Are your employees giving more than usual and looking for a way to thank them? But now, how can we highlight their good work in this extraordinary period? Outgo Experiences, a platform specializing in gift packages, has transformed its business model to meet this very current need.
“We have developed a digital tool that allows us to send a personalized e-mail in the image of the company accompanied by a gift card giving access to multiple activities or products offered on our site by more than 400 retailers. ‘here’, explains Yanick Guillemette, President of Outgo.
“The employee can thus choose what he likes. A recognition solution which at the same time makes it possible to encourage the local economy, ”he adds.
Beauty products, relaxation massage package, wine tasting experiences, canine education courses, gift boxes, the offer is varied on the Outgo site, which has joined forces with recognized partners such as Cook It, Evive , Danièle Henkel Cosmetics, etc. It is also possible to choose regional getaway packages or restaurant meals
“One way to encourage these businesses that have been affected since the start of the pandemic,” said Mr. Guillemette.
A special request
The idea for this new service emerged in the summer of 2020 when large companies such as Desjardins Financial Security, Jean Coutu, BMR and the Fonds de solidarité FTQ knocked on Outgo’s door.
“They were looking for a digital solution to reward their employees while respecting health rules. They wanted to highlight their good work, which has been done in conditions that have not always been easy since the start of the pandemic. This put us on the alert that the demand would be great, especially as Christmas approaches, ”says Mr. Guillemette.
The team therefore set to work to set up a solution that allows massive emails to be sent.
“For our first order, we had to deliver some 3,500 gift cards by email. It alone accounted for almost a quarter of the transactions we make per year. We wanted to be sure we were doing the right thing, ”he says.
Since then, demand has started to surge to the point that Outgo has had to hire people and more are to come. It must be said that the idea has gained ground with businesses as well as various economic support organizations. Outgo works, among others, with regional chambers of commerce and regional county municipalities (MRCs) who become partners of the company to offer a recognition service to employers in their territory.
Outgo notably participated in the Solidarity Village campaign in collaboration with the SDC Village of Montreal, which was a “mega success in 2020”. The organization therefore decided to reoffend this year. People can thus obtain a $ 20 gift card which is enhanced by the SDC for a total amount of $ 30, to be spent in the shops of the Village.
Outgo, which today has the wind in its sails, is a fine example of a company that has known how to reinvent itself. At the start of the pandemic, the company saw a decline in revenue as the purchase of gift cards slowed down considerably. To help its partners, it then launched a support campaign, on a voluntary basis, to encourage consumers to buy packages in restaurants and shops to use once the crisis has passed.
“We were thus able to give them a total of $ 50,000 which helped to reduce their losses,” says the leader.
OUTGO
Founding date : 2016
Activities : online sales company specializing in experience gifts
Shareholders: Marc-Antoine Perron and Yanik Guillemette
Number of employees : 16