Irish tech start-up launches game based training software across 36 hotels

JamJou game-based training application,
Founder & CEO of JamJou, game-based training application, Jo Brennan.

Irish tech start-up, JamJou have rolled out their innovative game-based training software to 36 Jurys Inn hotels across Ireland and the UK.

JamJou have developed exciting game-based training software that uses the hottest new technology with ‘gamification’ mechanisms to train and engage staff through their smartphones to increase sales productivity, improve customer service & reduce staff turnover.

As part of an initial pilot project, JamJou’s training application was tested with sixty staff in four hotel sites across UK & Ireland with Jurys Inn Hotel Group. This resulted in an increase in revenue, reduction in customer complaints and a decrease in the number of staff leaving in pilot sites.

With clear benefits arising from the trial, Jurys Inn Hotel Group is now set to implement JamJou’s software as part of their ‘Be The Best’ training in 36 hotels across Ireland and the UK. 

JamJou game-based training application
Founder & CEO of JamJou, game-based training application, Jo Brennan pictured at Jurys Inn Custom House with Mary Murtagh, Operations Manager, Jurys Inn Custom House and Edward Gallier, Group Learning & Development Manager with Jurys Inn Hotel Group.

Edward Gallier, Group Learning & Development Manager with Jurys Inn Hotel Group said, “As part of our strategy to increase guest satisfaction and meet our vision to ‘Exceed Expectations’ we have been exploring leading approaches for our employee learning. The JamJou product had to be one of the approaches we included because of the high level of engagement we experienced from employees and multiple returns to our business in terms of revenue increase, reduction in customer complaints & a reduction in staff turnover on those sites that used JamJou. The learning can be seen back in the workplace and this creative and competitive approach really got our teams talking.”

Training is delivered through real-life work scenarios games; specially developed for frontline and customer-facing staff in hospitality, retail and customer service industries.  The cloud based training application is fun, easy-to-use and highly engaging where management have real time access to employee skills assessment.

JamJou’s cloud based training software can be used on its own or to complement existing training programmes with no additional installation costs.  Jo Brennan, founder of JamJou said, “We have had a phenomenal two years since JamJou was established in 2014, already working with contact centres, leading hospitality groups and now Jurys Inn Hotel Group.  Our clients recognise the advantages of training their teams with relevant, fun and interactive applications and the results are clearly demonstrated in increased revenue, fewer complaints and more engaged and motivated employees that stay longer.”

Available to participants across all devices, team members simply log into a PC, tablet or mobile to start training in simple and entertaining four minute sessions. JamJou uses interactive gaming features with animated characters and real-life work scenarios with learning outcomes that benefit the workplace. Employees can earn points or badges which appear on a leader-board. Top scorers are promoted across sites adding a competitive edge between staff members and management. Training content is fed to employees over a period of time to keep them engaged and to remind them how to improve their skills in upselling and customer service skills. 

Management have access to analytics which pinpoint areas, for example ‘up-selling’, where individual improvement is required. They can also compare sites and assess which teams or locations are weak which prompts them to take further action such as additional training or coaching.

JamJou’s game based approach to training is the first of its kind, targeting organisations with front line staff. It has been created by former training consultant Jo Brennan and her business partner, John Costello, Lead Developer of JamJou. The name, JamJou, is a play on jamming and jouer – the French verb for play. Jo was inspired by her sons, Jack (16) and Michael’s (14) love of gaming and founded the business when she couldn’t find a relevant product in the market that really engaged staff and delivered analytics that drove strong business results.

Identified as ‘High Potential Start Up’, JamJou are recent finalists for Best in Digital Learning at the Accenture Digital Media Awards 2016, shortlisted for an IIDT National Training Award and nominated for an SME Award in the New Product/Service category & New Business Digital category.

The company is currently investigating further expansion opportunities across Europe.

See jamjou.com | @jamjouhq