A trip to the Australian rainforest is one of the 200 individual rewards offered in place of the group program to Sydney.
In early March, when motivation firm Creative
Group and a tech client realized that the coronavirus
pandemic was going to thwart a planned May incentive trip to Sydney, Australia,
for the client’s top 500 global salespeople, they realized a quick change was needed. The immediate
goal was to shift the group travel incentive without losing any momentum and
brand loyalty from the original program.
Creative Group presented their client with several alternative
rewards, ranging from changing the date of the program to replacing the group
trip with an individual reward program. Given
the unknowns related to the pandemic, the client opted for the individual-reward
solution; they even expanded it to include the top performers from its two
subsidiary companies, who were not part of the original program.
In just three weeks, Creative Group created a roster of more
than 200 individual rewards, customized to fit the needs of the company and its
winners within each group and country. The options included individual travel packages
(Australian rainforest/Great Barrier Reef, the French Riviera and an African
safari, to name a few); travel experiences (such as brag-worthy options like
a high-end Porsche-driving experience, tickets to the World Series and a trip to the Sundance Film Festival); charitable donations,
and more. All the individual travel rewards are good for 36 months, giving winners plenty of time to
schedule beyond the few months after the world opens back up again.
The new rewards were rolled out this
week on an online platform that allows participants to learn about their
options and then make their selections; the
winners have a two-week window to pick their prize via computer, tablet or
smartphone. Participants who select
individual trips have access to a dedicated “concierge” who will assist them in
booking their trips. The platform also generates usage reports on demand, allowing the tech client to monitor their
top performers’ engagement with the tool and to help them determine preferred
rewards for future programs.
According to Craig Seymour, Creative Group’s senior
director of sales and business development, by opting
for the quick switch to the travel and experience offerings, the winners “will
still have immediate gratification.” He added, “It gives them something to look
forward to and keeps them motivated for the 2021 program. It shows the
organization cares, and [the participants] will continue to work hard.”