GiftCard Partners Blog

As smartphones become more prevalent in the daily lives of consumers, retailers are constantly coming up with ways to reach these consumers in the space where they are spending an increasing amount of time……….on their mobile devices. While systems like Square and PayPal previously targeted small to medium sized businesses, they have moved into the top tier retail space. This will allow consumers to make payments using their mobile device, instead of having to carry around a wallet full of plastic. Due to the increased importance and usage of smartphones, retailers are also making gift cards available through a mobile device more and more frequently. Not only is it easier for the person recieving the gift card to redeem their gift, but it also revolutionizes the way a friend, or employer delivers the gift. There is added convenience on both sides of the gift card. Imagine giving rewards to employees on a rolling basis through a spot rewards program. The employer can deliver rewards witha click of a button to any number of employees in any number of locations. Mobile gift cards are also revolutionizing the mobile retail space and transforming the way people give and receive gifts.
For more information check out this article and interview with Ken Paull, Executive Vice President of ROAM Data, from PYMNTS.com.

No matter if you gave your mom a gift in person this past Sunday, sent her flowers, or just called to let her know you were thinking of her, the most important thing was that you sent her a personal message. 1-800-Flowers teamed up with celebrities and professional athletes this Mother's Day to send personalized messages to both their moms, and potential 1-800-Flowers customers. The celebrity Facebook posts about sending mom flowers on Mother's Day served as ads on sponsored pages encouraging consumers to do as the celebrities did, and use 1-800-Flowers's services, but they are also using social media in a dynamic way. Using Facebook as an advertising forum, while still staying true to the traditional form of personalized social media messages is a new trend. Chris McCann, President of 1-800-Flowers noted“Getting customers to tell stories is better than us telling the story,” and went on to comment about how Facebook is used to facilitate relationships. Those relationships can be between a retailer and a consumer, or between a mother and child. How did you celebrate your mom this Sunday? Did you use social media to let your network know just how much Mom means to you? Leave us a comment and let us know!  
For more information on unique usage of social media for mother's day campaign check out this New York Times Media Decoder blog post.

GCP has a standing presence in the corporate gift card buyer, loyalty rewards, Scrip, and retailer/merchant communities, and now we are expanding into a little less corporate attitude with our
Facebook page. Our new GiftCard Partners Facebook page offers non-corporate entities similar BULK gift card discounts that corporations have known about, and saved with, for years. Check out our Facebook post: The perfect gift for Teachers, PTAs, and PTOs … and it's no apple! Teachers, PTAs, and PTOs will love this for Teacher Appreciation Week and End of Year THANK-YOU’s. Check
GCP's Facebook page for ideas you can use to reward with gift cards, in bulk.

As businesses increasingly recognize employee wellbeing as foundational to both employee performance and organizational success, it’s clear that a holistic approach is essential. Gallup’s 2024 report on employee wellbeing highlights the need for companies to address five interconnected elements of wellbeing: career, social, physical, financial, and community. Yet only a small percentage of employees feel their employer supports these elements. This gap can leave employees feeling undervalued, risking burnout, low engagement, and attrition.

Employee engagement is a critical factor in driving organizational success. When employees are engaged, they are more productive, committed, and aligned with the company's goals. However, measuring employee engagement can be challenging. It's essential to ensure that the time and resources invested in engagement initiatives yield tangible results. Here’s how you can measure employee engagement effectively: