GiftCard Partners Blog

High risk consumer touch points can be risky for retailers. Customers are gained and lost when high risk touch points are not taken advantage of and result in negative consumer experiences. What LoyaltyOne's new study shows is that high risk touch-points get even higher risk when certain demographic segments are at greater risk for negative brand interactions.

Workplace wellness trends have been a hot topic over the last few months.  Recently, the 
International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, released
Workplace Wellness Trends: 2015, an in depth survey conducted last October which uncovered the most prevalent types of initiatives, wellness offerings and trends, wellness outcomes and ROI, as well as incentives and strategies.  78% of the survey findings were from US organizations while 22% were from Canadian organizations.  The glaring difference between the US and Canada was the focus on the healthcare system.  The Affordable Care Act's influence has most US organizations focusing more on controlling health-related costs while Canadian organizations were more likely to focus on investing in employee health and engagement. Here are some other notable survey findings:

Employee motivation is the lifeblood of an organization- and particularly important this time of year while parts of the country are facing brutal temperatures, buried under several feet of snow or getting drenched with rain. So how do you keep employee motivation from freezing up with the rest of the country? Here are three things employee motivation killers, and some important strategies to help overcome those pitfalls.

The secondary gift card market is a delicate topic in the gift card industry. It's sort of like a dirty little secret that’s extremely helpful for consumers. In this market, consumers can recycle, regift or exchange their unwanted or unused gift cards for something that is of more use to them. It's a free market, or markets and with the access to internet today these exchange sites are literally at consumers' fingertips. While this new market may leave unwanted gift card holders jumping for joy, retailers are as thrilled. Secondary gift card markets can be seen as devaluing retail brands. These markets essentially allow consumers to trade in one brand for another, making the currency that was previously brand specific, brand agnostic. Currency no longer gets funneled into a retailer's business, but rather commoditized on the open market. Diane Freeland, GiftCard Partners' VP of Client Relations, comments on the commoditization of the secondary gift card market stating, "These secondary marketplaces offer consumers the opportunity to trade unwanted gift cards that they were received as a gift at a less than face value for the cards they are trading." Selling a retailer's brand for less than face value can have unforeseen consequences that only time will tell. Secondary gift card markets are a sensitive subject in the gift card industry, and it is certainly something we will keep an eye on. Check back to this space for more information on this subject as we track the industry’s response.

No one likes hearing they are wrong or that they have made a mistake. It can cause you to lose confidence or want to give up. This is the last feeling employers should want to instill in their employees but at the same time it’s their job to provide feedback, yes and on some occasions constructive criticism. So let’s focus on the key word here,
constructive. Without clearly identifying what you are looking for and more importantly
why you are looking for it, this term can quickly be lost and leave employees feeling bad about something they put time and energy into. While it may be difficult to navigate, here are some helpful recommendations.