C.A. Short is not the most modern-looking or feature-rich employee rewards platform we’ve reviewed, but its white-glove, concierge-style support is among the best—especially for businesses that want hands-on guidance in designing and implementing a recognition and rewards program.

We evaluate dozens of new vendors every month, and it’s clear that most platforms are moving toward a fully digital approach. However, C.A. Short is one of the rare few that embraces a hybrid model of peer recognition, combining digital tools with tangible, in-person acknowledgment. This unique approach adds a personal touch that sets it apart.

During our assessment, as employee users, we could send eCards with or without monetary rewards, celebrate achievements with peers in the social feed-style "Rec Room," and even receive on-the-spot recognition cards—physical cards handed out by managers for a job well done. The point redemption process was smooth, too: we scanned a QR code on the card, and our recognition points were redeemed almost instantly.

When it comes to customization, C.A. Short takes a highly personalized approach. In our tests, simply communicating our needs to the customer success team resulted in a system coded to our specifications, complete with fully tailored rewards packages. This makes for a less flexible, self-service experience, but it also significantly reduces the administrative burden—something many companies may prefer over off-the-shelf tools.

On the reporting front, C.A. Short offers a robust tool called C.A. Insights, which provides strong visibility into recognition engagement, usage patterns, and program effectiveness. However, a notable drawback is that the analytics are not built directly into the platform. Instead, they rely on Power BI, requiring users to leave the system to access data. The good news is that the vendor has confirmed full in-app reporting integration is on their roadmap, and we’ll be sure to keep you posted once it’s available.

Another thing to keep in mind is that while the rewards software excels in customization, the user interface is not as intuitive or visually appealing as solutions like Motivosity or Connecteam.

Additionally, while C.A. Short does offer automated secure sFTP folders for data integration, eliminating manual data imports, I find the lack of native integrations with major HRIS vendors like Workday and BambooHR to be less convenient than a self-service native integration option.