PPB August 2019

products—we invent experiences designed for a one-of-a kind event that will never be a click-to-buy philosophy. —— AWARD OF MERIT —— $50,000,001-$100,000,000 —— SUPPLIER STAR —— Insights from Pamela Baker, sales and marketing project manager Years in business: 65 Primary product category: Writing instruments Company philosophy on communication and customer service: We are a family-oriented company and think of our customers as family, too. We have our customers’ best interests in mind and our employees and customers love that camaraderie. We believe in a personal touch. When customers call, they get a human being. We also send thank-you notes to our customers, too. We are very hands-on. How it keeps product and packaging offerings fresh and in- demand: We have some pretty cool stuff coming in the fourth quarter—we are going to be branching out by adding packaging that’s as nice as the product inside, such as digital printing on gift boxes with matching pens. We’ve also recently teamed up with the creative people at Origaudio, so our products and packaging are going to reflect a hipper vibe. We still have all the pens everybody knows and loves but we are introducing some cool, cutting-edge products, too. Why it excels among industry suppliers: We put a lot of research and development into our products, particularly to consider what it is that nobody else has. We started with inks—we were the first in the industry to have smooth-writing inks. It set us apart. Going forward we will continue to offer products no other company offers. And we also excel in communication and customer service. It’s about the people. We remember our customers; they know who we are and they know who their CSR is. Every customer has a dedicated CSR and if that person isn’t available, another team member picks up the phone. Again, it all comes down to a personal touch. —— AWARD OF MERIT —— $100,000,001+ —— SUPPLIER STAR —— Insights from SanMar Years in business: 48 Primary product category: With about 85,000 SKUs, we deliver top-quality, printable promotional activewear, outerwear, t-shirts, accessories and apparel that unite people and promote teams. Company philosophy on communication and customer service: We believe in passionately serving the customer. Communication is paramount in all we do. We provide ongoing training for our employees to provide the best customer service possible. We take our cues from our customer. How it keeps product and packaging offerings fresh and in-demand: Jeremy Lott, owner and president, says, “We have merchandising and design teams whose job it is to shop internationally and subscribe to trend reports. We have a trend editor whose job it is to take very far-out macro trends affecting the world and help us understand what that means for our apparel. Then they make products to meet those trends.” Why it excels among industry suppliers: We excel because we passionately serve the customer. We operate under the philosophy of treating our customers like family and always doing the right thing. We truly realize that we are a part of something bigger. We take pride in staying focused on making products that are ethically and sustainably sourced because we know many of our customers demand it, and it is 100 percent the right thing to do. Internally we also make sure to “tell the truth and be nice” to each other above all else. We believe in a healthy work and life balance, because happy and healthy employees are our best ambassadors. —— AWARD OF MERIT —— FEATURE | PPAI Pyramid: Supplier Stars Tina Berres Filipski is editor of PPB. | AUGUST 2019 | 25