Incentive - January 2009 - (Page 61)

AWARDS T hink back to 2003: If you were browsing the offerings within even the most comprehensive rewards program at that time, how many portable computers do you think you’d have found? Not many. Of course, that scenario has changed immensely in a short time. “Even when I started in this niche three years ago, notebook computers were barely on the radar for rewards,” says Chris Van Dyke, premium merchandise buyer for ITA Group, in West Des Moines, Iowa. “But right now, the notebook category is just exploding. It’s among our top five categories, along with tools and housewares; it’s also getting up there with LCD television sales, digital cameras and MP3 players in terms of dollar volume.” In fact, Frank Harvey, western zone sales manager for Sony Electronics’ premium and incentive group, based in Park Ridge, N.J., notes that portable computers have become competitive with midlevel travel rewards in many programs. “Redemption has gone from seventy percent desktop to more than seventy percent notebook.” —Todd Faber, Carlson Marketing And specifically in the computer segment, “Redemption has gone from seventy percent desktop to more than seventy percent notebook pretty quickly,” says Todd Faber, merchandise buyer for the electronics category at Carlson Marketing Worldwide in Minneapolis, Minn. There are a few reasons for this. First, portable computers now offer nearly all the same features and power desktops do. This makes them appealing not only to the incentive winner for business purposes, but also to a winner’s family, who could use the unit for academic and leisure purposes. As to who’s buying, “We can’t say that any particular industry redeems computers through its sales-channel programs more than another,” says Dave Peer, vice president of client services for Chicagobased Hinda Incentives. But Peer does see a difference in what types of units are being bought by independent salespeople versus internal ones. “Contract reps who must provide their own work tools tend to redeem for units that give them what they need to do their jobs better—and their rewards programs will often emphasize work-friendly products anyway,” he says. On the other hand, internal reps tend to choose a portable that will appeal equally to the family; “something with a big hard drive and high-powered multimedia capability, because it’s probably going to be a Features like DVD-RW units and huge hard drives make powerful new laptops highly sought-after awards Peace of Mind A new partnership between Rymax Marketing Services Inc., a national manufacturer’s representative in Pine Brook, N.J., and Warrantech, a provider of warranty products, now offers the incentive industry extended coverage plans on a variety of consumer electronics. “An extended warranty from Warrantech gives reward recipients peace of mind knowing that the item that they have redeemed will last and is protected beyond the manufacturer’s warranty,” says Randy Toth, new development business manager for Rymax Marketing Services Inc. The extended coverage is available bundled with electronics redeemed as part of incentive programs, or separately as a protection plan for use with an item purchased at a retail store. www.rymaxinc.com —Jeanie Casison incentivemag.com | January 2009 | Incentive | 61 http://www.rymaxinc.com http://www.incentivemag.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Incentive - January 2009

Incentive - January 2009 Contents Editor's Note: Rewards Must Be Sustainable Headlines Cover Story: Responsibility's New Role Incentive Interview: Patrick Lencioni Family Rewards: Who They're Working For Primer: Working Design Leap of Faith: Religion in the Workplace Cook Up Engagement: Kitchen Teambuilding My Turn: Procurement Possibilities Motivation@Work: Hard Times Recognition Legal Ease: The Tax Facts on Corporate Gifts Travel News: Where to Go and What to Do The Bahamas: Islands in the Sun Field Reports: Four European Destinations Golf: Around the World in 18 Holes Potentials Here and Now Watches and Clocks: Strike the Pose Golf Merchandise: Awards with a Solid Swing Computers: Digital Delights Retailers Band Together for Gift Card Market Gift Cards: The Prepaid Reward Spectrum Advertiser Index On the Web www.Incentivemag.com

Incentive - January 2009

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