How we used technology and friendly competition to drive performance and connect more than 4,000 hotels.

DALLAS, TX – October 1, 2012 – How do you take an established North American employee recognition program and expand it to over 70 countries in a cost-efficient manner? That was the challenge facing RSW as they took Hilton Worldwide’s “Catch Me at My Best®” program global.

The seasonal program, designed to positively impact hotel performance, allows guests and peers to recognize employees with a card called a “catch.” The results are then tallied and recognized at the hotel level.

“The logistical challenge was enormous, when you consider language, global shipping, and other factors,” said Brad Wines, President of RSW. “We felt technology was the key to making this a success.”

To address these logistics, RSW implemented an online order process for the Catch Me cards that allowed users to select a desired quantity and language. In previous years, cards were automatically sent to hotels regardless of their intent to use them, which resulted in significant waste.

“By asking hotels to order only the amount of cards they wanted, we were able to print 3.5 million fewer Catch Me cards and decrease print and shipping costs,” said Wines. “In addition, materials previously sent to the hotels directly, like brochures and flyers, were made available online.”

As a focal point of the new program, RSW also created an online scoreboard, allowing hotels to enter and print real-time totals, share best practices, set and measure goals, and compare their results with other hotels.

“The reason the program works is because it encourages friendly competition between employees and departments,” said Wines. “We took that concept to the next level by letting hotels compete with other hotels.”

The results speak for themselves, with over 90% participation, from over 70 different countries.

Founded in 1992, RSW Creative is a Dallas-based marketing communications firm that specializes in helping clients find smarter ways to tell their stories and get results—to both internal and external audiences.