GiftCard Partners Blog

We have all seen fuel rewards programs, where businesses reward customers by awarding points for dollars spent at the store. These programs continue to grow with national gas prices, and can be an effective way to drive loyalty, and gift card sales. Offering flexible items such as gift cards, that consumers can then repurpose as gifts holds a huge value for consumers. Their gift dollars go twice as far, since they are earning gas rewards, a huge and necessary expense for most Americans. The value of repurposing every dollar for twice the impact will keep consumers coming back to both the gas retailer and grocer consistently as long as they can continue to gain rewards.

As the holiday season approaches and the holiday shopping season descends consumers are spending more than they have in recent memory, but they are still looking to save and add value whenever possible. Adding a loyalty program for your consumers, your employees, or both can add measurable value to your business. Adding a loyalty program for consumers will keep them coming back throughout the holiday season, and an employee loyalty program will keep employees satisfied and motivated during a busy time of year. Loyalty programs can take a variety of forms, from a points system in which consumers or employees can accrue points over time based on purchases or a job well done respectively,  to a rewards based system where consumers or employees receive rewards, such as gift cards, for these same behaviors. According to Mark Johnson, CEO of Loyalty360, "From a data/analytics/insight perspective, the generic branded, especially the reloadable cards are more important [for brands] and you glean more insight into the interests of the consumer." Johnson goes on to note that the ease of use gift cards provide to both consumers and employees makes them very valuable in the context of loyalty programs. During the holiday season as people become busy and very budget conscious, gift cards help ease the burden on necessities such as clothing from
The Limited or
The Children's Place, or gifts for others from retailers such as
1-800-Flowers. The flexibility of gift cards offers employees and consumers the flexibility to use the loyalty rewards gifted to them on gifts for others.  
For more information on gift cards as loyalty rewards check out this article from BizReport.

Helping employees realize their dreams and achieve personal goals will help your organization form a meaningful relationship with its employees. Employees want to feel support from their employers, and helping employees accomplish career goals and professional dreams will make them more loyal to your organization and more dedicated to your cause. Keep these 4 tips in mind when assessing how to motivate and support your employees:

The infographic below offers some pretty staggering statistics on how employee loyalty is tied to benefits, and how employees are often less loyal to their organization because they are not aware of the extent of their benefits. If benefits were better communicated and employees were aware of all that their employers were offering loyalty and retention rates would be higher. The lack of communication is apparent, since employee loyalty is at a 3 year low, even as the economy recovers and companies begin hiring again. Happy employees are productive employees, so ensuring that your employees are aware of benefits from health and wellness rewards, to spot rewards like gift cards for a job well done, will result in a measurable return on investment for your business.

Loyal employees who are invested in your organization can make the difference between hitting organizational financial and growth goals, and becoming stagnant and not profitable. When employees are not loyal, and are looking to leave it shows in their work and productivity. No company grew and prospered from a workforce itching to get out the door. Your employees are you organization's greatest asset, so use these tactics to keep them engaged and loyal to their employer.