Are your salespeople bored, burned out, or just not hitting their numbers? Gamification platforms promise to fix that—turning everyday sales grind into something more like a game, with badges, leaderboards, and (in theory) happier, more motivated reps. But most enterprise teams know this: a shiny dashboard doesn't magically fix sales culture or performance. So let's cut through the hype and figure out how to actually pick a platform that fits your team, your goals, and your tech stack—without wasting time or budget.
This guide is for sales leaders, ops folks, and anyone tasked with evaluating gamification tools for a sales org that’s bigger than a dozen reps. We’ll walk through what matters (and what doesn’t), how to compare options, and take an honest look at Bunchball—one of the oldest names in the space.
1. Know What Gamification Can (and Can’t) Do
First, let’s be clear: gamification isn’t a magic bullet. It won’t fix broken comp plans, cover up a bad CRM, or turn average reps into rainmakers overnight. What it can do well—if you pick right and set it up thoughtfully:
- Increase short-term motivation: Points, badges, and small rewards can push reps to complete tedious tasks or hit activity targets.
- Highlight top performers: Public recognition (leaderboards, badges) appeals to competitive sellers.
- Drive adoption: If you need reps entering data or using a new tool, gamification can nudge them along.
- Create friendly competition: Teams can rally around contests and challenges.
But don’t expect it to solve deep culture issues or replace real management. If your team hates the comp plan or there’s no trust, no app is going to save you.
Pro tip: Before you look at a single platform, write down what you actually want to change or improve. “Make sales less boring” isn’t enough. Be specific: “Increase outbound calls by 20% this quarter,” or “Get 90% of reps logging activities in Salesforce.”
2. Make a Shortlist: What Features Actually Matter?
There’s a lot of fluff in gamification sales decks. Here’s what you really need to pay attention to for enterprise sales teams:
Must-Have Features
- CRM Integration: If it doesn’t plug into your CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, Dynamics, etc.) securely and reliably, walk away. Double-check if it supports custom objects or fields, not just out-of-the-box stuff.
- Customizable Challenges: You’ll want to create contests or goals that match your actual KPIs, not just “calls made” or “deals won.”
- Reporting & Analytics: You need to see what’s working, who’s responding, and how it’s moving the needle.
- Role-Based Access: Managers, admins, and reps all need the right views and controls.
- User Experience: If it’s ugly, slow, or confusing, reps will ignore it.
Nice-to-Have (But Don’t Overpay)
- Mobile App: Handy if you have a field team, less critical for inside sales.
- Rewards Integration: Built-in e-gift cards or points systems can save you hassle, but they also add cost.
- Social Features: Chats, shout-outs, or custom avatars—fun, but not essential for results.
- Single Sign-On (SSO): Important for big orgs with strict IT policies.
Ignore the Hype
- “AI-powered engagement”: Usually just marketing speak. Ask for proof.
- Blockchain, NFTs, or anything “Web3”: You don’t need this for sales gamification. If a vendor pushes it, be wary.
3. Assess Fit: Security, Support, and Scalability
Enterprise sales teams have more hoops to jump through than startups. Don’t skip over the boring (but critical) stuff:
- Data Security: Make sure the platform is SOC 2 compliant, GDPR ready, and plays nice with your IT policies.
- User Limits: Can it handle your team size—and sudden spikes if you grow?
- Support: Do you get a real person to call? Is there an SLA for outages?
- Customization: Can you brand it, tweak rules, or add your own metrics without hiring a consultant?
Pro tip: Involve your IT/security team early. They’ll spot red flags you might miss.
4. Compare Pricing Models and Hidden Costs
Vendors love to hide costs in “implementation fees,” “premium support,” or “extra integrations.” Get clear answers on:
- Pricing structure: Per user, per month? Flat fee? Minimum contract size?
- Implementation: Is setup included, or is it extra? How long will it really take?
- Ongoing costs: Are analytics, integrations, or support included?
