News

Using online game, Best Buy amps employees on new service

September 7, 2008

Social networks have begun to address problems like this and solve a variety of communication and collaboration problems faced by large enterprises among their employees, customers and partners. Well-known companies like Starbucks, Dell and Best Buy have successfully created and used social networks to improve communication across the enterprise and solve real business problems related to speed-to-market and quality control, to name just a few.

Still, most businesses think of social networks as fun, online diversions via Facebook and MySpace.

In 2006, Best Buy launched a social network for sales associates named after the blue polo shirts they wear in-store. Originally, the BlueShirt Nation site was created to gather insights/information on advertising programs from employees on the front lines.

But the site quickly broadened its impact, helping employees share ideas with each other and with management. In fact, new policies, ideas and practices have been adopted as a result of employee discussions and feedback. When Best Buy management announced their intentions to lower the employee discount, employees made it clear on BlueShirt Nation that they were adamantly opposed — and the discount was left unchanged.

Best Buy is continuing to build on the successes of BlueShirt Nation, leveraging it to help introduce and evangelize their large employee audience on a new service offering named, "Best Buy Mobile." Because more than half of the 140,000 employees are under 24 years old, it was important that this message engaged them repeatedly in a fun, playful and competitive way.

To achieve this goal, Best Buy partnered with leadingMinneapolisinteractive agency, Catalyst Studios, to develop a "Best Buy Mobile" branded online game that would live on Blue Shirt Nation. "This internal social networking site has been heralded by Best Buy and the media for its achievements, so we were excited about working on a project that would 'live' there," said Jason Rysavy, Catalyst's founder and principal.