Ameritech Financial Examines if Gamification Could Help Student Loan Borrowers Save Money

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Jul 31, 2018, 08:00 ET

ROHNERT PARK, Calif., July 31, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Many American consumers have encountered gamification without even realizing it. Some of the biggest companies have used its techniques for marketing purposes. But what exactly is gamification? Sources describe it as catering to people's desire to win, which makes them want to engage with a product for fun. Gamification is also used in education. People are more successful and engaged when apps use video game design and game elements. What if this new approach to learning and marketing were applied to the student loan debt crisis? It could encourage borrowers to be more literate with finances or save funds for their goals. Ameritech Financial is a document preparation company that aligns student loan borrowers with federal programs that could potentially lower their payments.

"It is fascinating to study these trends and think about how they connect to our company. We strive to help people with high student debt to realize their options," noted Tom Knickerbocker, executive vice president of Ameritech Financial. "Many people don't know about income-driven repayment plans or how a document preparation company like ours could help them with applications for federal repayment programs."

Gamification is new to the 21st century. The term became popular in 2010 and multitudes of industries use it for a variety of objectives. For example, customers who played a game that encouraged saving money, which awarded badges and points after they reached savings challenges, on average saved 25 percent more often than others. One company's holiday-themed Wish List app for children is another great example. They could explore a 3D game that featured a toy factory. The children users could drag-and-drop their favorite toys to their wish list. The holiday campaign had 75,000 downloads of the app, with 100,000 wish lists, containing 1.7 million items. What if student loan borrowers played a game to improve their financial situation?

The first task in creating a game for borrowers is to identify the audience. Who will play the game? According to research, 40 percent of student loan borrowers are under the age of 30, while 22 percent are between 30 and 44. Combining those statistics, game developers could focus on college students to Gen Xers for their audience. If Millennials are the main target for the game, developers could look at tactics like offering customization or promoting collaboration. As far as the design and what incentivization method to use, designers could look at top mobile game apps or research how other companies have successfully used gamification. Games could encourage innovation, help teach personal finance planning and offer awards. Until then, income-driven repayment plans remain an option for high-debt borrowers to manage their debt.

"New technology and trends are difficult to define because they are so new," Knickerbocker reflected. "How gamification could help student loan borrowers remains unknown. It will be interesting to watch."

About Ameritech Financial

Ameritech Financial is a private company located in Rohnert Park, California. Ameritech Financial has already helped thousands of consumers with financial analysis and student loan document preparation to apply for federal student loan repayment programs offered through the Department of Education.

Each Ameritech Financial telephone representative has received the Certified Student Loan Professional certification through the International Association of Professional Debt Arbitrators (IAPDA).

Ameritech Financial prides itself on its exceptional customer service.

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Contact

To learn more about Ameritech Financial, please contact:

Ameritech Financial
5789 State Farm Drive #265
Rohnert Park, CA 94928
1-800-792-8621
[email protected]

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SOURCE Ameritech Financial