- Rewards budget: If you want to give out gift cards or prizes, is that baked in or do you fund it separately?
Ask for a total annual cost for your team size, including everything. Don’t just look at the monthly headline price.
5. Put Bunchball Under the Microscope
Now, let’s get specific. Bunchball is one of the oldest and most recognized names in sales gamification. But should it top your shortlist? Here’s what you need to know:
What Bunchball Does Well
- Mature Platform: Bunchball’s been around since 2007 and is now part of BI Worldwide. That means enterprise-scale clients, plenty of reference accounts, and a deep feature set.
- CRM Integrations: Supports Salesforce (and some others) pretty robustly, including custom objects and workflows.
- Customization: You can tweak challenges, points, badges, and more. There’s solid flexibility for different sales motions.
- Analytics: Offers detailed reporting and dashboards, so you can see what’s moving the needle.
- Security/Compliance: Built for large companies, it checks most IT/security boxes.
Where Bunchball Stumbles
- User Experience: The interface can feel dated compared to newer players. Some reps find it clunky or overwhelming.
- Implementation: Setup can be time-consuming. You’ll likely need help from their team (which can add cost).
- Pricing: Not cheap. Often targeted at large orgs (>100 users) with multi-year contracts.
- Mobile: There’s a mobile experience, but it’s not as slick as some competitors.
Who Should (and Shouldn’t) Use It
- Good fit: Large sales organizations with strict IT/security needs, established workflows, and budget for a mature solution.
- Not for you if: You’re a smaller team, want something lightweight, or need to get up and running fast.
Bunchball vs. the Competition
To keep it honest, here’s how Bunchball stacks up against a few common alternatives:
| Feature | Bunchball | Ambition | Spinify | LevelEleven | |-----------------------|-------------------|----------------|-------------------|-----------------| | CRM Integration | Salesforce, etc. | Salesforce | Salesforce, HubSpot| Salesforce | | Customization | High | High | Medium | Medium | | User Experience | Dated | Modern | Modern | Decent | | Analytics | Advanced | Advanced | Basic | Good | | Mobile Support | Ok | Good | Good | Ok | | Price | $$$ | $$ | $ | $$ | | Enterprise Security | Yes | Yes | Basic | Yes |
Note: Price ranges are rough—always get a quote for your team size.
Pro tip: Demo at least two platforms side-by-side. Don’t just take the vendor’s word—ask your actual reps for feedback during a trial.
6. Pilot Before You Commit
This step is non-negotiable. The best-looking platform on paper can bomb in real life if reps ignore it or it’s a pain to manage.
- Do a real trial: Get a small group of reps using it with your actual CRM data.
- Measure: Did activity go up? Is data cleaner? Are reps logging in more than once?
- Ask for honest feedback: What’s confusing? What’s motivating? Where do they get stuck?
- Check admin workload: Is your ops/admin team drowning in manual tweaks?
If you can’t get a real pilot or the vendor pushes for a long contract up front, that’s a red flag.
7. Launch, Measure, and Iterate
Even the best platform won’t transform your sales team on day one. Roll it out with clear goals, get buy-in from managers, and keep it simple at first. Track what’s working, tweak the rules, and don’t be afraid to kill features that flop.
- Keep the focus on real sales outcomes, not just points or badges.
- Communicate: Let reps know why you’re doing this (and what’s in it for them).
- Celebrate wins: Use the platform to spotlight real achievements, not just “busy work.”
Summary: Don’t Overthink It
Gamification isn’t a silver bullet, but it can nudge your sales team in the right direction—if you pick the right tool and keep things simple. Focus on integrations, usability, and results, not bells and whistles. Start with a clear goal, pilot carefully, and get honest feedback from your actual users.
Remember: what matters is whether it gets your team doing more of the right things, not how many badges are on the dashboard. Keep it simple, stay skeptical, and don’t be afraid to experiment.