Article published by Think Sales.

Companies make the mistake of cutting back when the economy slackens off and they find it harder and harder to achieve their budgets. Say what? Yes true. If companies think ‘investment’ and not ‘cost’ they will be surprised at the return they can get for their investment through using properly planned incentive programmes.

Whether the need is to thank customers for their loyalty, recognise staff or reward sales in distribution channels, there are ways to turn average and below average performance, into better performance and increased profit.

Communication is the key of course. And gamification, exciting apps and yes still emails and sms’s form part of the engagement process that encourages your targeted market, to achieve what you want them to achieve.

Points-based scalable systems can improve anyone’s performance, rewarding them for the increments they achieve – all related to your objectives, and your budget. Far better to have everyone improve a little, than reward only the top performers for their contribution to company performance. With incentives & rewards, recognition & awards, get your participants to exceed targets, not your budget.

“We have literally everything anyone would want to aspire to, available to them online, ranging in value from R100 to R100 000. Like digital camera’s, kid’s bikes, computers, cellphones, kid’s toys, kitchen appliances, hi-fis and TV’s, you-name-it, incentive participants can aspire to it. All delivered to their doors as part of our administrative service, backup and support that we give to every valued client. And there’s nothing better than an engaged employee, or inspired participant, to help break that negative attitude towards the current tight economy” comments Geoff Saner, MD of Creative Incentives, this year celebrating their 30th year in the business of incentive motivation.

Research proves that cash is not always king, and that the perceived value of a household brand name product, a weekend away, super bucket-list experience, or overseas trip, all do a lot more for productivity, as they have loads of brag value when compared to cash, which might be useful right now, but is neither spoken about, nor memorable. Can you recall what you bought with it three months ago? No.

If cash is indeed the corporate’s choice of incentive item, then there’s no easier way to reward and reload cash than into prepaid debit Mastercards to use in any store throughout South Africa. “In addition to our E-wards and Gift Bucks MasterCards, we also offer international prepaid cards for those clients with global needs,” says Geoff.

Popular in the rewards mix are lifestyle experiences to thrill the adventure seekers, or pamper and relax your participants, all neatly packaged so you don’t have to do a thing – again, just click on the points scale and select what thrills you most. Just set the levels you want them to achieve, and let them reward themselves with whatever takes their fancy – from over 1000 choices ranging from spa days and beauty treatments to bungee and rap jumping, dining for two at home with a chef or a night out by limo, to go-kart and motor racing, 4×4 adventures, advance driving courses and much, much more. And within this mix, they are mostly all available for teambuilding activities too.

Another sure fire reward in the incentives quiver of reward types, are tailored travel trips – still the leading most sought-after reward for improving performance. Yes they cost more per person than a kettle or toaster, but remember, we said that good rewards planning ensures a scale of reward for performance. So even if a company is spending R10-, R20-, R30-, R40-, R50-, and R60 000 or more – per person (and some companies do! Why? Because the cost of their trips is far outweighed by the increase in performance that they get from their participants), then the profit benefit is built in and preplanned as part of that ie for every reward and it’s value being redeemed or awarded, there is an ROI calculation that has ensured that the company is getting some, or many, times it’s value back in return for that investment. “You could say that your incentive programmes are actually for free, and they produce an unexpected revenue stream,” says Saner.

The advantage of planning and implementing trips for winning groups from 10 to 500 people or more, to exciting destinations all over the world, is that everyone gets to enjoy the same personalised service and the added incentive Wows! that surprise everyone, and makes their trip more memorable. And because companies like Creative Incentives are in contact with DMC’s like themselves in all cities throughout the world, the price of those trips are certainly better than the average travel agent, even inhouse travel agent, can provide! Transparency in all invoices ensures further credibility.

If you need someone to plan it with you, put it all together, communicate to your customers, staff or channel, keep track of them all, create the leader boards, align core values with recognition criteria for nomination programmes, or just handle birthdays, long service and year end awards selection and deliveries and communications, Creative Incentives’ trained and professional incentive marketing staff will assist you, providing that full support your investment deserves.

Visit our website at www.creative-incentives.co.za.