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September 19, 2013 / in Featured Destinations There are places in this world that feature such natural marvels, the creation of which cannot be explained. These natural phenomena have been dubbed wonders, of which there are seven natural wonders. These are places that offer a rare and truly life-changing experience; a scenic wonder and aesthetic marvel that cannot be rivaled by anything else similar to its kind. Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is one such natural marvel and one of the seven natural wonders of the world. Based on certain dimensions, Victoria Falls is considered the largest waterfall in the world. Finding a way to plan a trip centered on experiencing this great waterfall would certainly be an adventure you will never forget. Right now, you might be thinking how wonderful it would be to see the Victoria Falls, but realistically, the logistics of a trip to Zimbabwe and financing the trip might not be in your favor. However, if you are fortunate enough to work for a company that offers employee motivation programs in the form of an employee incentive travel program, a vacation to Zimbabwe to see the falls may not be that farfetched. Though monetary bonuses at the end of a year for reaching a quota, or simply for a job well done is pleasing and appealing, more workers are lobbying for and choosing corporate travel incentives over the dollar. Because of the daily grind of a workweek that is repeated fifty-two times each year, hard workers are valuing an expenses paid trip to an incredible destination location over extra money to recuperate, relax and reboot. While visiting the Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, you should partake in the numerous safari excursions offered, some of which include trekking on elephant! You can also enjoy white water rafting, bungee jumping, kayaking, even house boating, to name merely a few of the countless tours and adventures on which you can partake. Naturally, you can stay in one of the fabulous resorts and get in a few rounds of golf, or if you wish to experience more of the outdoors, you can choose to camp or stay in one of the cottages or live-in tiki huts. Clearly, you can expect an incredible vacation that will not only involve viewing one of the Seven Wonders of the World, but countless other fun and exciting activities. Work hard to ensure you earn your company’s employee incentive travel program so you do not miss the opportunity to travel to a locale as breathtaking as Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

September 23, 2013 / in Featured Destinations Though many people associate the summer as a time for vacation travel, more people are using their time off during the colder seasons to enjoy the now immensely popular skiing and snowboarding destinations. For those who love for the mountains and the right kind of snowfall that makes for opportune skiing, they have heard that there is no region better for ski conditions and beautiful trails and scenery than the Swiss Alps. The drawback—because of how incredible and exotic the Swiss Alps, and the ski resorts within the region are, the cost not only to get there, but to stay in a resort or lodge and pay for skiing is wildly expensive. Therefore, places in the Swiss Alps, including the resorts in Zermatt, Switzerland have become thought of as elitists, as only people of extreme wealth can truly afford to enjoy all it has to offer due to the cost of a trip. For those who have been fortunate to vacation and ski in Zermatt, Switzerland, many will say one would be hard pressed to find a better place in the world to ski—not only because of the town and the resorts, but also because of the beautiful mountainous terrain and the excellent “powder” (what ski aficionados call the snowfall during the ski seasons). If you were to research the city of Zermatt online, it would only take you a few minutes to realize the beauty of the town, as well as the numerous winter and summer activities that can be enjoyed. The architecture is unmistakably of European influence, and the sparse population gives Zermatt a feel of a quaint, yet beautiful little town—making for the perfect getaway. For those who work for a company that offers employee incentive programs, a dream vacation to a place like Zermatt can easily become a reality. Corporate travel incentive programs give hard working employees the opportunity of a lifetime—to go on an all-expense paid vacation to a place in the world they might not be able to afford on their own. If you have constraints about when you can take time off and are worried you might miss the ski season, Zermatt is located in a high altitude region, meaning one can enjoy skiing year-round. This is one of several reasons why the city has become a mecca for avid skiers—the ability to ski or snowboard anytime of the year. A vacation to a place such as Zermatt is what makes employee motivation programs so successful. After a week or two of spending time flying down slopes and enjoying other athletic or leisurely activities enhances hard workers, which means they come back refreshed, energized, and ready to resume their duties. In addition, they stay motivated to make sure they never miss the wonderful opportunity to embark on an incredible vacation destination in the future.

