Incentive - August 2008 - (Page 28)

CASE STUDY Members of Rudi’s Organic Bakery’s incentive trip, including broker Mike Manning (front left) and Manager of Sales Planning and Administration Alison Boyd (front right), receive a tour of SOS Children’s Village in Jamaica All the Right Ingredients A sales incentive trip to Jamaica offered employees and brokers of Rudi’s Organic Bakery luxury as well as a sense of purpose BY ALEX PALMER ased in Boulder, Colo., Rudi’s Organic Bakery, the largest producer of organic breads and rolls in the country, already has social and environmental responsibility baked into the products it sells through its low-impact organic growing practices. Perhaps this made incorporating a socially responsible event a natural fit for the company’s recent incentive trip to Jamaica. The group consisted of about 30 employees and regional sales managers of Charter Baking Company, Rudi’s parent company—though almost all participants sell for Rudi’s. The individuals had reached the sales goals that were set for them through the second half of 2007. Leading up to the trip, salespeople received reminders, including a pound of Jamaican coffee and a video of the destination, sent out by the planners, Milestones! Incentive B Travel, Meetings & Events, based in Vista, Calif., to help them keep the end reward in their sights. “It got them involved and excited, and made them realize that it was attainable,” says Alison Boyd, manager of sales planning and administration for Rudi’s. Once finally chosen, the winners were off on a five-day, four-night trip to lush Montego Bay in the northern part of Jamaica. Staying in the five- and six-room villas at the Half Moon Rose Hall beach resort, the participants had no shortage of sandy beaches and picturesque surroundings. Together they spent a day climbing up Dunn’s River Falls in Ocho Rios, and a shopping shuttle brought the group into town on another afternoon, but much of the time was free for the participants to take part in snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, fishing or bike riding with their spouse or other members of the group. PROFILE Rudi’s Organic Bakery Industry: Wholesale organic bakery Challenge: As food costs rose and making sales became more challenging, the leadership at Rudi’s Organic Bakery needed a meaningful way to motivate their employees and brokers during tough times Brokers and salespeople who reached their sales goals joined in a memorable trip to Jamaica’s Montego Bay, enjoying both luxury and social responsibility activities Solution: ROI: Year-over-year sales growth of 30 percent; aggressive sales and new-item distribution goals were hit, at least partly due to the annual incentive trip 28 | Incentive | August 2008 | incentivemag.com http://incentivemag.com

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

Incentive - August 2008
Contents
Editor's Note
In the News
Cover Story: Amgen and Avnet, a Pair of Fortune 200 companies, are taking two very Different Approaches to Rolling out a Global Recognition Program
Incentive Interview: Author, Speaker, Professor, Refugee; Steve L. Robbins’ many hats have led him to ask, “What if ... The World isn’t as We Think It Is?”
Case Study: Rudi’s Organic Bakery Found that an incentive trip with a Strong Social Responsibility Component Works Wonders
Gift Card IQ
Banking on Relationships
Corporate Comics Make Serious Points
Incentive Primer: Tom Miller
Gas Incentives Rev Up
Legal Ease: Pitfalls Beyond Taxes
My Turn: Airline Frequent Flier Programs
Travel News: Where To Go and What To Do
Amalfi Coast: A Classic Italian Destination
Hong Kong: The Original Chinese Incentive
Ireland: South, East, West, and Now North
potentials Here and Now
Electronics: Top Tech Trends
Luxury Goods: Exceptional Awards
Corporate Gifting: Rules and Ideas
Excite and Incent: Spot Rewards
Advertiser Index
Off the Cuff: Hollis H. Malone

Incentive - August 2008