Return on Experience (ROE)
Return on Experience measures how a trip, points program, SPIFF or event changed the way people feel, connect and act. TIMBR measures it after every program, so you can prove the result and build a better one next year.
Return on Experience (ROE) measures the emotional, relational and behavioral impact of a program. ROI asks whether the money came back. ROE asks how people felt, whether they trust you more, and what they did differently in the weeks and months that followed.
The two belong together. ROI proves a program paid off this year. ROE explains why it worked, shows who it moved, and predicts whether the result will repeat next year.
Source: Incentive Research Foundation, Measuring Incentive Travel Program Effectiveness, June 2026.
Every TIMBR ROE Scorecard rates the same five dimensions, so you can compare programs, years and audiences on one scale.
01 / Emotional
Did people feel seen, valued and energized? Recognition is the fuel that turns a reward into motivation for next year.
02 / Relational
Did the experience build trust with leaders, peers and your brand? Strong relationships are what keep top performers and best customers from leaving.
03 / Loyalty
Are participants more likely to stay, buy again and recommend you? We track intent to stay, intent to rebuy and advocacy.
04 / Action
What did people do differently 30 to 365 days later? Better collaboration, new accounts, referrals, product focus. We agree on the target behaviors before the program starts.
05 / Results
What changed in the numbers, compared with people who did not take part? Incremental revenue, retention and ROI, separated from seasonality and market noise.
The output
The five dimensions roll up into a 100-point ROE Index that sits next to your ROI figure. Two numbers your leadership and finance teams can both read.
You do not have to choose. Every TIMBR ROE Scorecard reports both, side by side.
ROE is part feeling and part behavior, so we measure it in four stages. The first stage happens before your program starts. That is what makes the results credible.
Stage 1 / Before kickoff
We agree on the two or three behaviors that matter most, survey participants on where they stand today, and choose a comparison group, such as near-miss qualifiers or non-enrolled buyers.
Stage 2 / During the program
Participation rates, leaderboard activity, points earned and redeemed, event app usage and live polling show whether the program is reaching people while it runs.
Stage 3 / Weeks 1 to 3 after
A four-minute survey scores all five ROE dimensions, captures NPS and sentiment, and asks each participant to commit to one thing they will do differently.
Stage 4 / Day 30 to 365
We follow the lagging indicators that matter to finance: retention, repeat purchases, referrals, new accounts and sales lift, compared against the baseline and the comparison group.
The five dimensions stay the same. The behaviors and business signals change with the program.
Did winners come home more committed, and did the middle of your sales force push harder next period? We compare qualifiers with near-miss performers on sales, retention and referrals.
Active-earner rate, redemption rate and time to first redemption, plus spend and churn of enrolled buyers against a baseline or a non-enrolled group.
Target-product activity and new accounts during the sprint and for 90 days after, so you see whether the behavior stuck once the payout ended. Works with Xactly, CaptivateIQ, Varicent and Spiff data.
Action-plan follow-through, content adoption and pipeline created by attendees compared with non-attendees, tracked in HubSpot or Salesforce.
Reorder rate, share of wallet and peer referrals from the buyers you rewarded, measured against matched accounts that were not part of the program.
Recognition and loyalty scores from each recipient, plus retention and performance over the following year.
A post-program measurement package you can add to any TIMBR program, or to a program another company ran for you. Choose the depth that fits the size of the investment.
ROE Pulse
For smaller programs and first-time measurement. Report in three weeks.
ROE Insight / Most chosen
For programs where finance will ask what it returned. Final report 120 days after the program.
ROE Impact
For large and multi-year programs. Quarterly reporting for 12 months.
No. ROI proves the program paid for itself. ROE shows why, and whether the effect will last. Finance gets both numbers in one report.
Survey results arrive within three weeks of the program. Behavior and business results build from 30 days out, with the full picture at 90 days or 12 months depending on the package.
Not for ROE Pulse. For Insight and Impact we use the data you already have in your CRM or compensation system, and it can be shared by segment rather than by name.
Yes. ROE Insight works as a standalone review of any trip, points program, SPIFF or event. A baseline helps, but we can rebuild one from your historical data.
Prove it worked
Tell us about the trip, points program, SPIFF or event you are planning, or one you just finished. We will show you what we would measure and what it would tell your leadership team.
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