October 6, 2013 / in Incentive Trip Providing incentive trips for employees is definitely a win-win for both parties involved. For the employee, a vacation trip is the ultimate reward for a job well done, whether that means hitting his or her quota or making a serious advancement for the business. An all expenses paid vacation to a unique and exotic destination (possibly international like Thailand) is a reward that cannot be beat, which includes a monetary bonus. For the employer, it is the satisfaction of knowing two key elements to maintaining a successful business: First, a serious accomplishment has been obtained, which is why the employee has been generously rewarded, with a vacation destination that will not break the bank. Second, the employee, who obviously provides achievement for the company as a whole, feels valued, is happy, and will continue to sustain the level of success he or she provides the company. After discerning the information given above, to say incentive trips for employees deliver big rewards is an understatement. Many who are reading this post can likely recall a time where they went above and beyond the call of duty for their company – working extra hours, taking their work home, even working on the weekends – to ensure a huge accomplish from which the company seriously benefited, and never received thanks or gratitude for a job well done. Often times, employees will perform extra work because of the wonderful feeling of achievement, without considering if they will get something in return. However, that does not mean they would not like some show of gratitude or a simple thank you. Next time, that employee might not take the extra step or go the extra mile for the company, especially if the last time he or she did so there was no recognition whatsoever. Incentive trips deliver big rewards that largely benefit the employer as well as the employees!

November 8, 2013 / in Incentive Trip Unfortunately, one of the most overlooked, undervalued, and ignored ingredients to maintaining a successful workplace is an employer taking measures to assure employees that their hard work is not going unnoticed, and to ensure employees maintain a significant level of happiness and satisfaction on the workplace. It would be a good wager to bet that most of you reading this can relate to having more negative feelings toward your current and / or former employer than positive. This notion is sometimes hard to comprehend, as one would rightfully assume that an employer, or highly ranked business executive would know how to lead and motivate people, otherwise how did that person obtain his or her current position? A company is only as successful as the employees working to maintain its level of operation and functionality. If the morale and motivation of employees begins to sag, the company will falter. This described possible scenario is exactly why business owners and employers need to consider incentive trips to motivate employees. Incentive trips have proven to boost morale and employee motivation, from the experience of an all expenses paid vacation destination to a unique and exotic locale that is unlike any other. For the employee, it is a chance to relax, unwind, and experience fun, excitement, and adventure that cannot be found from the doldrums of home life or the enjoyable, yet mundane and repetitive, long weekend getaways only a couple of hours away. Most employees who have been questioned whether they prefer an incentive trip to a bonus check have often answered that an incentive trip would be more valued. If this is indeed the case, as an employer or business owner, is the level of motivation your employees have not reason enough to consider incentive trips to boost employee motivation? The other aspect to consider is the long term value in the event of trips. Employees will create memories that will be shared & discussed around the office for years to come. The “company trip” will become a legend around the office, not just because of the unique location, but because of the fun events, activities & memories that are created. It will encourage and inspire workers to reach their goals so they don’t miss out on the fun, it can create that team building atmosphere that all successful businesses have and the best part is that this can be accomplished with little to no risk to a marketing budget. If employees are meeting their goals as qualified for the trip, then your business is experiencing increase sales enabling your company to be able to pay for the trip. The math is simple. Getting started is easy. Incentive Travel Solutions can help you make the best decisions and give you the best price for a successful incentive travel trip. We implore company decision makers to consider incentive trips to motivate employees, as it has proven to increase the drive and motivation of employees. Contact a professional at Incentive Travel Solutions today to learn more about the locations and packages we offer to businesses. The beach is waiting.

