connect employees to corporate goals, giving them purpose and direction.

These motivators drive us by helping us grow, both personally and professionally, and that's why gamification works: it gives people a platform that gives their actions meaning.
 
Why Gamification Works in Business Travel
 
Jiten reflected on two reasons why it makes sense to consider these motivators in business travel:

• Travel is a deeply personal experience. We're selfish on the road, focused on "our" flight and "our" hotel. Gamification guides travelers on a journey that teaches them why and how to make smart booking choices – while retaining the traveler's personal experience.
• Travel is a "tale of two masters." Travelers want flexibility to make their own choices, but management wants to contain travel program costs – and the travel manager is caught in the middle. Travel managers need to meet corporate goals, and that happens only when travelers book in policy. As today's travelers are becoming the ultimate decisions makers, we need to engage them in new ways to make it interesting to do the right thing.

Making Gamification Work for You
 
It's important to remember that implementing a gamification solution is not a project with a clear end date. To sustain its impact, you need to continually review and refine your program.

The benefits of using intrinsic motivation to influence behavior can be huge – better business results, improved corporate travel policy compliance, increased savings and more – but only if you keep a close watch on what's working and what's not.
 
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On February 21, 2014, Steve Sims, Founder of The Behavior Lab and Vice President of Solutions and Design, Badgeville; and Jiten Bhalgat, Director, Global Business Consulting, American Express Global Business Travel, co-hosted a webinar on how to apply gamification techniques to help increase employee performance, loyalty and engagement, and – specifically in the business travel space – influence booking behavior to improve corporate travel policy compliance.