New Windsor, NY -- (SBWIRE) -- 11/21/2011 -- Everywhere you look, someone’s talking about how the world’s getting smaller. And in some ways, this is true. But if you have ever tried to build an employee incentive program that stretches around the globe, you know that some political and cultural differences are stronger and more distinct than ever. And you know these differences often make traditional incentive programs impractical, impersonal and perhaps even insensitive. What motivates people in one country - cash, for example - might be uncouth in another. E-incentives, like versatile virtual visa prepaid programs, go a long way toward breaking down these barriers and unifying employees behind common goals.

In today’s fast-paced, online world, people expect a quick turnaround on practically everything; employees are no different. They respond best to immediate gratification and flexible rewards.

Virtual gift card incentive programs give the ability to offer almost immediate rewards for performance, eliminating any lag time between the outstanding performance and the award.

And while it’s easy to view cash as an even more immediate reward, research shows e-gift cards are more powerful incentives. Consumers - who are employees - prefer the flexibility of virtual prepaid cards which give them the flexibility to shop anywhere, anytime. Plus, cash-based incentive programs can be a nightmare to manage, but virtual visa makes it easy to create and maintain even multifaceted, international gift card and employee incentive programs.

Build more powerful and effective international incentives programs with international gift cards. Here’s how.

Standardized virtual rewards: Present rewards to employees, in the form of a virtual visa gift card, which recipients can use to shop online. If internet access is slow or limited in any specific location then employers can buy bulk gift cards to supplement incentive programs for their employees.

Reduced administrative costs: Traditional incentives, particularly on an international scale, are a nightmare - an expensive one. Virtual e-gift cards remove the hassle from large-scale programs, save shipping costs, automates currency conversion and more.

Improved flexibility and power with online gift cards: Virtual visa cards essentially help employees create their own rewards, as they will be able to use their e-gift cards to shop anywhere that accepts regular Visa cards. This ensures they will receive a real, meaningful reward - further reinforcing their positive performance.

Instant e-gift cards: Perhaps the most compelling reason to use virtual e-gift card is the speed it offers.

Electronic gift card system enables to deliver rewards almost immediately - rather than weeks or even months later through traditional programs. This is a powerful way to strengthen the tie between outstanding performance and rewards, which delivers dividends long after the incentive program has finished.