For the last decade, Bloomsburg University’s Zeigler College of Business has opened its doors to host business professionals at its Zeigler Institute of Professional Development Conference (ZIPD). That is until grappling with the impacts of the pandemic turned the 2020 ZIPD conference into a virtual event.
ZIPD organizers needed to adapt quickly. However, their biggest challenge at hand was figuring out how to keep their virtual conference just as engaging as the previous ones held in-person.
Gift-giving felt like the best solution to maintain that personal touch. But where could they find a gift everyone would like and coordinate it virtually?
The Problem at Hand?
With the added logistics of remote guests, the University realized their previous system of ordering bulk apparel gifts and distributing them wasn’t going to cut it.
If they ordered bulk apparel gifts they would:
Need to purchase more items than actual presenters (leading to wasted budget).
Need to increase spending to cover distribution labor and shipping costs to send gifts.
Not be able to offer presenters a choice in gift, let alone size-specific options.
Not be able to provide upgraded gift options to accommodate different tastes.
The ZIPD organizers didn’t want to waste marketing dollars on gifts that presenters wouldn’t ultimately enjoy. So it was time to find a new system for gifting.
A Tailored Solution Made to Fit
In their search for a better solution, The University saw an opportunity with Custom Thread’s virtual-friendly service. The online ordering site and made-to-order custom items could both cut down apparel program costs and lead to increased satisfaction for users since guests could pick their gift.
After becoming an approved University licensed supplier, Custom Threads put together a fully branded, custom e-commerce website with a selection of apparel gifts for the ZIPD guests. This site included a mix of roughly 50 different apparel options, with brand name options like Nike, Adidas, OGIO, North Face, and Carharrt.
Presenters could select gifts including:
Polo shirts
Dress shirts
Jackets
Vests
Computer bags
Guests were sent an e-voucher from the University that they could spend at the online store. They also had the option to purchase extra apparel if they wanted more thanks to a seamless online checkout process.
Once orders were placed, each item was made to order, packaged, and shipped directly to the participant’s listed address. All of this complete with order tracking allowed users to know exactly when they could expect their gift at their doorstep.
What This Meant for The ZIPD Team
Now, the ZIPD organizers were able to enjoy the benefits of a zero-waste gift program. They could even offer nicer apparel options to the senior executives and leaders attending.
Since Custom Threads managed the complete apparel program, ZIPD organizers didn’t need to:
Order apparel gifts in advance and in bulk.
Find space to store gifts.
Collect and organize shipping information from guests.
Spend extra to ship apparel to virtual attendees.
The Results
In past years, there had been extra gifts leftover due to disinterest in the items. However, this time almost all presenters ordered at least one gift and used their voucher. Many even ordered multiple items and paid for extras themselves, because they were pleased by the apparel available.
In users’ feedback, they mentioned they were excited to be able to choose apparel gifts that matched their size and style preferences. Plus, they also liked the quality of the items and the ease of receiving them right at their door.
Ultimately, The University won as well. They were able to create a positive experience for guests. Plus, they could avoid wasting money guessing on bulk gifts their audience might like and instead offer made-to-order gifts their attendees wanted.
And during a stressful time of transitioning the event into a virtual space, the Bloomsburg team didn’t have to worry about coordinating the gifts, collecting attendee shipping details, or paying extra to ship items. Instead, they could rely on the support of Custom Thread’s custom apparel service.
“Custom Threads receptivity to build a custom, high-quality apparel program for our 2020 virtual ZIPD Business Conference was an exceptional, economical, and effortless experience. The entire Custom Threads team was extremely responsive and provided superb customer service and satisfaction. We could not have asked for a better business partner for our event!”
— Mary Lenzini Howe, Director, Zeigler Institute for Professional Development