Last week I wrote about customer service and concentrated on our members and how we take excellent care of them. They are 1 of the 2 aspects of our business that we can’t do without.
The others are not customers of the mall but are equally as important…and maybe a mite more. Those are the customers that we build private branded mall for, because without them we wouldn’t have the first.
We only build private branded malls - and do not build any that are marketed directly to members. In other words consumers can only join BSP Rewards through a sponsoring site. Having said that I should point out the conundrum of our business – how do you get the members without the organization? The simple answer is one at a time for most rewards companies. Since we do not try and obtain 1 member as a time our job is a lot more complex.
This is where customer service comes in. It is in the form of two parts. The first part is in regards to the client (the member provider) while the second part relates to the actual member. We covered the member last week so this week it is the clients turn.
We have a dedicated staff that handles the clients and makes sure that they are responded to quickly. It commences upon agreement at which time they receive a start up kit which shows all of the customization available. Then they are placed in the production schedule and then a go through a final check before going live.
After that it is an ongoing task to make sure that thing go smoothly and marketing materials are forwarded including as ongoing and continuing effort which includes a viral email campaign and a monthly newsletter to their entire database.
The work is coordinated by Ema who is a gem. She works directly with the production department to make sure all goes smoothly and customizes the marketing material to make sure the clients message goes out properly. To top it off she works directly with the controller and makes sure that the clients are billed on time. The truth be known, she keeps the joint jumpin”….and watch out for her when she is on a roll.
The concept is simple yet complex. A branded web mall is ordered, a member shops at over 700 participating merchant web site and earns rewards. All of the rewards accumulate as a common currency – cash- and can be spent anywhere. How they get there is more complex…but another day.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Monday, October 22, 2007
Our customer service personnel...
10/22/07 Last week I spoke about the “Members Only” techies group. This week we put a little pink into the blog…our customer service people.
I am not being sexist when I say “pink”. Christina, our Customer Service Manager, thinks pink. You almost have to walk past her computer wearing sunglasses. Every program from Outlook, to Customer Service records and Merchant Purchase Orders swims in hot, iridescent pink. Even her cell phone is pink.
Having said that, and at the risk of a pun, Christina is the one that keeps BSP Rewards customers feeling in the pink. Whether it is a question about an order or details relative to how the rewards mall works, she is the answer lady. When she joined us it took her all of 2 days to learn the system and on the third day she started improving it. Lucky us!
Bethany is our quiet busy bee. She is the coordinator to make sure that all gift card orders are logged in and fulfilled properly and that the shipments go out in a timely manner. I guess it is a high adrenalin position because it doesn’t matter how may vanilla cupcakes she eats, she stays wonderfully slim (Yes, I envy her metabolism).
Jan is the one that double checks and packs the orders. She is precise but processes the shipments in a short order. I must admit that I have a special place in my heart for her even though she is the one person in the organization that doesn’t fully appreciate my constant singing (Others may feel the same, but Jan is the spokesperson).
Here we are nearing the big holiday season and happily our summer time helper Brandon will be off from college and helping us with the ever increasing number of orders. The girls, women, females (to be politically correct) all love him.
The Customer Service Group fully understands, and wonderfully performs, to our 2 basic operating premises.
Our business is not that of just operating the internet’s largest most complete rewards mall. Our business is pure and simple – 110% Customer Service.
Good communication will eliminate 98% of the problems in the world.
Customer service is the center of the BSP Rewards program and they maintain a great working relationship with the other departments and that helps us maintain our “Happy Member” philosophy.
Clients are of course customers as well…but that will be the subject of next week’s blog.
I am not being sexist when I say “pink”. Christina, our Customer Service Manager, thinks pink. You almost have to walk past her computer wearing sunglasses. Every program from Outlook, to Customer Service records and Merchant Purchase Orders swims in hot, iridescent pink. Even her cell phone is pink.
Having said that, and at the risk of a pun, Christina is the one that keeps BSP Rewards customers feeling in the pink. Whether it is a question about an order or details relative to how the rewards mall works, she is the answer lady. When she joined us it took her all of 2 days to learn the system and on the third day she started improving it. Lucky us!
Bethany is our quiet busy bee. She is the coordinator to make sure that all gift card orders are logged in and fulfilled properly and that the shipments go out in a timely manner. I guess it is a high adrenalin position because it doesn’t matter how may vanilla cupcakes she eats, she stays wonderfully slim (Yes, I envy her metabolism).
Jan is the one that double checks and packs the orders. She is precise but processes the shipments in a short order. I must admit that I have a special place in my heart for her even though she is the one person in the organization that doesn’t fully appreciate my constant singing (Others may feel the same, but Jan is the spokesperson).
