Incentive Management 101: How to Manage an Incentive Program

Incentive Management 101: How to Manage an Incentive Program

Mandy Freeman

Incentive Program Management

Once a business has decided to implement an incentive program, there are many ways to approach incentive program management. Depending on the size of the target audience, the duration of the incentive plan, funding, and available manpower, companies can:

  • Spread the responsibilities across current employees (i.e. leadership);
  • Hire one or more employees whose sole job is to build and manage the program; or
  • Outsource program management to an incentive program provider.

The beauty of an incentive strategy is that there is no right way to go about it, and no two incentive programs look alike. There are, however, ways to streamline the incentive management process, which is why we are giving a sneak peek into how our program managers get the job done.

Incentive Management: The Structure

Here at Extu, our Senior Account Managers have over 10 years of experience. Their goal: to serve as a natural extension of your brand. They are ROI-certified to make sure that your investment is providing the best possible return, and that your program stays on track. Even better, we provide an entire team dedicated solely to customer assistance, answering any and all questions your participants may have.

We’ve broken down the incentive management process into six steps, from planning and launch to review and analysis.

Step 1: Program Onboarding and Setup 

Join your Account Manager for a kickoff meeting, where we’ll go over program strategy, discuss your budget and payment structure, and review branding ideas for your incentive program management platform. We can review your program’s potential ROI to determine the most important program goals.

Step 2: Creative Design and Enrollment

We design your reward program management platform, set up your enrollment method, and create a program communication calendar. This ensures the right people are enrolled in your program and that you’re getting the right data during registration. We also offer custom coding from our in-house incentive software developers to make sure your brand image is seamless.

Step 3: Data Reporting and Program Structure

Here is where we start building your program. Together, we’ll design promotions, build out your add-on modules, confirm award structure, upload participants, and review data templates to make sure you’re getting the data you need.

Step 4: Program Testing and Training

There are two sides to each reward program: the administrative side and the participant side. We will activate your admin account and train your internal admins. Next up is the program review, where we’ll demo the current concept and add any additional finishing touches.

Step 5: Launch! 

Arguably the most exciting, yet intense time, we are there with you every step of the way to make sure your program launches without a hitch. This is when we focus on ensuring that the user experience is performing well, and we address any technical problems involving registration for your participants. You only get one chance to make a first impression, and our customer care team is ready to help your participants enroll and get your program off the ground.

Step 6: Program Review

Data analysis and program review are the best way to keep your program on track to achieve its goals. With over 60+ available reports and experienced account managers, we can locate trouble spots and shift gears if the original plan isn’t as effective as intended. Be it performance, communication tactics, and the effectiveness of your marketing dollars, we gauge your current metrics and offer fast-working, proven solutions.

Looking for More Management Tips?

Check out these resources below for more incentive management strategies:

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