November 9, 2013 / in Incentive Trip Finding a simple way to motivate employees and increase sales has never been easier. An incentive travel program will do both successfully, and it is quite likely the right company will be in one of the easiest marketing programs you’ve ever implemented. If you are a business owner or employer who is seriously considering offering incentive trips to your hard working employees, you might be overwhelmed by the assumption that planning an incentive trip for employees will be extremely fastidious, cumbersome, and needs to be managed with tedium. Fortunately, there are companies available, such as Incentive Travel Solutions, that handle all of the “leg work,” so all you have to do is decide on the vacation destination for your employees. The management of booking employee getaways by an incentive travel company such as the ITS management method makes planning an incentive trip for employees very straightforward and easy. Using an incentive travel planner with ITS (Incentive Travel Solutions) makes the travel booking process simple. You tell us the type of locale you think your employees might be interested in going, what time of year would work best for most, and we will provide several options. We can also furnish you a list of numerous different types of locations, from tropical paradises with white sandy beaches to mountainous terrains with world-class skiing, from which you can choose. Once you select the locale, we do the rest. Because of our experience and top class professionalism, you can rest assured the booking process and the trip will go smoothly – all your employees have to do is show up with their bathing suits or skis. The best part about implementing an incentive travel plan is that there is little risk involved. Your employees work hard to achieve their goals and when they do, they receive a wonderful reward. At the same time, since the strength of your business profits is beyond the investment in the incentive program. It is a winning combination that benefits both your company and the employees. They need to hit the goal, you have the profit. They don’t meet the goal, they don’t travel and you’ve lost nothing. Getting started is simple, contact one of our professionals when you are ready, and we can walk you through the process, which is a smart idea if you are new to the incentive trip planning procedures. Our representatives will describe, in detail, how the process works, and once we are finished you will see how easy it is to plan an incentive trip for your employees. Incentive Travel Solutions has experience planning get-away packages for years and you can rely on our professionalism, efficiency, and five star travel booking to help make the whole event a success. It is time your employees realize how much you truly value their hard work and dedication. Show them how much they mean to you by planning an incentive travel trip to an exciting destination. Planning an incentive trip for employees is easy when you book through Incentive Travel Solutions.

April 29, 2014 / in Incentive Travel Program Incentive travel programs have become more popular as an incentive rewards program for businesses that bestow this wonderful honor and opportunity on employees for a job well done. Today, it is even more preferred than monetary rewards, such as end of the year bonuses and commission checks. Those companies that have not made the transition to offering incentive travel programs in its place of business have probably not done so because the decision maker likely has reservations concerning what exactly the true value is when providing an incentive travel opportunity. The following paragraph will shed some light on obtaining a more precise value of providing an incentive travel program within your place of business. Recently conducted research related to the overall cost of a travel incentive program per qualifying person, along with any attending guests, was more than justifiable based on the increased output performed by each employee who could qualify for the incentive travel reward program. The research was also able to prove that employees who have been rewarded with incentive travel programs perform markedly better and will stay with their place of business longer than their colleagues who do not receive incentive travel programs. In addition, the net operating income of a business providing incentive travel programs was much higher, and tenure of participants in their rewards program was significantly higher than those who did not participate in the travel incentive offering. Over half of the employees who received the initial travel incentive sustained their business goals and quotas for an average of close to an additional five years. Moreover, and just as vital as fiscal gains for a business, the same study also showed that employees suggested an overall improvement in maintaining a positive organizational culture and climate. In summary, it can be concluded that the overall value of providing incentive travel programs in your place of business is astronomical. With surveys that state everything mentioned previously, a company would be foolish not to take advantage of this incredible opportunity, as it rewards all of those involved, even the location of the incentive travel program (survey also suggested that the locations and communities for incentive travel programs benefit monetarily). The next step your business needs to take is finding the right incentive travel solutions company to put these packages together for your company. Incentive Travel Solutions is one of the pioneers in providing incentive travel rewards programs to businesses. ITS offers an incredible list of destinations that is guaranteed to delight even the pickiest traveler, as each of the employees trips all over the world. All you have to do is reach out to ITS, and a representative will be happy to go over all of the details regarding this wonderful rewards program. It is time to let your employees know how much you truly care about their performance, and ITS can help you get there.

