Competitive Analysis of Marksen Corporation

1. Competitive Analysis ofMarksen Corporation Sample Report (Recognition/Award Industry)

2. Table of Contents Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 2

3. Executive Summary Key items to remember when competing against Marksen: Less than half of a company’s employees are reached by their current recognition program. Smithfield’s gift cards could easily expand the reach of a company’s program. When selecting a rewards program, prospects were generally interested in the requirements and methods of assigning rewards, the scalability of the program, the variety of merchandise available, the time for delivery, and the provider’s international capabilities. Respondents were also very concerned with the flexibility and security of global programs. The ability to customize the program was a customer’s primary goal in investigating providers’ technology. Timeliness of information was considered the most important reporting feature by respondents. Respondents mentioned that Marksen’s rewards program was U.S.-based, rather than a true global program, such as that offered by Smithfield. Prospects also mentioned difficulties in getting Marksen to customize its programs to meet their needs. Smithfield is much more willing to develop custom programs than Marksen. Customer service was another weak area for Marksen. Customers noted that the vendor was not willing to do much to help its customers resolve issues that arose with the program. Marksen typically took 6 months or longer to successfully implement its solution. Smithfield completed its implementation within 4 months. Respondents also noted that there were no obstacles to the implementation with Smithfield. Marksen charges all implementation fees (as well as consulting fees) up front. Allowing customers to pay some of the fees after the implementation is complete could help make Smithfield a more attractive option for customers. Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 3

4. Executive Summary Key items to remember when competing against Marksen (cont.): Marksen customers generally select the inventory for their rewards programs. Inventory was often managed at the local level to ensure that the rewards available were appropriate to the local culture. Respondents noted that Smithfield did an excellent job of selecting merchandise that was culturally appropriate. Customers stated that Marksen offered a wide variety of merchandise, but often had problems delivering the products on time. Delivery times for Marksen’s Rapid Rewards program was generally three to five business days. Delivery times for other Marksen programs often took two to three weeks, whereas Smithfield typically delivers all of its programs within one week. Shipping costs, mark-up, and provider fees with Marksen often consume up to 30 percent of the customer’s recognition budget. Customers complimented Marksen on the flexibility and tracking capabilities of its reporting system, but added that these reports are only available on request. Marksen offers a variety of customized reports that are only available on request. Smithfield provides an online dashboard so that customers can generate their own reports as needed. Both Marksen and Smithfield provide their customers with data transfers for keeping programs up to date on employee eligibility. Marksen also provides quarterly reports on the status of the program, while Smithfield provides updates bi-weekly. Marksen does not currently integrate with the customer’s payroll systems or budgeting tools. Offering an integration interface could give Smithfield an advantage over the competition. Companies generally had no interest in going back out to bid in the immediate future, as they were pleased with their current provider. A few respondents noted that they would go out to bid if their system becomes cost prohibitive. Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 4

5. Landmines Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 5

6. Win Analysis Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 6

7. Competitive Differentiators Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 7

8. Product Differentiators Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 8

9. Product Differentiators (cont.) Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 9

10. Product Differentiators (cont.) Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 10

11. Employee Recognition Programs Competitive Analysis: Marksen Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 11

12. Employee Recognition Programs Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 12

13. Employee Participation Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 13

14. Desired Rewards Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 14

15. Rewards Package Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 15

16. Unique Features Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 16

17. Gift Card Availability Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 17

18. Rotate Inventory Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 18

19. Time to Receive Rewards Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 19

20. Business Objectives Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 20

21. Future Purchase Plans Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 21

22. Solution Capabilities Competitive Analysis: Marksen Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 22

23. Technology Capabilities Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 23

24. Prepackaged Solutions Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 24

25. Hosted Model Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 25

26. Data Access Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 26

27. Solution Integration Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 27

28. Implementation Time Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 28

29. Desired Reporting Capabilities Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 29

30. Provider’s Reporting Capabilities Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 30

31. ROI Reports Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 31

32. Dashboard Reports Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 32

33. International Options Competitive Analysis: Marksen Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 33

34. Desired Global Capabilities Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 34

35. Reward Types Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 35

36. Country Access Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 36

37. Local Representation Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 37

38. Language Translations Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 38

39. Inventory Selection Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 39

40. Budget Concerns Competitive Analysis: Marksen Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 40

41. Provider Fees Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 41

42. Implementation Fees Competitive Analysis Sample Report Slide 42