With recruiting and retaining talent top of the agenda for many companies, alongside building culture and community, aligning people, fostering loyalty, and igniting success, rewards and recognition programs are adopted by many companies around the world. Earlier this year, internationally industry-leading incentive programs were in the spotlight at The Society for Incentive Travel Excellence’s (SITE) annual global awards in Istanbul, with Sydney-headquartered Indo-Pacific brand experience company, Synergy Effect, winning the category ‘Excellence in Incentive Travel: Asia Pacific’.
Travel incentives are a tactic used to motivate people, drive forward sales, as well as strengthen relationships and brand engagement. So let's take a look at what a travel incentive can look like, and what type of results it could achieve through considering Synergy Effect’s ‘Pinnacle Club’ program to New Zealand - created in partnership with a building manufacturing client.
Sales targets, community and connection.
130 qualifiers exceeded their sales targets by 45 percent to earn a spot on the trip, proof-positive of the hard dollar returns incentive travel rewards generate.
With the program framed in an inclusive way that offered opportunities to qualify for both customers and sales staff throughout the client’s value chain, it generated strong positive comments and multiple opportunities for business discussions and deepening relationships.
People who started as strangers — with about 80 percent of each year’s group attending a corporate event for the first time — felt like they “really connected” and left feeling like the company is “interested in building a community.”
Incentive Program formula: Unique destination + money-can’t-buy experiences + personal empowerment.
Synergy Effect's Pinnacle Club New Zealand incentive delivered destination immersion from the start. Program promotion through highly visual multimedia materials across multiple channels sparked motivation to win a place on the trip and gave product sales a big boost from the communications kick-off.
The group of 130 qualifiers made Queenstown, New Zealand, their homebase for several days with Synergy Effect arranging an exclusive buyout of the group’s host hotel and transforming it into the ‘Pinnacle Lodge’ - a fully client-branded venue for the four days of the program. The action-packed itinerary was developed by Synergy Effect working closely with the Queenstown community and focused on fostering relationships, brand loyalty, inspiring achievement, and personal development.
The layering of activities with embedded entertainment left participants with truly epic stories. The multi-layered program featured terrain discovery by helicopter and jet boat convoys along with locally inspired, curated dinner experiences where the surprises and immersions kept coming.
One of the innovations for this event was a personal empowerment session which provided a safe space for participants to challenge themselves and realise importance of mindset and wellbeing whilst fostering strong relationships.
Brand engagement and knowledge was enhanced with the group given the chance to see first-hand modern home design featuring the client’s products being used in and around Queenstown.
View the incentive highlight video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fsZcNUvGX40?si=ZNwRLAbFRX5sli9X
About The Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) Crystal Awards
The Society for Incentive Travel Excellence (SITE) honoured nine companies with Crystal Awards on Tuesday 27 February 2024 during the association’s Global Conference. This year’s Awards attracted a record number of entries, elevating the achievements of the winning organisations.
“I’m so proud at the growth and success on display tonight,” said SITE CEO Annette Gregg. “This is truly a chance to celebrate the very top of our profession, with leaders here who set the stage and prove the amazing power and potential incentive travel uniquely delivers.”
Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group (the sponsor of the Crystal Awards), said: “The bar truly is raised higher and higher each year, with nominees pushing themselves and their teams to create impactful programs and long-lasting memories that will drive performance for months and years to come. It’s always a thrill to be part of recognising these efforts alongside industry friends and colleagues.”
Synergy Effect’s accolade at the SITE Crystal Awards follows the brand experience company’s success at several major industry awards. In April 2023, Synergy Effect Director Ruth Hirst was honoured at Women Leading Technology Awards winning the Entrepreneur/Founder category, and in late 2022 Synergy Effect was awarded Best National Live or Hybrid Event at the Australian Event Awards. Synergy Effect is a globally leading company for sustainability too, recognised by a Gold Medal from Ecovadis.
To learn more about Synergy Effect visit www.synergyeffect.com.au
