Using data-driven tier design, Maritz modeled a more accessible structure that could sustain participation, support account growth and provide cost clarity before launch.
The Situation
A tier program should reward the progress people can actually reach
A leading financial services provider had an incentive program supporting a major travel partner. The program already rewarded participants for approved activity, but the structure was not doing as much as it could to encourage steady participation throughout the year.
The existing structure worked on a monthly cadence. That gave participants flexibility, but it also created problems. Operational delays could make it harder for participants to connect their effort with their reward, and the program had become heavily influenced by outside consumer offers rather than the incentive structure itself.
The bigger issue was access to the tiers. In 2024, most active participants never experienced the tier structure beyond the base level. That meant the program had a tier system in place, but many participants did not have a realistic path to feel the benefit of moving up.
The client needed a structure that could still manage cost and business requirements, while giving more participants a reason to keep going across the full year.
The Solution
Designing a structure that made progress easier to see
Maritz worked with the client to evaluate a new annual tier structure designed to reduce some of the friction created by monthly timing issues and give participants at different activity levels a reason to stay active throughout the year.
The work started with program data; Maritz calculated participant rates using prior-year activity, simulated how participants might stretch as they approached tier thresholds, and estimated total account volume, tier achievement and cost under different scenarios. The analysis was run repeatedly and averaged to account for variation in the simulations.
The goal was not simply to change the payout table. The client needed to understand what the structure would likely do before launch:
- How many participants could reach each tier?
- How much would the new structure cost?
- How many additional accounts could it generate?
- Would the structure give lower- and mid-level participants a better reason to participate?
- How would timing issues affect the connection between effort and reward?
The analysis showed that the proposed annual structure could make the tiers more accessible. Under the modeled scenario with simulated stretching behavior, the new structure was projected to generate just under 3,000 incremental accounts and an 8.4% increase in total accounts.
The modeling also showed that the revised structure could help more participants experience the tiers. With simulated stretching behavior, more than half of active participants were projected to reach the second tier or higher.
The Results
Clear progress. Better planning. More confidence before launch.
The data-driven tier design gave the client a clearer view of the tradeoffs behind the new structure. Instead of relying on assumptions, the team could see projected cost, account volume and tier movement before launch.
The new annual structure was designed to reduce the impact of monthly timing issues, make the first levels more reachable and give more participants a reason to stay active throughout the year. The model also helped the client understand the cost of those changes and the account growth they could reasonably expect.
The client later recognized the broader work behind the tier launches, noting the role Maritz played in helping the team work through assumptions and prepare for launch.
The rigor and responsiveness helped us pressure-test assumptions, refine the model and build the confidence we needed to launch cleanly and compliantly.
Marketing & Acquisition Strategy Leader,
Travel Partnerships
Project Impact of Data-Driven Tier Design
- Just under 3,000 projected incremental accounts Estimated under the new annual structure with simulated stretching behavior.
- 8.4% projected total account increase Estimated using 2024 data and simulated stretching behavior.
- More participants projected to reach higher tiers With simulated stretching behavior, more than half of active participants were projected to reach the second tier or higher.
- Cost clarity before launch The model estimated cost, total accounts, cost per account and incremental account impact for the current and new structures.
What This Means for Incentive Programs
Tier programs work best when people can see a path forward.
If most participants never move beyond the first level, the program may still pay rewards, but it is not giving enough people a reason to keep participating. A better structure can make progress feel more reachable while still helping the business manage costs.
This work shows why tier design should start with program data. The right questions are not just “What should each level pay?” The better questions are: Who can realistically reach each level? What behavior will the structure ask for? What will it cost? And where are participants most likely to lose momentum?
For long-term incentive programs, improvement often starts by looking closely at the places where the current structure creates friction and where a clearer path could help more people keep moving.
