Incentive - July 2008 - (Page 69)

Pens and Desktop Awards PAGE 72 Watching Basel PAGE 76 From fine writing instruments to globes and desktop accessories, a world of award choices Switzerland’s Baselworld is the watch industry’s biggest show. Our report on the trends. Going Global Hallmark Insights expands to meet needs of multinational companies By Jeanie Casison Product of the Month Corsair 32 GB Flash Survivor ou might never drop a flash drive into the ocean, but if you have an O-ring-sealed Corsair Flash Survivor drive you can—I tried it, and a half hour later at six feet, it was fine. Logoed, pocket-sized flash drives are increasingly popular as a way to hand out both internal and external corporate communications in a way that gives people a high-tech toy they can keep. And the 32 GB Survivor adds cutting-edge capacity and a CNC-milled, aircraft-grade aluminum body that can hold nearly seven DVDs worth of material. Corsair is an established maker of high-end computer memory products. Its Flash Survivor drives (available in 4 GB to 32 GB capacities) also have shock-dampening collars, are waterproof to 200 meters and include encryption software. —Leo Jakobson hen trying to reward and recognize employees around the world, it is easy for programs to be all over the map. Enter Hallmark Insights, a Minneapolis-based subsidiary of Hallmark Cards and provider of incentive solutions, to streamline planning. After successfully expanding its incentive processes through partnerships in Latin America and Europe, Hallmark Insights is aiming to add the Asia Pacific region to its roster later this year. “Everyone wants a global solution. We work with over sixty of the Fo rtune 500 companies, and those clients come to us and say that they need a global solution,” says Mary English, vice president of marketing for Hallmark Insights. “The biggest challenge that most multinational companies face is being able to provide the same type of reward system across the globe. Administration is also an issue. How does a company bill for the different currencies that come into play when W doing these types of programs? The final piece is language. What languages are being offered in the program?” Through the Hallmark Insights Integrated Rewards Incentive System (IRIS), multinational companies will be better able to break through common barriers that exist when operating programs across different borders. Among the enhanced features and services of IRIS are access to better management of different currency and merchant offerings; the flexibility to integrate with human resources information systems; efficient administration; international reporting; market-specific com- munications; and personalized awards redeemable for gift cards and gift certificates from locally relevant retailers, catalogs, restaurants, travel providers, entertainment companies and more. Hallmark Insights is already eyeing other incentive territories to explore around the world. After it introduces IRIS to the Asia Pacific region in Q4, Hallmark Insights wants to focus on launching its health and wellness platform to new locales outside of the United States. “Even though you hear about European countries and socialized medicine, companies there are still looking for a way to incent the workforce to be healthy,” English says. “People are recognizing the loss of productivity in Europe, when they never thought about it before. But it is really more about making employees healthy and keeping them well. Currently we are working with prospective clients on solutions that will exclusively focus on health and wellness.” Y incentivemag.com | July 2008 | Incentive | 69 http://incentivemag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Incentive - July 2008

Incentive - July 2008
Contents
Editor’s Note: Accentuate the Positive
In The News
Cover Story: Three Profiles in Good Corporate Citizenship
Case Study
Incentive Interview
Senior Secrets
To Thine Own Self be True
Incentive Primer
Motivation@Work
Travel News: Where To Go and What To Do
Take the Spa Home
Not the Only Game in Town
Here and Now
Writing and Desktop Gifts
Watches and Clocks
Gift Cards: Health and Wellness Incentives
Good Health Is Not Its Own Incentive
Advertiser Index
Last Word

Incentive - July 2008