The world of computers is an ever-changing one, and new products hit the motivational market with mind-blowing speed. Every day, computers and accessory products get better, smarter, faster, and more sophisticated.
Today, the best-selling and most popular computers are netbooks, which are streamlined versions of notebook computers designed for Internet browsing that let users stay connected while on the move. Netbooks may look like laptop computers, but they don’t have the latter’s full capabilities. Instead, netbooks specialize in mobility and websurfing, so they are great for travel or as supplement devices to main PCs. Netbooks have smaller screen sizes than laptops, don’t have DVD drives, and weigh less than 3 pounds, making them easy to carry.
“The netbook is a great choice for price-conscious consumers looking to enjoy the newest technology, as they require fewer points to redeem than more expensive computers,” says Mike Donini, manager of merchandise and sourcing for St. Louis-based Maritz.
Many are attracted to the portability of netbooks. “When traveling, most businessmen and women are mainly concerned with reading and responding to their e-mails, reviewing documents, and other minor tasks to remain up to date with daily work activities,” explains Todd Faber, senior merchandise buyer for Minneapolis-based Carlson Marketing. “These ultra-portable [devices] allow for keyboards and, at 8 to 10 inches, large screen sizes to perform those tasks more efficiently than a BlackBerry or a smartphone,” says Faber.
The popular brands among Carlson Marketing’s incentive customers are Dell and Sony. Space-saving Canon multifunction printers that scan, copy, and fax redeem well, too, as do Sony thumb drives, adds Faber. “As we have continued to see redemptions trend toward satisfying personal needs rather than wants, both of these options seem to hit that mark,” Faber concludes.
Industry experts report that another segment in computers that is about to emerge is touch-screen PCs. As the iPhone has shown the world how much fun touch screens can be, it’s the next phase of the technology maturation cycle.
Chicago-based Hinda Incentives is reporting that not only are laptop computers and netbooks popular motivators, so are cordless keyboards and wireless mice, headphones, and webcams. A popular application of webcams is business video telephony, as they permit computers to act as videophones or videoconferencing stations.
“Our redemptions are going really well, especially with laptops and netbooks,” says Rick Bowen, Hinda’s assistant merchandise manager. “As pricing has come down, they have become very attractive items for redemption.”
Patriot Marketing Group, a Los Angeles-based full-service promotion, incentive, and corporate branding company, just began working on two projects that will entail computer accessories as rewards, says Dennis Borst, the company’s president and COO.
The first program is for a major American automaker that recently emerged out of bankruptcy. “We have proposed, as a gift, a wireless mouse in the shape of its major new car. We found the product on a promotional product search engine, and it also appears in the current SkyMall catalog for direct purchase by consumers,” explains Borst. “The other project currently in the works is for a major digital radio broadcast company. We are proposing Wi-Fi digital Internet radios as the holiday gift for this year.”
Over the years, Patriot has done dozens of programs involving MP3 players, USB devices, and radios with docking stations. “Those, especially the USB ports, have become over-used and are of little interest to our client base,” says Borst. “But keep in mind that this may be a function of our current client mix and not the products themselves. Our clients are mostly media-, entertainment-, travel-, and sports-oriented. Thus, we were in programs with chargers, USBs, mouse products, and weather access connectors 5 to 10 years ago, when they were first available.”
One thing is for sure: The world of computers is always evolving, and that drives the motivation of employees. The latest and greatest gadgets are quickly replaced, and many incentive participants are eager to get the next hot product.
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