Getting Started with Rewards in HeyTaco

Implementing rewards in HeyTaco is a great way to enhance your team's recognition experience. Whether you're just starting with HeyTaco or have been using it for a while, this guide will walk you through the key steps to setting up a successful reward system.

Step 1: Understand Your Team's Reward Preferences

Start by engaging with your team to learn what types of rewards would be meaningful to them. Common categories include:

• Work-related Rewards: Items like monitors, desk accessories, or noise-canceling headphones.
• Wellness Rewards: Spa treatments, fitness classes, or wellness subscriptions.
• Personal Fun Rewards: Gift cards, travel perks, or experiences.
• Collaborative Rewards: Team outings, volunteer days, or charity donations.

For inspiration, also check out our list of meaningful rewards ideas, crowdsourced by fellow HeyTaco users.

Step 2: Decide on Your Approach (New vs. Existing Teams)

For Teams New to HeyTaco (Less than 1 Year)

• Simply start by setting up rewards without adjusting any taco balances.
• Focus on introducing rewards that align with your team's interests.
• Use the default taco economy to guide initial reward pricing.

For Teams Using HeyTaco for Over 1 Year

• Consider Resetting Redeemable Tacos: Long-time users may have accumulated many redeemable tacos, which can lead to 'taco inflation.'
  • Resetting redeemable tacos helps create a fresh start and ensures fairness in reward redemption.
  • This reset does not affect given/received taco counts or leaderboard status—only the redeemable balance.
  • Communicate the reset clearly to your team, explaining it's to ensure a fair and fun reward experience.
  • A HeyTaco admin can reset redeemable tacos on the Admin —> Settings page in the HeyTaco app.

Step 3: Set Up Rewards in the Taco Shop

1. Choose Your Reward Types:
   • Gift Cards:
     • Instant gift cards are currently available for HeyTaco for Slack customers only. These are pre-funded, and once redeemed, gift cards are automatically sent to the recipient's email address.
     • For Microsoft Teams customers, gift cards can still be offered but need to be set up as custom rewards. These are manually fulfilled by the admin after redemption.
   • Custom Rewards: Create personalized rewards (like gadgets or experiences) and manually manage fulfillment.
   • Collaborative Rewards: Set team goals (like charity donations) that require collective taco contributions.
2. Price Your Rewards:
   • Start with a higher taco-to-dollar ratio to avoid quick depletion of rewards. For example, 4 tacos per $1.
   • Monitor redemption trends and adjust pricing as needed.
   • Consider setting limited quantities to encourage timely redemption.
   • Leverage our Taco Value Calculator to determine the optimal taco exchange rate for your team.

Step 4: Communicate with Your Team

• Announce the rewards program launch and explain how it works.
• Clearly communicate any reset of redeemable tacos (if applicable).
• Share examples of available rewards to generate excitement.

Step 5: Monitor and Adjust

• Track how rewards are being redeemed and gather feedback from the team.
• Adjust pricing, add new rewards, and modify quantities based on engagement and budget.
• Use HeyTaco's analytics to stay informed about taco usage and reward trends.

Bonus Tips

• Add Fun Experiences: Include non-monetary rewards like "Lunch with the CEO" or "Lead a Team Meeting."
• Encourage Collaboration: Create group rewards that require team members to work together.
• Keep it Fresh: Rotate rewards and introduce new options regularly to keep the program engaging.

By following these steps, you'll create a rewarding experience that complements your team's culture and enhances engagement within HeyTaco. Happy taco-ing!