If you buy gift cards for business purposes, make sure you choose a vendor you can really count on. After all, incentives are only effective if they’re delivered reliably, especially when recipients are looking forward to getting them.
So, how do you determine which vendor to use? Start with this list of five essential factors to consider when you’re evaluating your options. It will help ensure you have access to the products and services you need. Plus, you’ll feel confident about placing your first order—and every order after that.
1. Define “fast delivery” for your gift card incentives
How fast is fast enough? The answer varies, depending upon your needs. Sometimes—say, when planning for the holidays—you can order employee rewards well in advance. Other times, you need reward cards shipped out the next day. That’s why you must have a provider that can really perform under pressure. Be sure to ask questions and get specific answers about their capabilities.
2. Take the ordering website for a test drive
Online shopping—you’ve done it, you know how it works. Choose the products you want, add them to your shopping cart, and check out with just a couple of clicks. Your payment method should be securely stored in the system, and you should be able to reorder with ease. Order history, dollars spent, and other details are all right there at your fingertips.
But not all online shopping experiences are created equal, especially when it comes to B2B gift card vendors. That’s why you need to take a potential provider’s ordering system for a test drive. Is it easy and intuitive to use? It should be. After all, you have a lot of other tasks on your plate, and the best individual and bulk gift card provider can make ordering reward cards a snap.
3. Focus on the merchant gift cards and Visa® or Mastercard® Prepaid Cards you really need
There are a lot of cool gift card innovations out there, like sending gift cards through social media and buying gift cards with cryptocurrency. But do you really need them to handle gift card incentives for your business? Maybe in the future, but today you need a fast, easy and convenient reward card provider.
Make sure the company you choose is still focused on the products and services you’ll use. Do they have a wide array of popular merchant gift and eGift cards, including hot, new brands? Can you opt to send out Visa or Mastercard Prepaid Cards if you (and your recipients) prefer them? On a day-to-day basis, these core competencies will matter the most.
4. Ask about the people—your people—at their company
You never know when you might need a little help with your order. Find out who will assist you. Do you join a queue for the next available agent? Or do you know a real person with a direct phone line? Either option can ultimately solve your problem, but a dedicated account manager can make the whole process go so much more smoothly.
5. Remember that every order is very, very important
The best gift card provider values an order for one card as much as an order for 10,000. You need a vendor that takes pride in accurately delivering every single order you place.
The key take-away
Gift card vendors come in all shapes and sizes, and finding the best one for you—and your company—can be challenging. Fortunately, you have this list of essentials to review before selecting a provider. Use it as a starting point for a conversation about what you need for your gift card program. At Solutions B2B we promise to understand your gift card needs, and deliver your rewards on time, every time.
