Agricultural Manufacturer
How we generated $64M in gross profit for an agricultural manufacturer – and one heifer
The Big Picture
It started with an incentive program we presented to an agriculture manufacturing client to enhance sales for a specific product. They thought it was such a great idea, they wanted to apply it across all 12 of their product lines. No less than 16 vendors were brought in to present their solutions over a 6-week evaluation period. They said they chose Motivation Excellence because we knew their industry and understood their challenges and opportunities. The biggest challenge here was the lack of data tracking where products were being sold, and by which sales reps.
Research & Analysis
We took a measured approach to mitigate risk. We first conducted field research to better understand our participants, the products they sell, where their products were being sold, their industry outlook, and what moves them. We also analyzed how best to capture the sales rep sales data needed to focus our efforts.
Our Solution
Our industry research, experience, and analysis led us to a custom, multi-year performance improvement solution
- In Year 1, we built rep-level tracking, identified participants, and captured baseline sales data by implementing a custom platform we designed to integrate with the client’s warranty system. Understanding where certain products were most likely to be sold was critical to designing the programs.
- In Year 2, we launched the incentive program for dealer sales reps across all the client’s product lines. Armed with sales data, we set realistic regional and product line-specific dealer goals, fostered engagement, loyalty, and teamwork within the channel, and drove growth and ROI with tiered incentive rewards and a great shopping experience.
- In Year 3, we realized the opportunity to sell the replacement parts needed across a range of products and created a cohesive program for all the client’s customers. We took regional priorities and product group-specific needs into consideration to develop a seamless program for the client’s channel.
Design Details
Understanding the challenges, our sophisticated, ROI-centered plan addresses all our client’s concerns. These elements made it work:
Custom Platform
Integrated with our client’s warranty tracking system, our platform tracked sales to the rep level without adding a learning curve for participants.
Marketing Campaign
Focused on the dealer owner to explain the benefits of the program and encourage them to enroll the sales reps.
Communications
To keep everyone informed on their standings, motivated, and focused on top awards.
Points-Based System
Earned on equipment and financing products. When the dealership reached its goal, everyone earned bonus points.
Motivating Rewards
Including a prestigious travel experience for top-performing sales reps, and award points redeemable for individual travel, event ticket, and specialty items.
Monitoring
Tracking KPI & ROI quarterly to keep our client in the loop.
Only at Motivation Excellence
When it comes to service, we go the extra mile, for clients and their participants alike. When one of this program’s participants called our personal shopper, Susan, to see if there was a way to redeem his points for a heifer for his granddaughter’s 4H Club, we didn’t flinch. Instead, Susan got to work. And the participant got himself a fine-looking heifer.
Proof positive that at Motivation Excellence, we’re big enough to serve…but small enough to care.
Quantifiable Results
ROI
ROI exceeded goal by by 27.3%, generating $64.4M net GP over goal.
Equity
We built equity with dealers and their sales reps through program communications, attainable and desirable rewards, and a great reward experience.
Data & Analytics
With the tracking systems we put in place, we were able to gather critical sales data and create analytics to help our clients see their sales and ROI opportunities more clearly.
Get to Know ME with Tom Betley
Tom Betley is our East Coast Director of Business Development, based in the New Jersey/Philly area. He has many passions and loves to chat about sports, travel and family the most! He’s quick with a joke and loves to razz his coworkers whenever he can. Read below for more insights and be sure to watch Tom’s Get to Know ME video embedded too!
What’s your title and how long have you been at Motivation Excellence?
Director of Business Development – two stints totaling 15 years.
What does your job entail?
Calling on existing clients and prospecting for new clients. Helping each of them address specific business issues that call for a behavior change to impact performance.
What’s something special about working at Motivation Excellence that you’d like to share?
From the owner down through the organization we all work together in a customer-first way to ensure creative solutions based offerings but exceed expectations delivery.
What’s your favorite part of your job at Motivation Excellence?
We have an exercise called “where in the world” that we go through when we have a new or existing client and we are making suggestions on a travel experience. We usually do it over a cigar and try to match a destination with the demographics, budget and preferences of the client. FUN!
