PPB March 2019

WHAT’S IMPORTANT TO GEN Z’S? Sadie Kirkwood, 23 Account Coordinator, Grapevine Designs, Lenexa, Kansas How important are a company’s values when choosing where to work or who to buy from? Very important—especially when choosing where to work. In my short six months in the promo industry, I’ve learned and been trained to always say “yes,” even when we should probably say "no." But we always try to find a solution for all our clients and get them something they love in time for their events. In addition to being trained by people who have been in the business for 20-plus years and have an answer to every problem, we give back to our community. We have a garage sale every year that supports Red Bag in Kansas City and we work closely with the Kansas City Humane Society. These definitely attracted me to Grapevine Designs during the interview process. Companies that advertise how they give back are always a step ahead in my mind. I try to keep these vendors top of mind while sourcing because the benefits from giving them orders support a larger cause. I also find myself using vendors that I know are responsive and great communicators because I value that. I like to know what is going on with my orders so being able to send a quick email or give someone a call to check on things goes a long way for me. How do you prefer to communicate with clients? How do you prefer vendors to communicate with you? Although quick email responses are usually the most convenient in our fast-paced industry, I think face-to-face interaction always makes for the most rewarding projects, especially with our clients. I like bringing our clients in, so we can get a really good understanding of an event or gift they want to see through before sourcing products. I also find the clients that continuously use us are the ones we learn the most about. So, if we can get them in the door or even on the phone, they are more likely to develop a relationship with us and use us again. It’s always the vendors who make themselves known to Grapevine that I find myself reaching out to most frequently. If I can put a face to a business card, I’m much more likely to use their line when I’m in a jam or sourcing products. I find communication in this industry to be very important. It’s necessary to know who you’re working with, especially when trying to handle the quick turnaround times we are always up against. What gives you the most satisfaction in your work? Finding solutions for clients who just have a price point and a quantity but no idea what they want. It’s rewarding to come up with a product that exceeds their expectations and makes for a great event or employee gift. Also, just having a product that goes over well—something that the client loves, we love and feel good about, and then being able to support a vendor we love. It’s always the goal to make an order a win for everyone. "Companies that advertise how they give back are always a step ahead in my mind. I try to keep these vendors top of mind while sourcing because the benefits from giving them orders support a larger cause." FEATURE | Gen Z 70 | MARCH 2019 |