Why Gift Cards are the Incentive of Choice
Flexibility and excitement are the cornerstones to the success of a company’s incentive program. Senior management at companies all over the world struggle to find the right solution for every program be it for employees or customers often finding that one size does not fit all. Plus, an increasingly diverse workforce makes pleasing everyone a nearly impossible objective.
The recognition of diversity, in individuals and motivation, is key to the success of incentive gift certificates or gift cards. There are gift certificates, gift cards, and virtual gift certificates that cover everything from travel to video rentals, spa services, rounds of golf, dining, electronics and a wide variety of other merchandise and services available too. There are even gift certificates that allow the holders to redeem for other gift certificates and gift cards. All of these products flourish because some enlightened managers understand that what people like – what makes them tick – is different from person to person. Companies often choose gift certificates and gift cards because they have the widest possible appeal.
Incentive gift certificates and gift card incentive programs empower the recipient with the right to choose the item that most motivates himself or herself. The employee is the boss. By enabling employees to make decisions for themselves, these awards take on more power to influence behaviors like reaching sales goals or maintaining safety in the work place. Instead of deciding for them, you let them have the final say of the product that will make them work harder. They also offer employees the freedom to go shopping for their reward whenever they feel like it. They may not even have to leave the comforts of their home by redeeming online. The right to choose and the flexibility of when to choose allows the recipient to actually take their time and contemplate what they truly want making the reward much more memorable.
The simplicity of the gift certificate/gift card/virtual gift certificate has also helped management deliver programs quicker and with relevance to the participants. There is a significant time savings in the decision making process. No longer is a planning team restricted to find the latest and greatest products or feeling pressured to negotiate for the best price, delivery options and pay for warehousing thus allowing more dollars to be channeled into the award itself. Purchasing them is simple as there are clear fee structures. Turnaround times are mere days as opposed to a year’s worth of planning. Another benefit with incentive gift certificates and is the ability to customize by imprinting on the certificate or card with a company logo and program name making it even more personal for the participant. Gift certificates and cards are also much easier to store and distribute to winners. They pack flat, don’t require assembly and are never technologically obsolete.
The magic of the gift certificate is that it opens the door to quality products and services employees want to acquire, providing the flexibility of choosing something, which appeals to them. The appeal factor is critical because without it, the reward would be of no value to the employee being recognized or motivated. Simplicity is also the name of the game here. Gift certificates have proven themselves time and time again to be the incentive award of choice. They are simple to administer, simple to communicate, simple to operate, and very relevant to those who earn one!