Global utilities to spend $65m in 2016 on gamification tools, applications, and services, rising from $13.5m this year, a new IDC report revealed.
The latest "Business Strategy: The Role of Gamification in Utilities’ Consumer Engagement" report also anticipates that about 60% of progressive global energy retailers will make use of at least one gamified application by the forecast period.
IDC EMEA Energy Insights senior research analyst Adam Ajzensztejn said that with all the hype surrounding gamification, some of which is rightly deserved, it remains to be seen how well these mechanisms work over the long term or the level of appetite and patience that audiences will have when faced with a plethora of gamified applications vying for their attention.
"However, it provides an interesting avenue for further investigation and research," Ajzensztejn said.
According to the report, several approaches to gamification in the energy sector are under trial or being commercially deployed, each implementing diverse gamification methods and having dissimilar major goals, with common factor being use of granular and real-time energy data.
The report also projects that growing range of vendors have been introducing gamification technologies to the market, which incorporate with social platforms and enterprise applications.
