44 | UK Enterprise Awards 2023 May23127 Best Branded eCommerce Payments Network 2023 Payments have transformed over the last twenty years. In a world where cash was king, now you can pay for anything through apps on your phone. Blackhawk Network (BHN) is the leader in global branded payment technologies, strengthening relationships between retail and consumer brands with their customers, employees, and partners. WWe caught up with Chris Ronald to find out more about how they’ve led the way in the UK Enterprise Awards 2023 BHN sets the standard when it comes to global branded payment technologies. No other company can claim to be as effective when it comes to transforming transactions into connections. When a business is looking to build loyalty, and accelerate customer acquisition, they turn to BHN to find out more. The team’s client portfolio speaks to their incredible success over the years, with 400K+ retailers across 28 countries, 37,000 corporate and government partners, 775M cards issued annually and £2.9B rewards fuelled annually. It’s a testament not only to the ability of the team to deliver incredible results, but the trust with which they are held by their clients. Some of the world’s most beloved brands as well as SMBs across all industries trust the team to deliver for them, and the BHN network is built around being able to deliver at all times. The team’s UK success has been achieved through organic growth and acquisitions. The UK is a dynamic and innovative market often leading and driving new global trends. Chris Ronald was quick to elaborate. “Being based in the UK, we are closer to the economic drivers, the evolution of the retail industry, partnering with global brands and engaging with changing consumer behaviours,” he says. Such expertise is essential when building a firm foundation, and that is precisely what the UK provides. Because the BHN team puts results first, the metrics of success in the UK are easy to see. High performance is expected from every employee, and so the team are always looking at what can make their lives easier so that they can perform better on behalf of their customers. “The hot topic in the UK is Employee Reward, Recognition and Benefits,” Chris tells us. “Employees have greater expectation of need and demands for support from their employers.” Did you know that BHN’s Extras research found that 65% of HR decision makers (HRDMs) have reported an increase in the number of staff requesting financial assistance since the costof-living crisis began in the UK? It’s a critical challenge, and one which the BHN team are having to contend with. “We know that external pressures within the home can impact stress levels at work,” Chris says, “so there is a clear argument in favour of employers finding ways to help staff as the cost of living continues to increase.” Despite this, 40% of staff are willing to jump ship to a different company if a better paying alternative presents itself so companies need to defend themselves from losing talented key players. BHN has made the decision that benefits and incentives are no longer a nice to have, but a necessity in order to attract and retain talent. “Aside from the headache that comes with recruitment, the cost of retaining new talent and the loss in productivity during the intervening time is an added expense, when businesses are already battling rising operational costs,” Chris says. It’s little wonder that when the team at BHN launched their benefits platform, BHN Extras, it was designed as a straightforward, no-hassle way to offer employees a comprehensive range of flexible, personalised workplace benefits that support their mental, physical and financial wellbeing. Accessible to any organisation, benefits included Cyclescheme, Techscheme, bYond cashback card, Extras Discounts, money off high street brand gift cards, MyGymDiscounts and more. It’s an extension of what they offer to clients through payment deals, as the team explore ways of building loyalty. Where many are struggling to keep up, BHN continues to champion a dynamic approach that revolutionises how people see business. The success of this approach can be seen in the way in which the EMEA region has seen 41 promotions in the last 12 months alone. When it comes to recognising hard work, BHN is committed to ensuring that people feel that the company is loyal to them, so they should be loyal to the company. “In addition to our quarterly Listen Surveys to capture feedback from our staff, we have a peer to peer recognition platform that rewards individuals and teams for their actions in line with our beliefs,” Chris explains. Such a strong connection across every part of the business is why they have been able to build such success. Looking ahead, it’s clear that BHN’s ESG strategy is one of the firm’s global corporate objectives, and somewhere that the team cannot fail to deliver. The impact on society, the environment and the payments industry at large is significant. “There are so many unique ways to give back, and together, we believe we can use our passions to inspire positivity,” says Chris. “Every full-time employee is provided with the opportunity to dedicate 16 hours of paid time off per year to volunteer. Collectively, our employees have already completed thousands of volunteer service hours. The hard work, continued service and dedication is inspirational and demonstrative of our core values as a company.” The impact of the BHN cannot be overstated. They are an example of how a modern business should work, focusing as much on their internal needs as they are on the needs of their customers. They aren’t settling though, even with their current level of success. “This month at BHN, we have launched a new way of working initiative,” Chris says. “The aim is to provide a set of standards, expectations and best practices that makes it easier for us to work together. By having collaborative and productive values it ensures that we not only have an inclusive culture but that we have accountability for our behaviour and how we treat our colleagues. BHN’s senior leadership team has already made their pledges
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