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Deborah Merkin

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Deborah Merkin, CEO and Founder of GiftCard Partners™, Inc. and Engage2Reward™ LLC, brings two decades of experience to the forefront of the gift card industry. Armed with a BS from University of Massachusetts Amherst and an MBA from Babson College, Deborah's career spans technology startups and corporate giants, including AT&T Capital and Staples. A pioneer in establishing and shaping lucrative new distribution channels, Deborah’s expertise grew through consultancy roles with Linens’N Things and CVS®. This journey marked her entrance into the gift card and incentives industry and ultimately laid the foundation for the conception of GiftCard Partners. A Certified Women Owned Business, GiftCard Partners was founded in 2005 and has received the prestigious Best and Brightest Company to Work For® Award for 10 years nationally. With a focus on assertiveness and balanced steadiness, Deborah continues to drive innovation and growth in the dynamic world of gift cards. Beyond her professional success, Deborah is deeply involved in community service, recently joining the board of JBBBS.org and previously serving on the board of JFSMW.org for 5 years.
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Recent Posts

The 3 R’s and their place in Customer Loyalty

Promo Marketing released an article this week that gave some insight into customer loyalty and the need for revolution. The simple, straight forward formula they offer does not necessarily lead you to the customer loyalty "pot of gold" but it's definitely a treasure map. Introducing, The 3 R's. Reward, Recognition, Relevance These three words should be constantly intertwined with the term customer loyalty, but how well are they being implemented? Maybe another ‘R’ word will catch your attention...Repetition. Reward, Recognition, Relevance The
Reward can be as simple as a Thank You. Thanking your customers for their loyalty to your brand or business is easy and inexpensive. Try giving them a discount, a chance to earn points, or rewarding the women in your office with a gift card to The Limited or the men in your office with a gift card to AutoZone.
Recognition is a way the show your customer that you appreciate them for choosing your brand or business when they could have just as easily gone to your competitor. Lastly,
Relevance is key. In a day in age that throws more information at customers than pick-up lines at a singles bar, you could be reaching a customer who is overwhelmed and exhausted; the last thought in their mind being to process your message. So, keep it relevant, put yourself in front of the eyes that want to see you. Don't try playing football at a baseball game. As hard as it might be to practice, quality is better than quantity in the case of customer loyalty. Remember the 3 R’s and it could put you on the track to success.
Read more on The Three ‘R’s to Successful Customer Loyalty, here.

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Employees Look for Carrot Based Health and Wellness Programs

According to a new survey performed by the National Business Group on Health employees are excited and engaged in Health and Wellness programs that offer carrot rewards for fitness and health goals reached. The same survey also indicated that employees are significantly less engaged in Health and Wellness programs that raise employee health contributions if fitness goals are not met. The survey from NBGH indicates 80% of employees endorse carrot based wellness programs, while only 29% endorse stick based programs. These survey results are further proof that using a positive reard system is going to provide lower health costs for your company, and healthier happier employees who feel the support of their employer in their personal wellness plan. Providing even small denomination gift cards for retailers such as GNC, or the
CVS/Pharmacy Select Card that only debits on healthy items will help employees reach their goals and provide the carrot reward they need to feel the cooperation from their employer. Providing carrots are a low-cost, high ROI way to manage health care costs and keep employees healthy and satisfied in their jobs.

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Keep Your Employees Motivated on a Limited Budget

Employers and employees alike are hit hard by their company’s limited funds. Keeping a motivated workforce doesn't have to drain your budget. And it doesn’t have to drain your time and energy either. If raises and bonuses are out of the question, employers are forced to get creative in order to keep motivation high, and to reward and recognize their employees. Forbes recent article titled, “5 Ways to Keep Your Employees Motivated Without Breaking the Bank,” outlines several ways for employers to implement creative ideas, that are also unique, and most importantly budget-friendly. One such idea is, have a ‘Boss Does Your Work’ promotion. This fun incentive works great in an office with a break room and bathrooms that employees are in charge of keeping clean. Consider offering employees the chance to have their managers take over these chores for the month, in turn for meeting specific goals. If you know your employees are looking for a little extra, gift cards to SUBWAY for a healthy lunch can work perfectly. Or, say ‘Thank You’ to them and their family with a night out to dinner with Boston Market or The Cheesecake Factory gift cards.
Discover more creative ideas for motivating employees without ‘Breaking the Bank’ by reading the full article here. Can you think of anymore?

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5 great ways to motivate your employees

Here are 5 great ways to motivate your employees. Using a mix of reward techniques will help meet different kinds of employee needs. Do you use any of these techniques? If so, leave us a comment and let us know how effective you find them, and if not let us know what other techniques you find effective.

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Combat Rising Automotive Costs with Gift Card Rewards

As we navigate through 2024, rising automotive maintenance and operation costs are becoming a significant concern for many Americans. While fuel prices remain a pressing issue, the broader impact of vehicle maintenance costs cannot be overlooked. Recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that automotive maintenance and repair costs have surged by 5.7% over the past year, adding to the financial burden on households. In response to this growing challenge, companies looking to reward and support their employees should consider offering AutoZone® and Jiffy Lube® gift cards.

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