Here we are nearing the big holiday season and happily our summer time helper Brandon will be off from college and helping us with the ever increasing number of orders. The girls, women, females (to be politically correct) all love him.
The Customer Service Group fully understands, and wonderfully performs, to our 2 basic operating premises.
Our business is not that of just operating the internet’s largest most complete rewards mall. Our business is pure and simple – 110% Customer Service.
Good communication will eliminate 98% of the problems in the world.
Customer service is the center of the BSP Rewards program and they maintain a great working relationship with the other departments and that helps us maintain our “Happy Member” philosophy.
Clients are of course customers as well…but that will be the subject of next week’s blog.
Monday, October 15, 2007
The BSP Rewards Team...
I have been rambling on about BSP Rewards and the industry for some weeks now. Hopefully, I have given you some insight into our company, the industry, our philosophy and our growth. I guess the time has arrived to give credit where it is due.
As a coach and manager of our team I play one of the roles in our success. On the other hand, without the right players - I could coach and manage (as they say) until the cows come home and never reach our goal.
Accordingly, today and in the coming weeks, I would like to shine the spotlight on some highly talented and dedicated people. Today’s blog is about our tech team.
As I am fond of saying, “my hands were never meant for anything technical or brain surgery”. My most challenging task is to think up, and then ask for, the impossible - and then watch the techie team step up to the challenge…and then they tweak and enhance the concept to new heights.
James is our head “technoid” and the guy that developed our platform. He is not only a coder extraordinaire but also a person that understands our model; our customer profiles and the overwhelming need to expand and continuously advance the programs ahead of anyone else in our space …while focusing on the ever-evolving web user experience. Just to state that he is up for the task would really be a gross understatement.
James has been with us from day one and has been integral to helping us attain the heights we have reached. (By the way, he argues at about every one of my over the edge ideas and concepts (plus a few of his own) and then finds a way to improve on it and create the code in half the time he promises…what a guy!).
Our tech team has a “non-welcome” mat in front of their door that says “Members Only”. (Sometimes they are nice enough to give myself and other staff members a floor pass to stop in and visit). Each one of the technoids is a jewel in their own right.
James runs his group with a Velvet Revolver (his favorite band). They work extremely hard and operate as a well-oiled team – each assisting, and also relying upon, the others.
Dan is the guy that works with our web mall affiliates and merchants making sure that all transactions are accounted for and also brings in special deals and promotions for our members. He has a great disposition and handles the multitude of orders and member inquiries with a smile on his face. It is probably that smile, face (and body builder physique) that makes him so popular with the ladies of the world.
On the other hand, Rick is the quietest of the group. He is our graphics guru and has a knack for not only web graphics but is now designing a complete campaign of print marketing that will be customized and private labeled for our clients. One of the reasons he may by on the quiet side is that he just got married a few weeks ago and he is probably contemplating what a good move that was.
The fourth member of the tech team is Bruce. Sure Bruce does web design and html coding (and my personal site web designer), but he pitches in where others fear to tread. If we have a computer problem or new software to install and tweak…he is Johnny on the spot (and of course James is there if needed). Additionally, if we need to re-do a storage room, he is just as energetic about handling that as well (without James’ assistance I might add). We are now developing a new Yahoo Store program for one of our co-ventures. Who is the guy we call on? It is Bruce of course. By the way, if you ever pass by at lunch time and see someone fishing behind our offices…it is also Bruce of course.
…talk to you again next week
As a coach and manager of our team I play one of the roles in our success. On the other hand, without the right players - I could coach and manage (as they say) until the cows come home and never reach our goal.
Accordingly, today and in the coming weeks, I would like to shine the spotlight on some highly talented and dedicated people. Today’s blog is about our tech team.
As I am fond of saying, “my hands were never meant for anything technical or brain surgery”. My most challenging task is to think up, and then ask for, the impossible - and then watch the techie team step up to the challenge…and then they tweak and enhance the concept to new heights.
James is our head “technoid” and the guy that developed our platform. He is not only a coder extraordinaire but also a person that understands our model; our customer profiles and the overwhelming need to expand and continuously advance the programs ahead of anyone else in our space …while focusing on the ever-evolving web user experience. Just to state that he is up for the task would really be a gross understatement.
James has been with us from day one and has been integral to helping us attain the heights we have reached. (By the way, he argues at about every one of my over the edge ideas and concepts (plus a few of his own) and then finds a way to improve on it and create the code in half the time he promises…what a guy!).
Our tech team has a “non-welcome” mat in front of their door that says “Members Only”. (Sometimes they are nice enough to give myself and other staff members a floor pass to stop in and visit). Each one of the technoids is a jewel in their own right.
James runs his group with a Velvet Revolver (his favorite band). They work extremely hard and operate as a well-oiled team – each assisting, and also relying upon, the others.
