MDI Gaming
Developed for Merchant Distributors Inc.
The challenge
As a supermarket chain employee, there are many rules and procedures to keep track of to ensure the customer experience in the store is top notch.
It also means that all employees need to know everything about hygiene rules, attire, replenishment and customer handling. But how do you actually train your employees in these concepts in a good way so that they not only learn the rules, but also act according to them?
Solution
Our solution was the game MDI Gaming, which is an employee training ground in good business acumen. The game uses humor, achievements and storytelling to make learning about policies, customer service and procedures playful and easy to remember.
Your manager guides you through a virtual supermarket where you have to complete tasks in different departments (depending on where you actually work). Tasks can include choosing the right order to do things in when a lobster tank needs to be cleaned, or making the right arrangement of goods on the shelves, or perhaps handling a situation where everything is on fire in the delicatessen department.
Players’ results can be accessed by their direct supervisors, who can use the information as a starting point for discussions, status meetings or similar. For example, if it turns out that the lobster tank is causing problems for many employees, it might be a good place to start with extra training.
However, there’s more to the format than just tasks. For example, players can win stars and earn badges. They also have their very own avatar, which they can customize on the fly – for example by finding animals around the game.
Results
The MDI game was finalized in 2022 and has since been rolled out to the more than 200 supermarket chains that Merchants Distributors inc. have as customers. There are already plans for more content and new opportunities to customize the look and feel and content for specific customers.
The basic game format has also proven to be a good fit for other topics and disciplines, so we will no doubt see more solutions like MDI Gaming in the future.