What’s an unknown or odd talent you have?
I make 9 out of 10 foul shots with my eyes closed. Still to this day.
What motivates you to accomplish things in your life (work or personal)?
Competing. I love competition whether at golf, a board game, work achievement, or an NCAA pool.
What do you enjoy doing outside work?
Travel, golf, spend time at our campsite, spend time with our kids and grandkids.
One thing that always makes you laugh is?
Rodney Dangerfield
What have you done that helped you get through the pandemic?
Lots of stuff around the house with my wife leading the charge. Stuff I used to address by saying “I gotta a guy that can do that”, I am now doing myself.
What is the most unusual job you’ve ever had?
Machine shop in HS. We drilled holes in metal that would eventually become heart machines. Can you spell BORING!
This month, our theme for social media is self-awareness. How do you apply self-awareness principles to your life? (you can read my blog to get info on self-awareness)
I guess the biggest change I’ve made regarding self-awareness is not reacting emotionally to something I hear or see. I am definitely more aware of listening and not reacting right away. I think my daily cigar is one of the great ways to take time to reflect.
Get to Know ME with Dave Bunge
Dave Bunge is celebrating an anniversary with Motivation Excellence this month! Read below and watch the video to learn some fun facts about our game-loving web developer. Anyone else out there broken the same bone multiple times? We’re glad you’re all healed now, Dave!
What’s your title and how long have you been at Motivation Excellence?
Web Developer/Programmer, 7 years (as of 12/12/2020)
What does your job entail?
I support clients by building websites to support the programs that we run for them.
What’s your favorite part of your job at Motivation Excellence?
Relationships with coworkers.
What motivates you to accomplish things in your life (work or personal)?
Feeling a sense of accomplishment and pride.
What do you enjoy doing outside work?
I play various games on my PC and watch videos on Amazon Prime & Disney+.
One thing that always makes you laugh is?
Watching videos of my niece and nephews and hearing their cute laughs.
What have you done that’s helped you get through 2020?
Some of my normal weekly activities went digital through Zoom and Discord, so I’ve been able to keep in touch with people. I also joined a new Meetup group for D&D Newbies and played some one-shots with strangers.
What is the most unusual job you’ve ever had?
I don’t consider any of my jobs to be unusual. I worked at Hollywood Video in high school for a while, and I worked at Culver’s. Apart from that, I’ve been working as a web developer, which I do not consider unusual.
Get to Know ME with Tina Roszak
We’re happy to give you a little inside peek at one of our Travel Program Managers, Tina Roszak! It’s teammates like Tina who make working at Motivation Excellence a happier place. Just don’t let her get you in her “sights” apparently. LOL.
What’s your title and how long have you been at Motivation Excellence?
Travel Program Manager. In January, it will be 17 years that I’ve been with MEI.
What’s something special about working at Motivation Excellence that you’d like to share?
The people! We care about each other and always work together as a tight-knit team.
What’s your favorite part of your job at Motivation Excellence?
(Creating) the menus and décor elements of a program.
What’s an unknown or odd talent you have?
I’m pretty good at target shooting.
What motivates you to accomplish things in your life (work or personal)?
Optimism that each day is a new start for a brighter tomorrow. Wanting to be a positive influence in the world around me.
What do you enjoy doing outside work?
Gardening, coloring and exploring nature
One thing that always makes you laugh is?
My husband! He always knows how to make me laugh, even after 30 years!
What have you done that’s helped you get through 2020?
Realizing my blessings and being grateful for the loving people around me.
Motivation Excellence Celebrates Back to Back Honors
It’s with great pleasure we announce being honored with the Best and Brightest Companies to work for® in the Nation distinction again in 2020! Motivation Excellence is one of 147 national winners among 1,300 applicants. We hold 2019 honors for this national category, as well as for Companies in Chicago for 2019 and 2020.
