The Incentive Insider | August 2021

Hope, Growth, and Recovery in Q2

Hello again! How was your Q2? Hopefully, you're among many companies who are beginning to feel some relief from the crunching pressures and uncertainties of 2020. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis reported that the economy grew at an annual rate of 6.5% in Q2, marking official economic recovery from pandemic shut-downs. As for Incentive Solutions, we're not exactly returning to pre-pandemic business as usually...during the year's second quarter, we made one of the biggest changes in the history of the company (no spoilers—read on to see what we mean!). We're so excited about the future!

It's Not a Rumor—We Acquired OneAffiniti!

In case you missed it, we shared some massive news in May: we acquired through channel marketing automation (TCMA) company OneAffiniti! This acquisition will not only benefit both companies, but the clients who work with us. By offering a full suite of channel management solutions, Incentive Solutions and OneAffiniti can be of better service to B2B companies looking to grow revenue, streamline data and processes, and establish competitive differentiation.

2021 BthruB Leadership Summit Dates

We have an update on our upcoming 2021 BthruB Leadership Summit. The official dates are in: the summit will be held on September 27th-29th. Mark your calendars and get ready for the insights and highlights we'll be relaying in this blog!

In case you missed last quarter's announcement, here's the rundown: the BthruB Leadership Summit is an annual conference that Incentive Solutions hosts annually in order to share strategies and insights on channel incentives. The summit, which has included channel expert speakers such as Forrester's Jay McBain, has driven much of Incentive Solutions' innovation and direction. This year's summit will take place at the brand new Epicurean hotel in Atlanta, a decadent destination that's sure to inspire inspires creativity with its beautiful design and food/wine cuisine.

Our Reward Catalog Goes Global

Exciting news! We've expanded the international availability of our online rewards catalog. Our catalog—which includes electronics, home goods, sports equipment, movie and event tickets, plane tickets, travel packages, and more—will now be available in the UK, Ireland, France, Spain, Germany, and Italy. Now B2B companies can use online rewards to motivate dealers, distributors, contractors, and other channel partners in much of Europe. We plan to continue expanding our reward catalog availability, so look out for more countries added to this list!

Reward Spotlight: Comfort & Luxury

One of the most rewarding parts of being an incentive reward company (get it?) is being part of the journey when incentive program participants redeem their rewards. It's like being the person who delivers flowers or pizza—you get a rare chance to see people at their happiest. The corporate world sometimes falls into the cynical mindset that rewards are simply bribes to squeeze more productivity out of recipients. But let's shine a light on some of the rewards participants redeemed in Q2, and the meaningful impact those rewards had:
 

• • Sleep Number 360° Smart Bed: It's clinically proven that better sleep improves your immune system, reduces stress, helps you get along with others, and leads to better decision-making. Investing in better sleep can make a dramatic difference in participants' personally and professional lives.

 

• • Swarovski binoculars: High-powered binoculars doubtlessly lend hi-def enjoyment to outdoor hobbies. Whether the participant is using them to hone their hunting skills or better identify bird species in their neighborhood, it's so awesome knowing that participants are investing in activities they enjoy!

 

• • Closet systems from California Closets: Who couldn't use a better, more organized closet? To some of us, living the Marie Kondo life is merely a farfetched dream. But this participant will likely be returning to work with the clean mind and zen attitude that comes with a clean space that brings them joy.

 

• • Louis Vuitton  handbags: When participants redeem the reward points for luxury items like Louis Vuitton handbags, we often hear, "I'm so excited! I've never owned anything like this before." Studies of non-cash rewards have shown that tangible rewards can be especially meaningful for recipients because they can't justify spending cash on high-end goods. But rewards shouldn't be about guilt! Tangible rewards allow hard-working participants to experience the luxury they deserve.

 

Updates on Incentive Travel

With current travel policies in flux, we like to offer periodic advice and updates on incentive travel, from Incentive Solutions' Director of Travel Services, Deven Crane. Deven stays up to date on travel regulations so he can guide his team and advise companies on their incentive trip planning.

"The current state of incentive travel is that it changes every day," Deven says. "Some of the major things to keep in mind for now are that everyone must wear a mask in airports and on airplanes, we still can't get tickets to Europe for U.S. travelers, and it currently takes about three months to renew passports. So even if you're planning an international trip that you can't launch yet, it's a good idea to encourage everyone to start the passport update process now."

What's the best way to keep up with the most accurate and up-to-date travel policies? Deven recommends checking https://travel.state.gov. If you have questions about incentive travel policies and planning, give us a call at 678-514-0227.

Star Performer of the Quarter: Daniela Conroy

 

D is for Delightful, Driven Daniela Sometimes the Star Performer takes us by surprise, but not this time! Daniela began her career at Incentive Solutions with the greatest interview of all time. She blew the leadership team away with the attention to detail and creativity she displayed in a presentation testing her marketing, planning, and communication skills. She not only set the bar high, but continues to raise it. Daniela exhibits these core values of our organization every day. For example, she embodied "Act Now" when she jumped in to delivered one of the favored pieces of a recent pitch. She's always respectful, takes success (but not criticism) personally, and always gets the job done. Her recent incentive program activation campaign achieved a 33% increase in activation for our clients.  "Everyone is responsible for their attitude every day, in every situation," says VP of Marketing, Nichole Gunn. "Daniela, thank you for the choices you make and the performance you deliver every day."

New Hires on the Block!

 

Jennifer Crane Art Director Jennifer Crane is the new Art Director at Incentive Solutions. After Graduating from SCAD’s Atlanta campus, she has worked in marketing and graphic design in a variety of industries from hospitality, to cybersecurity to state policy. She enjoys telling stories through visual design and is excited to help Incentive Solutions tell theirs.

Steven Servas Quality Assurance Engineer Steve Servas is an IT professional with over 20 years of experience within Web, Mobile and API. Has worked in Telecoms, Banking, Internet of Things, Automotive, Finance and Investing, Rewards. Steve currently resides in Suwanee, Georgia along with his wife Nera and daughter Jennifer. Hobbies include fishing, animals, cars, gardening and being in the great outdoors in general.

 

Read The Quarter's Best Blogs!

 

How Does Incentive Program Data Help Your Sales Channel Strategy? Online incentive technology tools and strategies allow you to capture important data and insights about your distribution channel. Check out for examples in this infographic. Read More!

How to Motivate Insurance Agents Insurance companies can use these four methods to motivate insurance agents, retain top talent, and build an engaged, educated sales force. Read more!

10 Best Uses for a Channel Partner Incentive Program The uses of incentives in channel settings include building customer loyalty, accelerating sales promotions, powering SPIFFS, and gathering end-user data. This article explores 10 examples of channel partner incentive programs. Read more!