THE SECRET HANDSHAKE. How to Get the Most Out of Your Reward and Recognition Agency. A Two-Minute Manual T H E S E C R E T H A N D S H A K E

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Dustin Day
6 years ago
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2 THE SECRET HANDSHAKE How to Get the Most Out of Your Reward and Recognition Agency A Two-Minute Manual

3 PAGE Agencies. The adventure awaits. So you re thinking about adding an agency to your burgeoning reward and recognition program? CONGRATULATIONS! Your agency can be your best professional friend, a boon to your program and your source for those really exotic coffees and morning pastries that only get served at agency status meetings. But like all great relationships, this one takes a bit of work. As luck would have it, we ve published this handy guide to cut some of that very work out of your routine so that you have more time for your daily duties and trips to Facebook. The pages that follow are a companion to today s short seminar, coincidentally titled The Secret Handshake. They answer three questions that most companies new to agencies have: Do I need an agency? Short answer: Maybe. Longer answer: Page 4. How do I choose the right agency? Right way: Research and test projects. Page 6. Wrong way: Dartboard and hope. What can I do to get more from my investment? Myth: Agencies will charge you for just about everything. Reality: Collaborate with your agency and costs are manageable. Page 8. Your adventure continues with a turn of the page.

4 DO YOU NEED AN AGENCY? Yes! No? Um, maybe. While the debate will rage for decades by water coolers and over pasta-laden lunches, the truth is only you can decide whether or not an agency is the right call for you. Guidelines are always helpful, so consult this checklist: PAGE So you ve decided an agency isn t for you? Consider hiring a local consultant, designer or writer to strategize and develop small-scale elements. You can also draw on your own team research ideas online and brainstorm tactics and approaches on a regular basis. 4 Agency GOOD IDEA 4 Agency BAD IDEA Your program is large with a number of strategic and executional facets. You have more time in your day than you know what to do with. You would benefit from a clear, forward thinking strategic direction. Your program mandates people to hug each other at intervals throughout the day. You need a cohesive brand look and feel. You simply need a small number of tactical items created (e.g. brochure, web page). You need credible help selling your program to executives. You could benefit from best practices gleaned from other programs. Your CEO is an eccentric billionaire who hands you wads of money every Tuesday. You memorize the stories of the annual Recognition Professionals International Best Practice Award Recipients.

5 HOW DO YOU CHOOSE AN AGENCY? PAGE Step 2 - Hold a brainstorm Don t simply have your agency take a brief and go away to brainstorm. Become part of the process and be included in the original brainstorming. Statistics show that opening the Yellow Pages and pointing at the first name you see yields an 81% rate of unhappiness with the work generally because people pick with their eyes closed and often land on an area dog stylist. Experience proves that dog stylists make poor reward and recognition agencies. Instead, employ this three-pronged strategic attack*: Step 1 - Do your homework Compile a series of critical and original questions for your agency that get to the root of what you most require as an organization. Include: Describe your overall r&r philosophy. Tell me more about your process and the team responsible for our work. This shows you how the agency thinks on a regular basis, helps you understand willingness to collaborate and shows expertise on the fly. Step 3 - Provide a project The ultimate reference check is to provide a moderate-sized job for the agency and see how they respond to the test. Examples might include: Producing a logo. Suggesting a new trip destination. Sharing a best practice. Washing your car. *This process greatly discourages picking names from a hat, asking your sister-in-law to pick names from a hat, or generally anything involving a hat.

WHAT CAN I DO TO GET MORE FROM MY INVESTMENT? PAGE Everybody knows that time is money, but did you also know that these other things also cost money? Feedback Be clear with your feedback.

6 WHAT CAN I DO TO GET MORE FROM MY INVESTMENT? PAGE Everybody knows that time is money, but did you also know that these other things also cost money? Feedback Be clear with your feedback. Stakeholders Ensure you obtain complete feedback from all stakeholders. Knowledge Ask questions about your budget and your invoice. He who hesitates is charged. While nobody has ever actually used this phrase before, it s an adage that deserves to grow old. Did we say knowledge? Understand what you re paying for in a management fee. Unrealistic Expectations Good. Cheap. Fast. Pick two.

7 NOTES PAGE 11

NOTES Steve Richardson, RBC Performance steve.richardson@rbc.

8 NOTES Steve Richardson, RBC Performance Tel: Jason Thomson, Blackbox Communications Inc. Tel:

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