If you have a Chamber Ambassador points program, you may hear them complain about all the tracking necessary. It’s funny to think that something that ultimately benefits them, since many point systems make them eligible for rewards and discounts, is a bane to their existence but many think it is.
So what do you do when they’re decent chamber Ambassadors but lousy at the paperwork? Here are some suggestions that other chamber professionals have employed:
Take the Work out of Your Chamber Ambassadors’ Paperwork
Do It All Yourself
Some chamber professionals decided the goal of having engaged Ambassadors was more important than having them fill out paperwork so they took on the administrative burdens themselves.
Limit What You Track
In the beginning of most points programs, there’s a tendency to give points for everything. Once the chamber realizes how much work it is to track every little activity, they often opt for bestowing points just for the big things like ribbon cuttings, referrals, and retention activities.
Ditch the Points and Reward Directly
The Fond du Lac Area Association of Commerce doesn’t give points to Chamber Ambassadors. When someone refers a new member, they receive a gift certificate for their efforts. The amounts vary depending on the size of the business they refer.
Bring Technology In
Writing everything on paper and then reentering it into a spreadsheet is cumbersome. Instead, consider easy-to-use software. It can be something as simple as a shared doc where the Ambassadors could record their time or a CRM. They simply place a check mark next to the activities they’ve completed (or enter the touch log) and the chamber can run any analysis or reports it needs to from that.
No matter who takes on the administrative headache of Chamber Ambassador points tracking, it’s important to understand what is at the basis of the points system. It’s not so much about the rewards as the motivation. If people are complaining about the tracking, they’re just not into the program. It might be time to review gamification and motivational theory and apply it to your program.
Interested in this topic?
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