The Best and the Brightest Companies to Work For® celebrates achievement and success in empowering employees’ lives through rich heritage and culture. Its mission is “Better Business, Richer Lives, Stronger Communities.” Each winning company has demonstrated a positive impact on its employees resulting in happier and more productive work environments.
“It’s a long, all-encompassing application process that includes an anonymous survey for each of our employees to fill out. Even though it takes a lot of time to apply each year, I’m thrilled with the results! It’s great to have the outside world see Motivation Excellence the way we all see it: A wonderful place to work and thrive!” says Diane Kelly, VP Finance & Admin, who takes on the task to apply each year.
Motivation Excellence recently premiered its new corporate headquarters.
This new space was designed to embody its mission to Inspire Extraordinary Performance. The office is filled with a lot of bright color, natural light and collaborative work areas. Materials used, from the carpeting to the furniture, are eco-friendly. Due to COVID-19, employees are splitting their time between the new office and remote working.
“I can’t wait for the day that we can be at full capacity in our new headquarters, but having the flexibility for each person here to be able to work from home is a real blessing. During COVID-19 this spring when everyone was remote, our events committee worked hard to continue to engage our team with activities like virtual meeting bingo, meet my furry coworker pictures and Friday happy hours. That we all remained connected during a stressful time points to the positive culture we’ve carefully nourished at Motivation Excellence with the guidance of our senior leadership, Bob Graham, Brad Hecht, Diane Kelly and Rhonda Brewer,” says David Jobes, Owner and President.
Besides flexible working arrangements, other perks of working at Motivation Excellence include receiving two days off each year to help a favorite charity and a work anniversary holiday. Employees often comment how they see their coworkers as part of a family. Almost a third of our nearly 30 employees have been with Motivation Excellence for more than 20 years!
This is the 10th Annual Best and Brightest Companies to Work For® award announcement.
Get to Know ME with Jen Hurley
There are some people who just have a knack for numbers! Jen Hurley is one of those people who happens to work in our accounting department – how fortunate for us! Read and watch Jen tell us some inside info on the joys she has at Motivation Excellence and at home.
What’s your title and how long have you been at Motivation Excellence?
My title is Project Accountant, and I’ve been with Motivation Excellence for 6 ½ years.
What’s something special about working at Motivation Excellence that you’d like to share?
One thing that makes Motivation Excellence stand out is the unwavering support I have received. In the 6+ years I have been here I have been through more ‘situations’ than most people go through in a decade. Through it all, everyone at Motivation Excellence, from my co-workers to management, has supported and encouraged me.
What’s your favorite task as an accountant for Motivation Excellence?
There are so many favorite tasks! I’m always up for a good puzzle so reconciling accounts or programs is always fun.
What’s an unknown or odd talent you have?
I have an uncanny knack for remembering useless information and used to do bar trivia every week with friends.
What motivates you to accomplish things in your life (work or personal)?
I always want to make a difference. Knowing that I can have a positive impact on someone else’s day, be it my husband, kids, co-workers or a stranger, helps give me that extra boost to get things done.
What do you enjoy doing outside work?
I’m an avid reader, I enjoy surfing around Pinterest and creating (and often failing) projects and spending time with my family.
One thing that always makes you laugh is?
I have an odd sense of humor and often laugh at inappropriate times. Once I get going, it is really hard to get it under control. My kids make me laugh every day without fail.
What’s the most interesting former job you’ve had?
I’ve always worked in accounting, so every job I’ve had has been interesting! No, really! But, if you need an example, my first job was as a billing clerk for the trucking company that shipped Tootsie Rolls for Knights of Columbus fundraisers and Terri Lynn peanuts for Kiwanis fundraisers. So, if you ever donated a buck to the guy in the intersection in the 90’s and got a Tootsie Roll or bag of peanuts in return, odds are I had something to do with it.
MAXRewardsYourWay: Show appreciation for stellar work in a challenging year
Generate excitement among your target audience with customizable reward packages.
MaxRewardsYourWay allows you to select the award value, while inspiring your potential recipients to work toward an instant lifestyle upgrade! Each package is filled with great items that can be adjusted to fit the award winner’s desire. It’s all about making your most valued talent feel appreciated!
