SCNF publishes sustainable loyalty and reward case studies
The UK-based Smart Card Networking Forum, which supports local authorities in their smart card implementations, is publishing a series of case studies for members wanting to launch reward, incentive and loyalty schemes.
The highlighted schemes include:
• Spice incentive scheme for community based programmes
• Barking and Dagenham reward scheme for young people
• Chester Charisma loyalty card
• Mid-Suffolk Key card scheme
• Windsor and Maidenhead recycling scheme
• Derbyshire Gold Card
The case studies explain how these authorities have implemented their card scheme to bring about a step change in aspects such as health, community involvement and re-cycling.
For example, the Derbyshire ‘Big Vote’ is an opportunity for 11 to 18-year-olds to represent their school on the Derbyshire Youth Council. This gives a voice to students countywide to have their say on services that they use and help decide how to spend more than £1 million on new things to do for young people.
Agency time credits, developed in Wales by Spice, has shown that they can transform the way public and voluntary sector agencies engage with communities by mobilising ‘the many’; with individuals and social networks as the core agents of change. This has resulted in mass engagement, system change and thriving communities. Having demonstrated real change brought about through agency time credits, accompanied by innovative models of design and practice, Spice and the Young Foundation are proposing to broaden this impact with English local authorities and frontline services.
Street Base Connect, launched by Barking and Dagenham Council and NHS Barking and Dagenham, has been designed specifically to encourage young people from 11-19 years old to lead healthier, more active lives. By taking positive actions like choosing healthier meals in their school lunch, taking part in sporting activities or volunteering for charities, the card holders earn rewards points that they can trade in for exciting rewards.
The Chester Charisma card case study explores the continued success of the scheme – now in it’s 7th year – and how it promotes the use of local businesses by offering a range of discounts in various shops and restaurants, free parking and free entry to attractions.
The Mid Suffolk Key is a card for eligible Mid Suffolk residents offering discounts on both private and public sector services, providing discounts to its cardholders across the whole of the Mid Suffolk District at over 50 outlets.
Another case study explores how The Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead pioneered the launch of RecycleBank in the UK, in partnership with Veolia Environmental Services (VES) in June 2009. Recycling in the Borough had already reached 37%. In total, 75% of eligible green waste customers have activated their RecycleBank accounts, whilst over 63% of mixed waste customers are participating. Overall activation in the Borough is 68% of all eligible customers.
Value
Many Local Authorities have some form of loyalty or reward application but the real value of these schemes could be greatly increased with careful planning and integration with other services. With the recent Government announcements on the Big Society agenda, the forum anticipates a growing demand and interest for reward and incentive schemes to energise local initiatives.
The case studies will be made available to members after the SCNF Rewards, Incentives and Loyalty Event in October. See www.scnf.org.uk for more details and to access the National Smart Card Project archive.