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Why Social Recognition Isn't a Popularity Contest Channel Partners Need Loyalty Prorgrams Too

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SOCIAL MEANS ACCOUNTABLE truth is, a majority of awards in social recognition are still given by status and stuff, electronic forums and other vehicles for reps to Mike Spellecy is Vice President of Solution Thought Leadership
Even if your managers are falling down on the job of oversight, managers. The solution here is better education for managers on share information and success stories, surveys that allow reps to for Maritz Motivation Solutions. He is responsible for solution
there’s an added benefit to social recognition that doesn’t get how to use the solution, not taking the tool away from everyone. weigh in on their preferences and rules that are perceived as fair consulting with a particular focus on channel loyalty and sales
enough mention. The fact that everyone within your company IT’S POSITIVE FEEDBACK and equitable. Many reps in the survey commented that the chance incentive solutions. He was also instrumental in the development
can see the awards is its own protection against frivolous or quid I want to be super clear here. Recognition data is a great to stand out among peers and the ability to compete fairly were of “Channel HD,” Maritz’s patent-pending approach to creating
pro quo recognition. Anyone who has ever participated in social addition to reviews. Recognition data is pure, distilled, 100-proof, critical to their satisfaction with a program. engagement and true loyalty among channel reps. ESM
recognition knows that the moment where you have to write WHY positive feedback. Positive reinforcement always has a place in Use data analytcs to identfy the traits of top performers,
you think the award is deserved also forces you to think about IF performance reviews. In fact, according to Gallup, focusing on then create diferentated communicatons and ofers designed to
it is deserved. Because you know the rest of the company will be positive feedback and strengths is the very best way to engage encourage all reps to exhibit these traits. One-size-fts-all programs
looking at the award, you’re that much more thoughtful. Even when and develop employees, and knowing that their feedback will not don’t work anymore, and using data to ensure that you are incentng
awards are made private, they’re always visible to managers and be based on – but will include – the insights and positive feedback the right things is critcal to your long-term success, partcularly
senior managers, so there’s always accountability. of peers is a fantastic way to increase employees’ comfort level given the longer selling cycles facing a majority of
IT’S INCLUSIVE, NOT EXCLUSIVE with performance reviews. I’m not suggesting crowd-sourced companies. Using something other than “gut feel” to
I sigh when I hear people express concern about the hypothetical feedback should replace performance reviews or supersede determine the right behaviors to incent will also help
unseen and unpopular worker who doesn’t get recognized by peers. manager feedback, merely that the positive input of peers should to improve your credibility with reps, as the good ones
A social recognition platform expands the circle of recognition from be included to increase levels of trust and remove the shortcomings know what works best.
the 2% of people who traditionally win accolades (like Employee of inherent in a manager’s single point of view and inability to be
the Month or President’s Club) and makes recognition accessible omniscient or ever-present.
for 100% of employees. If that person isn’t being recognized by
manager or peers now, you can be darned sure they didn’t have a You know that a rep
prayer under the old system. I don’t doubt that there may still be a Darcy Jacobsen is a content analyst at Globoforce, a leading
small number of employees who need help to be reached by social provider of SaaS-based employee recognition solutions, where she incentve is a good
recognition, but if someone deserving isn’t getting awards, then writes for and curates the company blog. Follow her at
the problem isn’t the recognition platform – it’s the manager. The www.globoforce.com/gfblog and @DarcyJacobsen on Twitter. ESM way to build loyalty,
but how do you
Enhance customer engagement by honoring preferences stand out from the

Personalized competton?
Relevant

Personalize communicatons in terms of style
and delivery vehicle, and think like a game designer.
Targeted While 80% of reps indicated they prefer email
communicatons, 60% admited there was a chance
they might well delete it without reading the content.
Reps also indicated a desire for sponsors to ask (and
act upon) their preferences regarding communicatons
vehicles and for the manufacturer to personalize
the informaton – that is, discuss the individual rep’s
performance individually.
Reps are also advocates of game theory, so you’ll
need to think like a game designer. This is a newer
MyPreferences® is an enterprise preference management application that lets you more efectively way of discussing certain mechanics that have been
interact with customers and prospects based on their preferences such as product interest, communication a part of incentve programs for a very long tme.
channel or frequency. Leaderboards, progress reports, success stories,
and now virtual rewards for exploring websites and
MyPreferences® is about choice -- let customers choose how they want to engage with you. It’s about trust training materials, providing product input, giving
– building customer engagement by honoring preferences. It’s about engagement – increasing the lifetime feedback on selling directon and a host of other
value of the customer relationship through relevant communications and preference management. behaviors that help reps to blend with your brand in a
way that they choose.
So, is it possible to generate loyalty in channel
(800) 585-4888 reps? Absolutely. Just make sure you have an incentve
program that incorporates these steps, and soon reps
info@possiblenow.com will be averse to any ofers but yours.
from www.possiblenow.com

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