Benefits:
- The prebuilt lifestyle packages can be easily customized to your recipients’ needs.
- There are no set-up costs.
- You only pay for the packages your employees choose.
- The reward is immediate!
It’s an easy way to show appreciation for stellar work in a challenging year. 2021 will be here before we know it!
Contact us today to recognize your top performers! me@motivation.redefinedcreative.com
Get to Know ME with Rebecca Steiner
Rebecca Steiner joined our team four years ago and has made a name for herself at Motivation Excellence! Read and see/hear more about her in our Get to Know ME blog and video chat. Then let her know if you want to learn how to water ski!
What’s your title and how long have you been at ME?
Business Development Director – a little over 4 years.
What’s something special about working at ME that you’d like to share?
It’s like a 2nd family we have fun, work hard and we thrive on helping our clients.
Have a special story about a client interaction that you still smile about?
Helping a client with a community service event to rebuild a playground for a school.
What’s an unknown or odd talent you have?
I love to teach kids to water ski and see their excitement when they master it.
What motivates you to accomplish things in your life (work or personal)?
In my work life, helping my clients and positive energy…outside of work, family and enjoying time together. For both, the experiences we share together.
What do you enjoy doing outside work?
Family and friends, being outdoors, exercise, swimming, kayaking…
One thing that always makes you laugh is?
My husband’s dry sense of humor – well maybe not always.
If ME didn’t stand for Motivation Excellence, what could it stand for?
Maximize Engagement
What’s the most interesting former job you’ve had?
Working at Wrigley Field in college.
Announcing MAXRewardsNOW: Say “Thank You” to Your Essential Employees
Extraordinary times call for extraordinary action, which is why we are proud to announce the launch of the MAXRewardsNOW program. We want to help you implement an easy-to-set-up rewards program, with high perceived value to your employees. It will save you time and resources–all while giving back to those who go above and beyond for your business.
Introducing: MAXRewardsNOW
It’s an immediate, cost-effective way to show appreciation for the individuals in your organization when they may need it the most. Instead of only saying thank you, attach a reward to it, and make their day.
Say “Thank You” in Three Easy Steps:
- Purchase a block of rewards valued at $25, $50 or $100 each
- Give them out to show your appreciation
- Team members redeem and feel rewarded!
Benefits:
- No set-up costs
- Low investment
- High-engagement rewards
- Immediate and practical
The best part is, MAXRewardsNOW is highly-flexible to meet the needs of your most valued team members. Your recipients can choose from more than 50 restaurants and retailers.
Your team steps up for you every day. Give back to them. Contact us and we will help you to implement MAXRewardsNOW at your organization today.
Get to Know ME with Shannon O’ Shaughnessy
Shannon O’ Shaughnessy is our Get to Know ME spotlight employee this month. It just so happens it’s her anniversary month working at Motivation Excellence! Shannon is a wizard with data and helping our clients set and track goals that tie back to a company’s bottom line. Take a few minutes to get to know Shannon in her own words.
What’s your title and how long have you been at ME?
My title is Senior Program Manager, and my 9th anniversary is this July.
What’s something special about working at ME that you’d like to share?
I couldn’t pick a better group of people to work with. Not only do we treat each other like family, but this is a group of hard-workers who pride themselves on going above and beyond.
Have a special story about a client interaction that you still smile about?
I had a participant who wanted to send me flowers, to thank me for helping him figure out an issue with his account.
What’s an unknown or odd talent you have?
Not sure if it’s a talent – but I can read and write backward and upside down!
What motivates you to accomplish things in your life (work or personal)?
In my work life, what motivates me is knowing that our clients and participants are happy and a program is successful.
What do you enjoy doing outside work?
Reading, astrology, hanging out with my pets, watching documentaries
One thing that always makes you laugh is?
My silly dog, Billy.
If ME didn’t stand for Motivation Excellence, what could it stand for?
Masters of Engagement
What’s the most interesting former job you’ve had?
Coaching pee-wee soccer at a park district.
