IGCC is Prepared to Help Employers Deliver End of Year and Holiday Recognition Employees Want Most

Enhanced Gift Card Buyer's Guide includes ideas for virtual events and access to resources for hundreds of gift card brands.

MINNEAPOLIS – Oct. 28, 2020 – How can employers overcome the challenge of recognizing employees and connecting with them in a personal way when so many are working from home due to COVID-19? The answer − gift cards. “There are so many ways to personalize gift cards. It’s one of the best ways you can personalize your recognition from a distance,” said Incentive Gift Card Council (IGCC) President, Benita Johnson, IP, gift card program manager, PetSmart.

Gift cards are also the gift of choice for many employees. Research from IGCC member company Blackhawk Network showed 84% of employees who work from home prefer prepaid rewards and gift cards. They are versatile and allows employees to treat themselves to something they wouldn't normally buy or purchase something they really need.

“To help this year, we have enhanced our IGCC Buyer’s Guide. We have incorporated ideas for ways to combine fun, virtual events and gift cards to help connect your employees across work locations and show them they are appreciated,” Johnson said. 

Gift cards, like many gifts, are not one size fits all. Finding the right mix of brands to appeal to a diverse group of employees or customers can be challenging. “If you want multiple brands or you are unsure of the best fit for what you want to accomplish, our IGCC members will work with you to come up with the best solution,” Johnson said. Buying online allows organizations to purchase via the corporate or bulk option, which often includes volume discounts. 

IGCC members may also have insights on personalization. “In the past, people may have shied away from gifting digital cards because it wasn’t personal, but today there are so many ways to personalize regular gift cards and digital cards,” Johnson explained. 

Previous IGCC research showed corporate gift card buyers are looking for choice, ease and service. The IGCC guide helps you quickly and easily find the resources to achieve your goals. It also provides links to the IGCC member directory which includes nearly 200 industry-leading retailers, distributors, vendors and agencies that make it easy to select, securely distribute and manage a gift card recognition program. 

About the Incentive Gift Card Council      www.usegiftcards.org
The Incentive Gift Card Council (IGCC), a Strategic Industry Group of the Incentive Marketing Association (IMA), promotes the value of gift cards for incentive and recognition programs to enhance business performance. IGCC member companies are the elite among retail, catalog and performance improvement agencies, offering cards and certificates that can be redeemed for merchandise, travel, food, accommodations and services. IGCC members provide all products and services needed to successfully design, print, package and implement highly successful B2B or B2C gift card programs.

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Contact:  Ione Terrio ● iterrio@incentivemarketing.org ● 952-928-4699