Industry Eye Openers

According to the Public Agenda Forum, less than 25% of American workers are working at full potential! And 50% of all workers see their job as doing only what is directly asked, nothing more! Even the employees (75% of them) acknowledge they could be more effective!

A PNC Bank Corp. survey reveals that knowledgeable and attentive employees account for 80% of the reasons consumers feel satisfied! We think it's just good common sense to offer incentives to employees who become more knowledgeable and more attentive... get them in the habit by rewarding them with an i-gifts™program! Eventually the number of employees embracing these basic concepts will reach a critical mass, and the new employees will learn by example.

According to the Forum Corp., 70% of customers don't go back to companies because they have experienced poor service! Not only are you loosing a customer and opportunities for referrals, but you have also wasted the marketing dollars you spent to acquire that customer in the first place! And you have wasted more dollars to pay employees to deliver inadequate service!

Many companies focus on delivering better and more competitive products, but these companies are not always profitable. Perhaps the primary focus needs to be on delivering the best and most complete customer services, and also in integrating them with the sales efforts. Since that most often requires changing and reinforcing behaviors, Gourmet Gifting™ can be one of your biggest allies in that quest.

More than half of executives who responded to the 1999 Incentive Federation Survey on Incentive Practices believe their employees think that bonus payments are due as long as they do their jobs satisfactorily... they don't have to go the extra mile to earn them.

Based on a survey by American Express Incentive Services (AEIS*), 55% of employees would begin looking for a new job, if a number of their coworkers were let go.

The respondents also indicated that incentives can help to reassure employees that the worst is over and now the focus is back to business. Incentive programs take the spotlight off the downsizing and reestablish a working atmosphere that is more conducive to productivity.

Management may view an incentive program as out of place after a large number of employees are laid off. But the remaining people are always waiting for the next shoe to drop, and an incentive program breaks the ice and signals that the company is ready to move on. It could be the most valuable strategy you implement, if it helps to retain good solid workers!

Under these circumstances an i-gifts™ program can provide continual reassurance of the company's viability and commitment to staying in the arena, long after your incentive program is completed. In fact 60% of employees said they would be unlikely to look for another job if they were reassured of a "bright future".

*The AEIS "Achieve More" April 2001 survey polled a random nationwide sample of 588.