In mid 2007, Online-Rewards was asked to be a 'technical expert' for the Cincinnati Business Courier in regards to Incentive Program Technology. Once a month we answered questions related to the implementation of the Rewards Programs. They are reprinted here for your information.
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| 1. There seems to be an increase in the popularity of incentive programs, how do you account for this? |
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| 2. How can I use an incentive program to increase my sales? |
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| 3. How can incentive programs help me retain employees and save money? |
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| 4. How should I calculate my rewards program budget? |
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| 5. Why should I consider merchandise rewards when I already offer cash incentives? |
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| 6. I have a database of loyal customers, how can I leverage this with an incentive program? |
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| 7. How much time should I allocate to running an effective Reward Program? |
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| 8. How do I convince the decision makers in my company that implementing employee programs is a good investment? |
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| 9. What differentiates you from other employee program vendors? |
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How much time should I allocate to running an effective Reward Program?
Reward Program designs run the range from simple to very complex. The time dedicated to running the program should not increase with the complexity of it.
With a qualified program consultant, you should design your program to be efficient from an administrative perspective. Skilled designers will build tools to accept data in the most convenient format you can export it. This might mean being able to parse a spreadsheet, accepting an XML feed, or actually integrating into your CRM, HR, or accounting packages.
Your provider should also offer order support, as well as technical support. You should anticipate paying a small premium for this service, but it should limit the manpower required to run the program to let you focus on servicing your participants.