Every year, Diebold’s world wide sales staff and manufacturers’ representatives are assigned annual sales objectives. Those who meet their sales goals automatically qualify for the Master’s Circle. The top 10% of those who earn Master’s Circle status gain admission into the elite Circle of Excellence.
Maui, Hawaii was the destination for the 2004 Master’s Circle trip and Kapalua, Hawaii was the host city for the Circle of Excellence retreat. Fifteen Master’s Circle participants qualified for the 2004 Circle of Excellence honor. Following their week in Maui, these top performers were treated to a week at The Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua where they networked with members of Diebold’s upper management.
The Master’s Circle planners were challenged to present Hawaii, a favored and frequent location for the Diebold incentive trip in a new and exciting light. They turned this challenge into an opportunity and themed the program “Hawaii 0-Five, ‘Hana Hou Maui’”, which translates into “One more time Maui” in Hawaiian. The theme was also a clever play on the popular television show Hawaii Five-0. The customized program logo, used on all communication pieces and the customized Master’s Circle Intranet site, depicted a retro feel reminiscent of the TV show. The Circle of Excellence program incorporated the same creative elements, but included a unique logo.
The program was launched and promoted through an email campaign that directed all of Diebold’s eligible sales force to the Master’s Circle web site. Program rules and trip details were available 24/7. Using the company’s Intranet allowed Diebold to quickly and cost-effectively send program information in real-time to participants located around the world. Once winners were determined, recipients were able to enroll for the trip and make travel arrangements on the Master’s Circle site.
The 2004 Master’s Circle program had the most attendees in the program’s 26-year history. Due to the large number of Master’s Circle recipients, participants were housed in five world-class resorts on Maui. Each participant received the Master’s Circle handbook that included an overview of Maui plus a separate list of all 2004 Master’s Circle honorees that reinforced the prestige of this honor. Room gifts and theme parties reflected the local culture. E-postcard kiosks, customized with the Hawaii 0-Five logo, were available on site for participants to send digital photos and emails to family and friends back home. The week culminated with the Annual Award Banquet where each Master’s Circle recipient was recognized for their efforts. Post program evaluations showed that the Hawaii 0-Five program received a score of 9.29 out of a possible 10 points!
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