Although employee recognition is the most common form of award program I oversee, with the poor economy lately, new recognition award programs are being developed for diverse business purposes every week. As small businesses and even large ones are trying to weather the economic storm, many are incorporating recognition awards to entice customers to purchase, persuade employees and customers to provide valid referrals, motivate volunteers to donate or pitch in extra help and provide employee recognition for increased employee retention.
Season Ticket Holder Rewards
I happened to be back in our printing department one day and saw customer reward booklets featuring a striking sport’s team logo along with a stack of customized order forms. This order was being sent to season ticket holders of the team after they purchased season tickets in advance. This is the first year for this customer loyalty recognition program and with the positive feedback the team’s executives heard from this year, they plan on continuing the reward program in 2010.
Executive Apartment Award Program
Another unique recognition idea I had heard about from another account manager recently was an executive apartment award program where business people could earn awards for their length of stay at the apartments. Depending on the length of the contract signed, business executives could receive rewardsfrom different price points. Customer retention at the apartment complex steadily increased over the course of two years after the start of the award program. This year the company decided to add on a customer referral program to reward customers who provide valid referrals. With an eye on high quality service and the economy, this organization is very competitive and has been able to grow business in a down economy.
Blood Donor Recognition Program
One of the most unique recognition award programs I have come across as an account manager was a program discussed in a recent quarterly client meeting. Blood donations in some parts of the United States have been low and one of our clients decided to offer rewards to donors who donated certain amounts of blood and/or plasma. With each donation a person made, he or she could then select a gift or opt to save up the donation rewards to reach higher dollar level categories. Volunteer retention was up for 2008 as many participants opted to work towards earning gifts in the higher categories that require multiple donations.
Volunteer Recognition Awards
Many organizations are reaching out to newly acquired volunteers with recognition opportunities in an effort to retain and engage more volunteers. Volunteer recognition award websites are a great fit for organizations looking to consistently communicate with and retain volunteers. Volunteer recognition programs help to increase participation and retention of valuable members so that they are better able to meet the extra demands put in place during a poor economy.
New Hire Rewards
Unique recognition opportunities should not be limited to customers and volunteers though. According to a recent ManageSmarter.com article, some employers are taking a creative approach to employee recognition by awarding workers at the end of their first day at the organization. This form of recognition is a new trend designed to send a message to employees that they have come to work in a different kind of business that recognizes you are capable of good work and extra effort given the proper work environment. Depending on your organizational goals, this type of employee recognition, when coupled with traditional service awards can help to retain employees particularly in the medical industry.
Whether you are trying to grow your business in 2009 or striving to become a sustainable company this year, unique recognition opportunities are available in every industry. Recognition awards motivate the different people that interact with your organization to help accomplish your objectives in a strained economy.