May 2, 2014 / in Press and News Just when you thought there wasn’t another reason to visit London, England. Most travelers tout London as one of the most delightful cities to travel to anywhere in the world because of its fanciful landscape, tourist attractions, buildings and city structures, and its unbelievable landmarks. The latest attraction for London travel involves the destination to Queen Elizabeth’s Olympic Park, where the 2012 Summer Olympics took place. The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park has just recently reopened, to much fanfare. Now, the world class sporting venue has several more centers open, including an Aquatics Center, the Lee Valley VeloPark, and more than five hundred acres of newly landscaped parkland. In addition, many more walking trails have opened, along with the ArcelorMittal Orbit – a wonderful viewing platform that overlooks the park. People who enjoy spending most of their vacations outdoors in locations that offer numerous different types of activities in which to participate will absolutely fall in love with Queen Elizabeth’s Olympic Park – the latest attraction for London travel. It is strongly recommended that companies and people who often associate themselves and their business with outdoor venues and associations to look into this most excellent feature destination, which not only offers one of the most magnificent parks the world has ever seen, it also puts you in the experience of world-class city destinations. Having all an expense paid vacation to a marvelous park, which had everybody glued to their television set in the U.S. and abroad during the 2012 Summer Olympics, located in one of the most fantastic cities in all the world will enchant even the most well traveled tourist. Moreover, the vacation destination will certainly make for a lifetime of memories and joy on which to reminisce – until you go back again. Incentive Travel Solutions offers the best deal and travel guide for visiting Queen Elizabeth’s Olympic Park, considered one of the best and latest attractions for London travel. If this wonderful incentive opportunity seems like an incredible deal, then you should reach out to Incentive Travel Solutions, so you can learn more about traveling to this latest London travel attraction. An Incentive Travel Solutions representative will be happy to answer any of your questions, as well as go more in depth regarding how the travel packages work. You saw it on television, and were no doubt amazed by its grandiosity. Today, you can experience Queen Elizabeth’s Olympic Park up close and personal through Incentive Travel Solutions.

June 3, 2015 / in Incentive Travel Programs, Incentive Trip Mark Twain once said that “golf is a good walk spoiled.” For many companies, nothing could be further from the truth. We’ve all heard about lucrative business deals being secured while playing 18 holes of golf, but the game of golf can be more than just a catalyst for business transactions. In the form of a performance-based golf trip, it can also serve as a major incentive for a company’s workers to perform at the highest level, but let’s not put the cart before the horse. Before you offer an incentive-based trip, you need to know how much it would cost based on the type of experience you want to offer. Once you know this, you can set accurate business goals in terms of who qualifies to take the trip. You also need to know that your travel plans are secure, and will transpire as expected. Otherwise, your risk offering a trip that doesn’t live up to employee’s expectations and dampens the thought of taking incentive-based trips in the future. Let Us Get You in the Game At Incentive Travel Solutions, we specialize in helping companies and organizations plan incentive-based trips that encourage workers to bump up productivity in order to receive what could be called a reward: a relaxing trip to a wonderful location, where they can live like a high-level executive and relive a win rewarded that they helped to create. If you would like to plan an incentive-based golf trip, we can make it a reality by offering the following services: ? Destination selection ? Travel arrangements ? Assistance from professional and experienced on-site travel staff ? Hotel contract negotiation ? Airline contract negotiation ? Payment and registration processing ? Web-based registration For decision makers at many companies, planning an incentive-based golf trip is a stressful time. Stress should diminish the amazing performance of workers, not prolong it by carrying over into a diminished productivity. At Incentive Travel Solutions, we ease the stress of planning a golf trip that sends your highest achievers off in first class style to take the break that they’ve earned. In all of our planning done on your behalf, minimizing costs while creating an unforgettable trip is the priority. We help companies choose the best experience, and then secure it affordably. Our team works with vendors to arrange group air and hotel discounts, create and manage travel documentation, and guide participants through the process in planning. In addition to guiding the best prices, we also help with messaging and theme execution so the trip has one inspiring message. Contact Us Today Are you a CEO or a decision-making executive who wants to plan an incentive-based golf trip for your high achievers? In addition to handling the web-based registration process for flights and hotel booking, we work with your travel provider coordination to secure the best pricing available. If so, then now is the time to plan a rewarding experience that makes the winners feel like true champions—one that will make your employees look forward to similar trips in the future. For more information about our services, call us today at (704) 540-1482 , or contact us here . We look forward to helping you create an awesome golf trip that would change Mark Twain’s mind about the game of golf being “a good walk spoiled!”

