Virtual Incentives recommended reviewing participation, redemption and costs when assessing a reward programme in guidance published on September 27, 2019. It said organisers should return to the programme’s original objectives rather than track distribution alone.

The company suggested comparing the number of participating customers with the broader customer base to assess engagement. It separately described redemption as the number of rewards claimed relative to the number awarded.

Recipient preferences were another part of the proposed review. Virtual Incentives advised examining the brands and formats people use, including physical and digital gift cards, before adjusting future reward options.

The guidance also called for reviewing programme expenditure. Physical card production, digital development and other administration costs were named as elements to compare with the business outcomes a programme seeks.

The article included external benchmark references but did not establish a universal target for every incentive scheme. Its practical recommendation was to use a programme’s own goals, costs and redemption records when deciding what to change.