Three more Uwin Iwin team members have received an IMA (Incentives Marketing Association) certification by getting their Incentive Professional Certificate. As industry leaders, we pride ourselves on the development and upskilling of our employees, to provide the very best service to our clients.
The Incentive Marketing Association is the prestigious incentives body who provide incentives, corporate gifts, and related services. The organization is dedicated to promoting high standards of professionalism in the incentive and recognition field, creating greater awareness of incentives. The IP certificate is the first step in achieving the (CPIM) Certified Professional of Incentive Management Designation, a Certification that acknowledges incentive professionals who demonstrate the knowledge and leadership essential to succeed in the incentive industry.
The Uwin Iwin members who now possess this certification are Dora Kabwika, Nobahle Setlogelo, Zandile Manana & Adeshola Ekpo. We asked our team members some questions to find out what this means for them and their professional journey as members of the incentive industry.
1. What was your reaction upon finding out that you had received this certification?
Adeshola:
I was first relieved and then excited at completing this aspect of my career.
Dora:
I was relieved and glad as did not want to go through the process of writing again.
Nobahle:
I was surprised because I was unsure of how I had done. Having expected the best and prepared for the worst at the same time, I’m pleased to have had a positive outcome.
Zandile:
Receiving the IP certification has increased my confidence.
2. What is the benefit of having this incentive qualification/certification?
Adeshola:
The knowledge the exams provide is a springboard to elevating expertise as an Incentives Management professional. It unveils a wealth of knowledge in Program design, Incentives management and result oriented programs that enhance both my proficiency and skill.
Dora:
Because it is an international certificate there is confidence in knowing that you are recognised as an incentive professional not just in SA. The course also gives you insight into how the industry functions in other parts of the world.
Nobahle:
The benefit is that the Incentive Professional designation recognises my expertise in the incentive industry and enhances my professional standing in a $90 billion incentive industry.
Zandile:
It’s a benefit in that having received this certification, my knowledge and skills have been sharpened for managing incentive-based accounts and am now a recognised incentive professional in the industry.
3. How will it assist in enabling you to effectively implement incentive programmes for clients?
Adeshola:
My level of know-how definitely got more refined and scaled higher for me after getting qualified as a professional, also the opportunity that lies in networking to bring creative solutions to clients was expanded with a bigger outlook. Knowing the industry is one thing but knowing how to make an impact is another. I can speak to the needs of clients with their voice, diagnose and recommend specific incentive needs that are result-oriented.
Dora:
The course takes through the steps of launching and maintaining a successful incentive programme. How to measure if the incentive programme is affective. This is important because it will me assess what I am offering the client objectively, and assess the success of the programme.
Nobahle:
Because the IP designation helps you stay abreast of the latest industry research, trends and more by way of membership to the Incentive Marketing Association, it helps inform my thinking when it comes to new incentive programme ideas and improvements around existing ones.
Zandile:
Receiving the IP certification has increased my confidence when it comes to incentive planning. It will enable me to make informed decisions when it comes to working with and implementing programmes for clients. I plan to expand my designation in the marketplace and grow even further as a leader in the incentive management space.
As one of the few Incentive industry professionals from Africa to have this certification, our UI teammates are proud of the accreditation and feel that it brings a certain level gravitas to their work and that with it they are confidentially able to seize the budding opportunities in Africa. There is still a gap for Incentives solutions to be practiced in many countries in Africa, and our objective is to create more awareness through rendering professional services built on knowledge and expertise.