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Deborah Merkin

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Deborah Merkin, CEO and Founder of GiftCard Partners™, Inc. and Engage2Reward™ LLC, brings two decades of experience to the forefront of the gift card industry. Armed with a BS from University of Massachusetts Amherst and an MBA from Babson College, Deborah's career spans technology startups and corporate giants, including AT&T Capital and Staples. A pioneer in establishing and shaping lucrative new distribution channels, Deborah’s expertise grew through consultancy roles with Linens’N Things and CVS®. This journey marked her entrance into the gift card and incentives industry and ultimately laid the foundation for the conception of GiftCard Partners. A Certified Women Owned Business, GiftCard Partners was founded in 2005 and has received the prestigious Best and Brightest Company to Work For® Award for 10 years nationally. With a focus on assertiveness and balanced steadiness, Deborah continues to drive innovation and growth in the dynamic world of gift cards. Beyond her professional success, Deborah is deeply involved in community service, recently joining the board of JBBBS.org and previously serving on the board of JFSMW.org for 5 years.
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Recent Posts

The History of National Nurses Week

Each year National Nurses Week kicks off on May 6, Nurses Day. The week commences on May 12th on the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing. The theme for National Nurses Week 2016 is “Culture of Safety: It Starts With YOU”.  This year's theme honors the contributions nurses make every day to the safety and collaboration in healthcare.

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Incentives in Corporate Wellness Survey

While the number of wellness programs continues to grow, we can’t help but wonder which incentives in corporate wellness are truly motivating employees to participate in programs and, most importantly, to stay well. There is still so much to learn about what works best in wellness and we are quickly learning that there is no one-size fits all motivator and motivation can be both
intrinsic and
extrinsic.

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3 Steps for Measuring Customer Loyalty and Rewards

While getting a customer in your store for the first time is important, in order for your success in retail, the focus needs to be placed on repeat business. It is 6-7 times more expensive to acquire a new customer than it is to keep one. Customer loyalty programs work well, but most businesses may be getting it wrong. Here are 3 steps for measuring customer loyalty and rewards ideas.
Track Customer Purchasing Habits  In order to measure the effectiveness of a loyalty program we need to record the number of new customer vs. the number of repeat customers. This is the very basic first step, tracking who is coming in and what they have purchased. The easiest way to obtain this information is through a connected POS system. A connected POS system automatically sets up customer profiles and tracks their purchases every time they return. This helps provide retailers with an insightful analysis of their customer base. Having linked loyalty cards/spending cards also helps in tracking customer purchases.
Calculate Important Metrics Simple metrics can help a retailer know whether or not their loyalty program is impacting their customers. Some important metrics to consider:

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Promote Employee Loyalty From Within

Employers are constantly looking to find ways to promote employee loyalty in a professional climate of job hoppers and career changers. Employers try everything from nap pods to unlimited vacation to
beer in the kitchen. But what do employees really need in order to feel dedicated to an employer? The answer, real purpose. To feel important and connected to organizational goals and to be provided with opportunities to learn and grow outweigh any perk an employer could provide. In short, invest in employees and they will invest in you.

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CVS Pharmacy® April Wellness Newsletter

Top stories from the CVS Pharmacy® April Wellness Newsletter!

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Wellness has become a fundamental part of a company's benefits program. 70% of employers now offer employees a general wellness program. This edition of the CVS Pharmacy® April Wellness Newsletter focuses on using rewards and incentives to encourage healthy behavior changes, resources on how to maintain engagement and secure long-term program success, CVS news and more.  Read below for more on what this edition has to offer.

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