July 13, 2015 / in Employee Motivation, Press and News Experienced CEOs know that business productivity is inevitably tied to how well employees are compensated, especially when it comes to sales. Companies naturally seek out the best talent for their sales teams, but having all the talent in the world means nothing unless you can motivate it to perform at the highest level. One way that CEOs can inspire their carefully selected sales teams to increase productivity and boost sales is offering an incentive-based trip. Incentive-Based Trips: What Are They? Incentive-based trips are rewards that thriving companies offer to employees who meet or exceed a preset business goal. In sales, the goal may involve such things as nurturing a certain percentage of leads into clients, retaining a certain percentage of existing customers, and exceeding last year’s revenue goal by a certain percentage. The business goal is yours to choose, and so is the type of trip that employees take after they achieve the goal. A Unique Look at Cost Effectiveness At first glance, an incentive-based trip can seem like an expensive way to motivate and reward sales professionals. After all, the trips often involve a high level of novelty and luxury in terms of destination, planned activities, and lodging. However, it is the novelty of the trips that can make them a cost effective way to deliver a meaningful, performance-based reward to employees. For example, for many people, the novelty of playing golf on a beautiful, seaside course in Ireland is worth far more in experiential value than it is in monetary value. For the trip’s provider, this phenomenon can create a great amount of financial flexibility when planning the trip, especially when the provider works with a professional trip planner to secure the best prices. Facilitating an Incentive-Based Trip Because they often involve multiple travelers, incentive-based trips can present logistical and financial obstacles that the average vacation would not, such as airline contract negotiations, hotel contract negotiations, and web registration processes. The good news is that a professional planner of incentive based trips, such as Incentive Travel Solutions can help you move past these obstacles with ease. You can focus on work while we skillfully your travel plans. Contact Us Today As long as they have established the performance-based goal that triggers the reward, it is never too early for CEOs to start planning an incentive-based trip for their sales team. The more time that we have to make arrangements for your travels, the more flexibility we have to get you the best possible prices for traveling to your destination, inhabiting it in style, and having a fabulous time enjoying fun filled, leisurely activities while you are there. To get started on planning an incentive-based trip for your company’s hard working sales team, call Incentive Travel Solutions today at (704) 540-1482, or fill out our contact form. We look forward to helping you create a trip that your sales team will remember forever and work hard to qualify for in the meantime by boosting sales numbers to new heights!

July 14, 2015 / in Press and News From permitting beer drinking in the workplace to allowing employees to work from home, employee-friendly CEOs have tried about everything to make work feel less like work and more like fun. While most employees are gracious enough to accept whatever concessions a CEO throws their way, the fact remains: Some types of rewards are more effective than others at combining work and fun in a manner in which the latter doesn’t detract from the former. Incentive-Based Trips Are a Great Option Incentive-based trips are exactly what they sound like: travel opportunities that employees receive when they meet the requirements to receive them. At most companies, incentive-based trips are tied to hitting a sales goal. For example, a CEO might offer an incentive-based trip to his or her sales team if they exceed last year’s sales goals by 20 percent, or offer the same trip opportunity to an employee who reduced operating costs by a similar margin. While incentive-based trips are effective because productivity, such as performing within the workplace, offering employees an incentive-based trip makes perfect sense from a business perspective. But what exactly makes them so effective? Here are four important reasons to consider offering an incentive-based trip. 1. The Reward is Tangible A reward for hard work, there is nothing subjective about an incentive-based trip. Employees know that, if they meet the stated goal, they will be golfing in Ireland, snorkeling in Key West, soaking up spa treatments in Malibu, or enjoying a similarly fun type of trip. As they work toward the goal, they can continually envision the reward to help them stay motivated to succeed. 2. Employees Know What to Expect Employees at thriving companies know they’ll receive raises and bonuses for working hard. However, exactly what those raises and bonuses amount to is often unknown, until employees see it at year’s end on paper. An incentive-based trip doesn’t involve any guesswork. Employees know what they will receive, which can make them more motivated to receive it. 3. It Encourages Business Productivity One of the problems of combining work activities and fun activities in the same environment is that the fun aspect can act as a counteraction to productivity. Often, it’s better to take the “fun” in a reward for productivity and combine it on activities with work processes. Ultimately, the goal is to boost productivity in a capacity that increases the bottom line. Making an incentive-based trip the light at the end of the yearly work tunnel helps promote productivity. 4. Can Be Highly Cost Effective An incentive-based trip can be a cost effective way to reward employees. For example, say you have a sales team of 25 people that would receive raises and bonuses totaling $1 million at year’s end. Instead of offering raises and bonuses, you decide to offer a group trip that would cost $250,000 — which equals roughly $10,000 more than a yearly award that adds six figures to your company’s bottom line by using a trip as a performance-based reward. Contact Us Today If you’re a CEO who would like to add more fun to the work environment, offering employees an incentive-based trip is a good option for the reasons above. However, to make the trip a success, you may need a service such as Incentive Travel Solutions to plan incentive-based trips. If so, the experienced professionals at Incentive Travel Solutions are here to help. We have assisted many businesses and organizations with planning captivating trips to desirable destinations worldwide. From helping choose a destination, to anticipating the departure of prizes, to handling web-based registration processes, we can facilitate almost any aspect of an incentive-based trip. Simply put, we handle the logistics while you focus on business. For more information about our services, call us today at (704) 540-1482, or fill out our contact form . We look forward to helping you plan an amazing trip to remember!

