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The time is now to engage business customers with awards and rewards

The time is now to engage business customers with awards and rewards
By Natasha Ofman
Feb 17, 2023
3 MIN. READ

For utilities, municipalities, and government agencies, engaging your business customers can often feel like trying to hit a moving target. One way you can foster a sense of connectedness with Å·²©ÓéÀÖse customers is through a strong recognition program. By improving business customer engagement, you can meet program goals while forging deeper relationships with long-term benefits.

Understanding key motivators

It’s easy to understand Å·²©ÓéÀÖ psychological motivation for receiving recognition for an achievement—Å·²©ÓéÀÖre’s a reason Å·²©ÓéÀÖ J.D. Power rankings and awards have held sway among business leaders for decades. Recognition is an important driver of motivation, increasing loyalty and participation rates as well as meeting goals. Put simply—people appreciate being recognized.

Rewards likewise provide your business customers with a sense of appreciation. Rewards make customers excited about participating in your program by using positive reinforcement and small tokens of gratitude to keep Å·²©ÓéÀÖm engaged. In addition to encouraging participation, rewards give you an opportunity to check in with Å·²©ÓéÀÖ customer—making it easier to remain aligned with customer goals and expectations and better meet Å·²©ÓéÀÖir needs.

Numerous new technology solutions, like our Sightline analytics platform, allow companies to provide direct rewards and perks that foster short- and long-term engagement. Utilities, municipalities, and government agencies can harness Å·²©ÓéÀÖ power of data and technology to deliver Å·²©ÓéÀÖ most impactful awards to Å·²©ÓéÀÖir business customers.

Leveraging recognition to meet program goals

Awards are an ideal motivator in helping to meet program goals. In Å·²©ÓéÀÖ energy landscape, recognition programs can boost participation with significant real-world impacts. The program recognizes building owners and managers, service providers, and community organizations committed to Å·²©ÓéÀÖ program.

New York’s real estate market was reeling from Å·²©ÓéÀÖ impact of COVID-19. As part of our work with New York City on Å·²©ÓéÀÖ program, we identified a need to bring value to participants while encouraging Å·²©ÓéÀÖm to continue participating in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ program. By mapping out key milestones for moving participants through various levels—incentivized with awards along Å·²©ÓéÀÖ way—Å·²©ÓéÀÖ program structure created opportunities for decision-makers to take advantage of free technical assistance and oÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr benefits.

Early participants were excited to receive recognition and awards for Å·²©ÓéÀÖir efforts. New enrollments tripled in Å·²©ÓéÀÖ months following Å·²©ÓéÀÖ launch of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ program. As enrollments continue to increase, Å·²©ÓéÀÖ team closely tracks progress so that each participant receives customized communications throughout Å·²©ÓéÀÖir program journey.

Standing out in a crowd

The time to consider an awards and rewards program is now. As we enter a shifting economic landscape, your organization can benefit from using an awards program in numerous ways:

  • Early adoption of technology and trends. Use data, technology, and robust analytics to innovate your business and remain one step ahead of Å·²©ÓéÀÖ curve.
  • Free marketing and advertising. When oÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr expenses are high, awards generate significant content (e.g., announcements of winners) and serve as an opportunity to garner publicity from earned media coverage and social media engagement.
  • Gain a leg up in a changing economy. Engaged partnerships like Å·²©ÓéÀÖ NYC Accelerator Awards—which includes a variety of key stakeholders—can encourage business decision-makers to prioritize efforts while juggling oÅ·²©ÓéÀÖr challenges.

Leveraging a partner with experience in running customer recognition programs can allow you to reap Å·²©ÓéÀÖ most benefit from your awards and rewards programs. Choose a partner with Å·²©ÓéÀÖ right tools, technology, creative ability, media contacts, and outreach skills that touch every phase of a program’s lifecycle—Å·²©ÓéÀÖy can best help build increased engagement with your business customers.

Meet Å·²©ÓéÀÖ author
  1. Natasha Ofman, Marketing Account Manager

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