Dan is the guy that works with our web mall affiliates and merchants making sure that all transactions are accounted for and also brings in special deals and promotions for our members. He has a great disposition and handles the multitude of orders and member inquiries with a smile on his face. It is probably that smile, face (and body builder physique) that makes him so popular with the ladies of the world.
On the other hand, Rick is the quietest of the group. He is our graphics guru and has a knack for not only web graphics but is now designing a complete campaign of print marketing that will be customized and private labeled for our clients. One of the reasons he may by on the quiet side is that he just got married a few weeks ago and he is probably contemplating what a good move that was.
The fourth member of the tech team is Bruce. Sure Bruce does web design and html coding (and my personal site web designer), but he pitches in where others fear to tread. If we have a computer problem or new software to install and tweak…he is Johnny on the spot (and of course James is there if needed). Additionally, if we need to re-do a storage room, he is just as energetic about handling that as well (without James’ assistance I might add). We are now developing a new Yahoo Store program for one of our co-ventures. Who is the guy we call on? It is Bruce of course. By the way, if you ever pass by at lunch time and see someone fishing behind our offices…it is also Bruce of course.
…talk to you again next week
Monday, October 8, 2007
BSP Rewards and the customer...
The loyalty/rewards web mall space is a crowded one so it takes a great deal of knowledge, power, creativity and uniqueness to break out of the pack.
To begin with, it helps to build the largest web mall of its kind…and we have done that. The next move is to keep expanding the mall with additional great name brand merchants and then add features and functions not available elsewhere.
As of this date, our web mall includes in excess of 700 of the nation’s finest merchants (and next month it will increase, as will the month after, and so on). The question of course is what makes one mall or loyalty program differentiate itself from another. As I mentioned previously, it comes down to building a proprietary platform that fits the needs and wish list of all participating parties….customers/members, merchants, clients and member provider organizations.
Today’s blog will review what we consider the most important element of the equation – the customer member. If they don’t shop and enjoy that experience, then no one wins.
I am about to give you a 50,000 foot, jet speed overview from the customer/member point of view. I am doing this from that height of course; to maintain a somewhat stealth mode relative to would be competitors.
So, what is on the consumer/user’s wish list? (These among others)
1. Being able to shop online at over 700 merchants with the click of a button… in an all encompassing single web mall. (While earning reward points)
2. Being able to purchase over 100 national gift cards that can be utilized right in all of the respective brick and mortar stores. (While earning reward points)
3. To shop in the mall or purchase gift cards and catalog items using any credit or debit card in their wallet and receive on top of rewards
4. The added value of earning up to 15%+ rewards on top of credit card rewards
5. The widest variety of stores to earn rewards from in order to earn faster
6. The ability to accumulate the rewards from all stores as a common currency
7. The ability to spend those rewards for anything and everything at participating merchants
8. The ability to earn additional rewards when they spend their rewards at participating merchants
9. The flexibility of spending their rewards even at non-participating merchants (utilizing a free BSP or affiliated stored value MasterCard or Discover Card)
10. The opportunity to purchase over 200,000 “discounted” items from a catalog and earn reward rebates on top of the discounts
11. The instant gratification of being able to “immediately print and use” discount coupons from tens of thousands of local restaurants and local merchants. (A great many of which include reward points)
12. Being able to earn rewards directly in-store (the beta program is launched)
Of course BSP Rewards fulfills all of these elements plus additional feature (pretty bright of us, huh!).
Well, I think you get the overview idea – our primary concern is all about offering each of our customer/members the ultimate experience, rewards and benefit when shopping through their own individual shopping mall.
Next week…more to come.
To begin with, it helps to build the largest web mall of its kind…and we have done that. The next move is to keep expanding the mall with additional great name brand merchants and then add features and functions not available elsewhere.
As of this date, our web mall includes in excess of 700 of the nation’s finest merchants (and next month it will increase, as will the month after, and so on). The question of course is what makes one mall or loyalty program differentiate itself from another. As I mentioned previously, it comes down to building a proprietary platform that fits the needs and wish list of all participating parties….customers/members, merchants, clients and member provider organizations.
Today’s blog will review what we consider the most important element of the equation – the customer member. If they don’t shop and enjoy that experience, then no one wins.
I am about to give you a 50,000 foot, jet speed overview from the customer/member point of view. I am doing this from that height of course; to maintain a somewhat stealth mode relative to would be competitors.
