About The Client
Our client partner is a major automotive company with sales of more than 8.7 million vehicles annually. Creative Group has partnered with this client on a wide range of programs since 2011, including their National Parts and Service Annual incentive and recognition program.
The Challenge
Our challenge was to enhance interaction and engagement during an incentive program for a group that includes many repeat winners who, understandably, expect something new each year. To help our client support an important corporate initiative, we were asked to reduce the amount of paper and printed materials by hosting all program communications on a mobile app.
The Solution
We worked with our client to create an engaging mobile technology solution with the use of our proprietary EventAPP. The purpose was twofold: for the participant, it provided convenience and personalization, and it improved communication and enhanced collaboration with the group. For the host, it allowed consistent engagement and communication with the group through the use of push communications. There was a gaming element within the app, that allowed people to immerse themselves in the program even before they left home, by answering questions about the program. Once on-site, guests were able to post pictures with short comments. It created FOMO, building the motivation for others to win in the future.
Greater convenience and personalization
- All program information was in each participant’s mobile device; no need to remember to bring paper instructions about times and locations.
- Personalized agendas provided each person’s specific activities (what to wear and bring, where to meet, etc.). They could additionally rate the activity they participated in, providing real time feedback to the hosts.
Improved communication
- Due to weather changes, the location of a breakfast was moved and the change was immediately communicated to the group.
- By including the hospitality desk staff in the app’s chat feature, participants could send a request to the hospitality team from wherever they were; quick and easy.
- When a staff member noticed that high tide was bringing a large group of jelly fish ashore, a push notification was sent to the group advising them to come to the beach to witness and photograph the event (and avoid swimming in the area).
- A participant found someone else’s Apple watch and posted out to the group announcing that it had been found. It was someone within the group who had lost it, and the watch was easily returned.
Networking, connection and collaboration
- Participant photos were uploaded at registration that were later embedded in the app so people could put names to faces, increasing camaraderie.
- As people uploaded photos during the program, a video stream of the images ran continuously at the hospitality desk for all to see.
- Photo challenge – people were invited to participate in the photo challenge that carried instructions to locate particular photos. The photos were assigned a point value and whoever collected the most photos (and points) won a $100 credit to their incidental room bill. A component within the photo challenge encouraged people to snap a photo with members of their regional or national leadership team; a great way to forge conversation and networking with leadership.
- People could alert others as to their location, or for instance, invite them to join them at the pool through the news feed that allowed people to see what others were doing. No FOMO here!
- For further memory sharing, following the program all photos were downloaded into a link that was sent to all attendees along with their program evaluation survey.
Convenience for the hosts
- Push notifications could quickly communicate new information.
- Feedback from surveys of participant activities provided real-time information (any concerns or rave reviews could be communicated to suppliers on-site).
- No printed materials were used, reducing the event’s carbon footprint.
Promoting the experience
- A collage of photos from the trip will be used on next year’s registration site, ramping up motivation to win.
- After the program, participants shared collective photos from the group experience with family and friends, upping their social status.
- Some of our client’s planning team that couldn’t be on-site, participated in the event by seeing photos and posts from the winners; they could gauge the excitement from a distance.
The Outcome
The program reviews were overwhelmingly positive, with 83% of the group saying they felt the incentive program motivated them to meet or exceed their sales and service goals.
Of all survey respondents:
- 91% felt the app enhanced their engagement with the program
- 60% participated in the photo challenge within the app, posting 680 photos!
Our client was pleased with the app on two fronts: first, they saved $6,000 on print communication costs, allowing them to boost the budget in other areas, and secondly, they simultaneously supported their corporate initiative to reduce printed materials AND enhance the participant experience. A win, win, win, for sure.
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