Parago

Parago, Inc. is a Texas-based promotions marketing company that provides reward and rebate fulfillment to Fortune 1000 companies. Founded in 1999 as the internet firm How2.com, they originally provided warranty and product information via the internet. After the internet collapse in 2001, the firm shifted its business to rebate and reward programs. Parago was founded by venture capital firm T. H. Lee of New York and sometimes goes by the name Parago Rebates HQ.

Parago has become one of the larger fulfillment processors of manufacturer and retailer promotional marketing programs, including rebates and rewards programs. In addition, the company has received significant industry recognition for its research into customer loyalty, rewards programs and gift cards.

In 2004, Parago established a division dedicated to designing and operating customer Loyalty Marketing programs, rewards programs, referral programs and sales incentive programs. That same year the firm published an extensive research report on customer loyalty and referral that has been widely distributed. Significant details of this new research appeared in the book Strategic Database Marketing, "3rd Edition" by Arthur Middleton Hughes of KBM.

Some of Parago’s clients include Netgear, Sprint and Staples. For Staples, Parago is credited with redesigning and launching the popular “Easy” program, including Easy Rebates, a whole new online rebate processing and tracking tool for customers of the office supply firm.

Although the firm is private, public records show the firm employs about 340 employees in the Dallas-area office and another 1000 call center employees throughout the world. The firm has experienced significant growth and expansion in the early 2000s and is similar is size and structure to Tempe, Arizona-based Continental Promotions Group.

Over the past year, a number of senior executives have left the firm including the CEO and the head of the loyalty division. In addition, a recent article in "BusinessWeek Magazine" reported of widespread consumer discontent with rebate programs and rebate processors. The story was very critical of the level of customer service and the fulfillment processing methods of all rebate companies in general and Parago specifically. Parago is frequently mentioned negatively at consumer protection sites such as Fatwallet.com and gripe2ed.com.

External links

* [http://www.parago.com/ The official site]
* [http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_49/b3962074.htm?chan=search/ The Great Rebate Runaround]