Becs Thomas
5 min read
Recent studies have shown that 84% of UK adults own a smartphone, and spent more than two and a half hours every day using them. The increase of mobile ownership and use signals important news for employers and is a trend that many of the clients I work with are taking advantage of:
If you have a modern workforce who’s dispersed, or employees who aren’t necessarily at a desk or a computer for a large component of their work day, reaching them via mobile is the way to go.
If your organisation has an employee discounts scheme in place, you’re likely looking for ways to demonstrate success and a return on your investment. Many of the clients we work with know that a successful programme is one that’s frequently used, remains front of mind for employees, and reinforces the advantages that come with being an employee (or even a family member of an employee that can take advantage of the hundreds of discounts!).
Not a bad take home story, is it?
This is where technology can help. Making your programme accessible on a device that your employees are already using habitually increases the frequency and quality of use. For Black Friday, we even offer tailored designs to our clients to make sure their discounts platform gets maximum usage, like the one shown here.
As we head into the Christmas season and deals are right and left for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, accessibility will be key for employees looking for ways to save on specialty and everyday items.
A look at Reward Gateway's SmartSpending™ app
Technology may seem like a big investment for some, but it’s an investment that comes with advantages. As an employee, having access to your employee discounts platform in the palm of your hand, anywhere you are and at any time of day, means you’ve got more opportunities to log in and actually use your benefit in everyday situations.
Enabling instant and online access can increase the adoption of your discounts programme and the value of savings employees receive simply by making them more easily accessible on the go, whenever employees need them.
It also means that as an employer, you’re providing an experience your employees have come to expect:
Modern Consumer Habits |
| Every month, 1 in 5 people buy groceries, 18% buy clothes and shoes and 15% buy health and beauty products using their smartphones (Deloitte) |
| COVID-19 has affected online shopping, increasing it by 40% during lockdown (Deloitte) |
| More than 3/4 of people in the UK now do at least some online grocery shopping (BBC) |
Providing choice and personalisation
Online shopping has opened our doors (and wallets) to an endless number of retailers – from a global brand selling shoes from the other side of the world, or a boutique health food store on the other side of the country. The endless choice provided by digital providers like UberEats, Amazon, eBay, Spotify, Netflix means we’re used to having our personalised wish lists and cravings fulfilled in just a few clicks.
Your employees are all different and have their own preferences that a strong modern employee discounts portfolio will cater for. Some employees shop at big name grocery stores, some grow their own veggies.
Whatever the employees’ lifestyle or buying habits, modern perk programmes provide a well-rounded selection of retailers and offers that assist them in saving money on anything that they love to do.
From the young employee that enjoys an UberEats delivery 3-4 times a week to the employee with a growing family renovating their house, all employees deserve to save money where, when and how they want to. Here's a look at just some of the retailers on offer through our employee discounts programme, SmartSpending™ and how much employees are saving:
For my own Christmas shopping, I'll be looking at picking up my gifts at John Lewis, especially with its click and collect outlets, in addition to Currys PC World to upgrade my parent's tech stack now that they're on so many Zoom calls with me! The question remains on how we're spending Christmas, but if I need all the trimmings for a festive meal, I know I can count on Marks & Spencer and Waitrose to help me save.
Making it easy to find what you’re looking for
An extensive range of discounts needs to be paired with the ability to navigate or find what you’re looking for – in just a few seconds. If you’re using an employee discounts app, an employee who likes to research big ticket purchases to tick off some DIY home projects, they need only flick to the 'Home and Garden' category to compare discount rates at several well known retailers.
An employee that is loyal to a handful of retailers can set them as 'Favourites' so they are just one click away. And an employee that doesn’t know which retailer they’re looking for need only type in a keyword into the search bar to find a list of retailers that they can access a great offer!
Extending the reach of your employee discounts
Forgot to buy a gift, or need to get something for someone with tricky tastes? Instant access to eGift cards from your mobile discounts platform can get you – and your employees – out of even the trickiest gift-giving situation. Downloadable, printable, and email-able, you can give your loved one the gift of choice with a huge range of eGift Cards on the discounts app within seconds.
The more opportunities you give your employees to take advantage of their discounts programme, the more valuable it will be.
Not only are you giving employees the chance to save money at a time where the cost of living is becoming more difficult to manage, but you are proving that you truly understand and value your employees by making access to discounts easy, fast and in tune with their lifestyle.