If you’re running a sales team, support desk, or any group that thrives on competition, you know a leaderboard isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s fuel. But getting a real-time leaderboard up and running in Centrical can be trickier than the marketing might suggest. This guide is for anyone who wants to actually build, tweak, and manage leaderboards that work, not just look good in a demo.
Whether you’re new to Centrical or trying to get more out of it, I’ll walk you through every step: setting up your first leaderboard, making it reflect what matters, keeping it fair, and avoiding the usual traps. Let’s get into the nuts and bolts.
1. Get Clear on What You Actually Want to Track
Before you touch the leaderboard builder, figure out what you want to measure. Not everything should go on a leaderboard. If you track the wrong thing, you’ll get the wrong behaviors—fast.
Ask yourself: - What’s the one metric that matters for this group? (Hint: more isn’t better.) - Do you want to reward activity (calls made), outcomes (deals closed), quality (CSAT), or something else? - Will this leaderboard motivate—or just stress people out?
Pro tip: If you’re not sure, start with just one metric. You can always add more later.
2. Prep Your Data in Centrical
Centrical leaderboards live and die by their data feeds. If your data’s late, dirty, or incomplete, your leaderboard will be a mess. Here’s how to avoid that:
- Double-check your integrations. Make sure the data source (CRM, call center, etc.) is connected and updating in real time—or as close as you can get. If it’s delayed by hours, your “real-time” leaderboard won’t be fooling anyone.
- Standardize user mapping. Every participant on the leaderboard needs to have a unique, matching user ID between the data source and Centrical. Otherwise, you’ll see missing or duplicated names.
- Test with sample data. Before you roll out a leaderboard to your whole team, try it with a small group to catch any weirdness.
Don’t skip this: If your data isn’t trustworthy, fixing it later is a headache.
3. Create Your First Leaderboard
Ready to build? Here’s how to actually make a leaderboard in Centrical:
a. Navigate to Leaderboards
- Log in to Centrical.
- Go to the “Gamification” or “Leaderboards” section (the exact name can change; if you don’t see it, check your permissions).
- Click “Create Leaderboard.”
b. Set Up the Basics
- Name: Pick something clear. “Q2 Sales Leaderboard” beats “Leaderboard #3.”
- Metric: Choose your metric from the available data fields—calls, sales, CSAT, whatever you prepped in step 2.
- Time Frame: Decide if it’s daily, weekly, monthly, or custom. Don’t get fancy at first; weekly works for most teams.
c. Choose Participants
You can include: - Individuals - Teams - Departments
Be careful: Mixing wildly different roles (like sales and support) on one board usually makes the results meaningless.
d. Display Options
- Real time updates: Centrical can update leaderboards instantly—if your data source supports it.
- Anonymization: If you want a softer touch, you can anonymize names. But usually, transparency wins.
- Visibility: Decide who can see the leaderboard. “Public” is motivating for most, but some groups prefer private boards.
Pro tip: Don’t overwhelm people. One or two leaderboards on the main dashboard is plenty.
4. Customize to Match Your Culture
Leaderboards work when they fit your team’s vibe. Here’s what you can tweak:
- Scoring rules: You can weight metrics (“Closed deals = 2 points, Calls = 1 point”) or just keep it simple. Complex scoring looks cool but confuses people fast.
- Badges and rewards: Centrical lets you tie badges or points to leaderboard positions. Use this sparingly. Not everyone cares about virtual trophies.
- Reset periods: Decide how often the leaderboard resets. Weekly keeps things fresh. Monthly can drag on.
- Notifications: Set up alerts for movement on the leaderboard. But too many pings, and people tune out.
What to skip: Flashy animations, over-the-top themes, or anything that makes the leaderboard harder to read. Clarity beats style.
5. Roll It Out (Without the Drama)
Before you launch to everyone, communicate what the leaderboard is (and isn’t).
- Explain the “why”: Tell your team exactly what’s being tracked and why it matters.
- Be upfront about data timing: If your data updates every hour (not every second), say so.
- Share the rules: How do people get on top? How often does it reset? Are there any rewards?
Pro tip: Pilot with a small group or just managers for a week. Tweak based on feedback, then go wide.
6. Keep It Fair (and Sane)
Leaderboards can backfire if you’re not careful. Here’s how to avoid the usual traps:
- Spot check the data regularly. If someone’s “crushing it” due to a broken integration, you’ll lose trust fast.
- Watch for burnout. If people start working the system (or each other) just to climb the board, dial it back.
- Rotate the metrics. Don’t always reward the same behavior. Try new metrics each quarter to keep things fresh.
- Listen to feedback. If people ignore the leaderboard or complain, don’t just double down—ask why.
7. Managing and Iterating
Once your leaderboard is live, managing it isn’t a “set it and forget it” deal.
a. Monitor Engagement
- Are people checking it?
- Is it driving the right behavior?
- Are the same names always on top? If yes, try breaking things out by role, tenure, or territory.
b. Make Changes
- Edit metrics or rules: In Centrical, you can tweak most leaderboard settings without starting over.
- Archive old boards: Too many leaderboards clutter things up. Keep only the ones people care about.
- Update visuals: If you get a lot of “wait, what’s this tracking again?” questions, make the labels clearer.
c. Review Results
Every month or quarter, ask: - Did this actually impact performance? - Did it create any weird side effects? - Should we try a different metric next time?
Honest Pros, Cons, and Gotchas
What works: - Real-time leaderboards do motivate most people, especially in competitive teams. - Easy to set up once your data is clean. - Customizable enough for most scenarios.
What doesn’t: - If your data feed lags, you’ll kill trust fast. - Too many leaderboards = nobody cares about any of them. - Complex scoring systems confuse more than they help.
What to ignore: - Overly “gamified” features. Fun for a week, then forgotten. - Leaderboards for non-competitive tasks (like compliance training). Save it for what matters.
Wrap-Up: Start Simple, Adjust Often
You don’t need a fancy setup or a dozen different boards. Start with one, keep your metrics simple, and check back often to see if it’s actually helping. Leaderboards work best when they’re clear, honest, and reflect what matters to your team now—not last quarter.
If you keep it simple and stay willing to tweak, you’ll avoid most of the usual headaches. Good luck—and don’t be afraid to turn it off if it stops being useful.