August 5, 2015 / in Press and News It is the goal of everyone at Incentive Travel Solutions to exceed expectations. Our destination partners are very important to our success and we welcome their suggestions, experience and local relationships. However, even the best destination suppliers can get into a habit of presenting the same concepts over and over. Therefore, we take pride in custom designing every function, tour and group activity that we present our clients. In 2014, Incentive Travel Solutions had the honor of creating a client incentive trip for their 180 winners and guests to Banff, Canada . During a site visit, we toured a local ranch that could be used for horseback riding during the day or host groups for a traditional western style dinner show in the evening. The venue was fantastic and the setting was beautiful. However, the Incentive Travel Solutions Team was looking for a real wow, something that the guests would remember for a lifetime. In speaking with one of the ranch hands, he mentioned a field atop the mountain that he would take the horses to run. He offered to show us the location. There was only one way to visit the area, so the ITS Team mounted horses and began the journey. Upon arriving, it was clear that the scenery from this mile-high location was unique. The 360-degree view across the Canadian Rockies was spectacular. The field however, was a bit raw and would require quite a bit of grooming. The ranch hand was proud of his secret location and was anxious to help us in any way. So the day arrived. This was to be a signature event and everyone at the ranch was excited to witness the occasion first hand. The client’s winners and guests arrived and were greeted by the ranchers and local artisans. Outfitted in western attire, the group traveled by horses and wagons. Accompanied by cowboys, and a riding western trio, the group blazed a trail into the mountains. Soon, the group entered the clearing atop the mountain. The setting was breathtaking. Before their eyes, was the amazing view of the Canadian Rockies. At the end of the summit was a marquee tent adorned with summer flower centerpieces, crystal stemware, and servers in black tuxedos to greet the group. Outside the tent, an orchestra performed tunes from the Sound of Music. The client, his top performers and their guests were speechless. They were wow’d that all of this was created just for them. White and red wine was being poured and the first ever white glove western bar-b-que was underway. An incentive trip must be memorable and inspiring. Taking something ordinary and turning it into a once in a lifetime memory is what the team at Incentive Travel Solutions challenges themselves with each and every day. Contact Us today to get started.

August 10, 2015 / in Incentive Travel Incentive Travel Solutions operates 75% of its client’s annual trips internationally in Europe and around the world. Read on to discover how remarkable we make incentive travel trips for your team. Traveling Abroad When traveling abroad the ITS planning team incorporates many different modes of transportation. Touring in a motor coach day after day can be monotonous, boring and not very creative. The ITS Team, for example, incorporates train transfers throughout Europe whenever possible. The trains are affordable, efficient, clean and unique for many American travelers. During the train experience we include magazines, and many times upgrade the meals and snacks on board. In addition to trains, the ITS Team utilizes boats, vintage cars, trams, trollies, limousines, rail cars, and many other unique transfer methods. Vienna, Austria In 2012, ITS operated a client incentive trip in Vienna, Austria. The final night black tie gala dinner was being hosted at the Schonbrunn Palace, the Summer home of the Austrian Royal Family. With a group of 350, it is sometimes difficult to transfer guests through major European cities without a motor coach. Yet, with creative planning, a first class travel team, and years of logistical expertise anything is possible. The ITS planning and on-site Team was able to transfer all 350 guests to their formal dinner in horse and buggies…AND with a glass of champagne along the way. The client’s winners and their guests loved the evening open air transfer and the event was a great success. The Wow Factor Creating special memories during incentive trips does not always have to increase our client’s travel budget. The team at Incentive Travel Solutions takes pride in making recommendations that give a wow factor experience and keep costs in line.