GiftCard Partners Blog

Employee wellness programs have gained immense popularity over the last few years. Wider implementation and a boost in popularity based on a component of the Affordable Care Act that incentivizes companies for implementing employee wellness initiatives. Through all of this it is easy to lose sight of what impacts wellness program have on your bottom line, so here are a few reminders:

With much attention being brought to minimum wage workers across the country it is important to recognize other ways to motivate and reward your front-line employees besides handing out cash bonuses. There are ways to improve compensation outside of traditional raises and bonuses that can be equally helpful to employees. It is critical to invest in front-line employees because they are the embodiment of your brand to consumers shopping in the store. A bad interaction with a store employee and you can lose a customer's business. However, when your employees are happy and motivated, consumers tend to have more positive interactions which can lead to upsell and higher potential spending. Motivating chain store employees through public recognition for a job well done at daily, weekly or monthly staff meetings are a great way to reward exemplary employees, and show other employees what kind of behavior management is looking for. Using spot rewards to give employees rewards for above-and-beyond behavior in real time. Small denomination gift cards make great spot rewards. They carry a fixed cost for employers and are helpful to employees by giving them an opportunity to treat themselves and their families to a nice meal at popular restaurants like
The Cheesecake Factory and 
Boston Market. Giving employees a luxury they may not be able to afford themselves is a great way to say thank you to the individuals who control your customers' experience with your brand.
For more information on how to motivate chain-store employees check out this article from Retail Wire.

Relationships with channel reps and resellers can be tricky. You are giving them the power to control your message and brand when you aren't around, and while they are doing the same for other brands at the same time. Here are a few tips to ensure you motivate channel reps to represent your brand and drive revenue.

Digital gift cards are combining the traditional uses of gift cards as currency among gifters and gift receivers, and the cutting edge technology of mobile payments. As mobile payments and mobile wallets because more common at retailer POS, employers can begin to think of digital gift cards as easier solutions to employee reward, health and wellness and safety programs. Here are three reasons digital gift cards are the wave of the gift card future:

We are two weeks away from the 2014 All Payments Expo that will take place at The Mirage in Las Vegas this year. As regular attendees of the event, the GiftCard Partners team is looking forward to seeing both new and returning faces in the payments industry and speaking with new loyalty, incentive and payment companies who can use gift cards as part of their reward complement. The APEX brings together Alternative Financial Services, Emerging Payments, Omnichannel Retail Strategies and Prepaid all in one location to focus on areas of growth and convergence in payments. Check out more on the APEX
here.