In the first podcast from Entertainment® Rewards & Incentives, Augeo CEO David Kristal shares his perspective on the evolution of loyalty and engagement—and what he believes lies ahead for the industry in a post-COVID world.

As companies large and small look for ways to facilitate strategic growth, virtual events have emerged as a way to foster connections, build community and share information, bringing remote attendees together to discuss, engage, learn and re-energize.

The Minnesota Star Tribune's featured article focuses on how the pandemic prompted an increased demand for e-commerce. Major retailers with established e-commerce models share their wins and the journey to success they have experienced and benefited from during the pandemic. Supermarkets in particular have witnessed astronomical growth as a result of an increased demand for online ordering and shopping. This shift in consumer buying has created a vast amount of opportunity for these companies as we look ahead to the coming year and begin planning for the unknown. As featured in the article, Augeo CEO, David Kristal shared insights into how companies can leverage this time to retain and fuel growth within their respective industries.

COVID-19 has changed how companies plan and execute large meetings, events and marketplaces—transitioning from in-person gatherings to a digital alternative. When a hardware distribution client inquired about alternate options for their in-person vendor marketplace, an event that typically accounts for 65% of their annual revenue, our teams quickly came together to design and deliver a custom virtual experience.

Ken Greer, Augeo CMO, recently had the opportunity to participate on a panel discussion about Gamification. While the three presenters came from different backgrounds, all agreed that "gamification" is not just playing games. Gamification can help organizations accomplish tangible business goals such as fostering collaboration or team building, increasing consumer product knowledge or training a workforce. The key to a successful gamification strategy is to keep in mind that "the game" is not the end game. Rather it is a means to a business-driven outcome.

It seems incontrovertible that the future of in-person events has been altered by the COVID-19 pandemic. Virtual Events may have been an emerging trend, but today they have carved a permanent place center stage. Today they account for the primary meetings and events implementation method. As we move forward, we are likely to see a healthy blend both of virtual and live events. As an organization with over 40 years of helping companies stage events to educate, energize, reward and engage a wide variety of audiences, we have a uniquely informed viewpoint.