So, what is on the consumer/user’s wish list? (These among others)
1. Being able to shop online at over 700 merchants with the click of a button… in an all encompassing single web mall. (While earning reward points)
2. Being able to purchase over 100 national gift cards that can be utilized right in all of the respective brick and mortar stores. (While earning reward points)
3. To shop in the mall or purchase gift cards and catalog items using any credit or debit card in their wallet and receive on top of rewards
4. The added value of earning up to 15%+ rewards on top of credit card rewards
5. The widest variety of stores to earn rewards from in order to earn faster
6. The ability to accumulate the rewards from all stores as a common currency
7. The ability to spend those rewards for anything and everything at participating merchants
8. The ability to earn additional rewards when they spend their rewards at participating merchants
9. The flexibility of spending their rewards even at non-participating merchants (utilizing a free BSP or affiliated stored value MasterCard or Discover Card)
10. The opportunity to purchase over 200,000 “discounted” items from a catalog and earn reward rebates on top of the discounts
11. The instant gratification of being able to “immediately print and use” discount coupons from tens of thousands of local restaurants and local merchants. (A great many of which include reward points)
12. Being able to earn rewards directly in-store (the beta program is launched)
Of course BSP Rewards fulfills all of these elements plus additional feature (pretty bright of us, huh!).
Well, I think you get the overview idea – our primary concern is all about offering each of our customer/members the ultimate experience, rewards and benefit when shopping through their own individual shopping mall.
Next week…more to come.
Monday, October 1, 2007
The Chicago Motivation Trade Show...
I have to interrupt my historical dialog this week as I traveled to Chicago for the Motivation Trade Show and the show was interesting enough to discuss.
It was much more attention grabbing for us this year than it was in 2006….this time, almost every merchant and distributor was already doing business with us or had heard of us through the grapevine. They were anxious to discuss an initiation or expansion of gift card relationship. It was nice to know that we had reached the point of being courted.
We already have over 100 national merchant gift card in our program and the time had come for us to selectively add only those that we thought would be of interest to our expanding member base. Happily we did find a few and the additions will bring our expansive web mall to over 700 total merchants. (Boy, we have come a long way in the last year).
According to a survey by Discover Card, 58% of respondents said they would be "thrilled" to receive a gift card because they could buy what they want, and another 26% said they would be "touched" by the giver's thoughtfulness. Respondents overwhelmingly feel that gift cards are a thoughtful gift. The survey also revealed that 76% of respondents will consider giving a gift card because it ensures the recipient will ultimately get what he or she truly wants. Among the other leading reasons why gift givers will consider gift cards this year, 65% said they were easy and convenient for both the giver and the receiver, while 64% favor them because they provide the recipient with multiple purchasing options.
While we are on the subject of gift cards, I ought to mention that cards are still only a small percentage of our mall business. Although we sell the gift cards at face value (a must), we do offer points back to the members and participating non-profit member providers. Once you factor in the credit card and fulfillment costs the margins are relatively small.
So why do we do dedicate a category to gift cards? First of all, our members love them and that is of primary concern to us. It is also a marketing tool that creates increased member purchase activity in the main mall itself. And of course, the added benefit is that the purchase volume helps enhance our relationship with the merchants.
The show was very successful for us and we look forward to next year with a great deal of anticipation. Our membership base is growing very rapidly and our sales will grow even more so. Next year, we expect to be elevated to the red carpet and champagne star treatment.
…..more next week.
It was much more attention grabbing for us this year than it was in 2006….this time, almost every merchant and distributor was already doing business with us or had heard of us through the grapevine. They were anxious to discuss an initiation or expansion of gift card relationship. It was nice to know that we had reached the point of being courted.
We already have over 100 national merchant gift card in our program and the time had come for us to selectively add only those that we thought would be of interest to our expanding member base. Happily we did find a few and the additions will bring our expansive web mall to over 700 total merchants. (Boy, we have come a long way in the last year).
According to a survey by Discover Card, 58% of respondents said they would be "thrilled" to receive a gift card because they could buy what they want, and another 26% said they would be "touched" by the giver's thoughtfulness. Respondents overwhelmingly feel that gift cards are a thoughtful gift. The survey also revealed that 76% of respondents will consider giving a gift card because it ensures the recipient will ultimately get what he or she truly wants. Among the other leading reasons why gift givers will consider gift cards this year, 65% said they were easy and convenient for both the giver and the receiver, while 64% favor them because they provide the recipient with multiple purchasing options.
While we are on the subject of gift cards, I ought to mention that cards are still only a small percentage of our mall business. Although we sell the gift cards at face value (a must), we do offer points back to the members and participating non-profit member providers. Once you factor in the credit card and fulfillment costs the margins are relatively small.
So why do we do dedicate a category to gift cards? First of all, our members love them and that is of primary concern to us. It is also a marketing tool that creates increased member purchase activity in the main mall itself. And of course, the added benefit is that the purchase volume helps enhance our relationship with the merchants.
The show was very successful for us and we look forward to next year with a great deal of anticipation. Our membership base is growing very rapidly and our sales will grow even more so. Next year, we expect to be elevated to the red carpet and champagne star treatment.
…..more next week.
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