When starting my family-owned corporate gifting company in 2015, I knew we had a terrific product: gourmet cookies handcrafted by my dad. Nothing beats his berry shortbread cookie—our signature treat.

 

But while we had an excellent offering, we knew we also faced a formidable challenge: standing out in our crowded industry, filled with other corporate gift providers vying for attention online.

 

We decided to focus on our digital experience and using mobile to surprise and delight our customers—something that differentiates us. Everyone has a mobile device now, so it’s a universal way to reach people. Yet so many companies still don’t take advantage of it as a customer engagement tool.

 

Decoding engagement

 

As a fully ecommerce company, having a website that offers a seamless experience is foundational to our success. We’ve built one that delivers, whether you are ordering one product or 1,000. Half of our customers come via mobile, and the other half are desktop users. We invested in a mobile-friendly website, so that everyone is treated to the same stellar service.

 

In 2020, we upped the ante—placing QR codes on our gift boxes, which has created a hyper-personalized customer experience that’s been nothing short of game-changing. Our partner, Ringpin, a customer engagement platform in San Diego, produces custom QR codes, activated by the gift recipient’s mobile phone.

 

There are all kinds of ways to use QR codes. Here’s a simple example: I send you a gift, and when you scan the QR code, I invite you and your team—by way of a recorded video—to a meeting. The QR code then takes you to a website where you can book the meeting and claim a gift card from Noms for cookies, coffee, tea or candy. Without question, it’s taken the customer experience to new heights.

 

One of the best campaigns we’ve done with QR codes involved handing out gifts at a large conference. Each of the 3,000 registrants received a gift thanking them for attending. They could scan the QR code on the packaging and access information about the conference schedule and sessions they could sign up for. At the end of the conference, they scanned the QR code again to take a post-event survey.

 

Sweet experiences

 

I’m a longtime fan of QR codes, but it wasn’t until the COVID-19 pandemic that they gained consumer acceptance as a contactless way to engage. Who will ever forget QR codes to access menus? It looks like a lot more effort than it is, and it’s an affordable way for a small company to go above and beyond and stand out.

 

Outside of QR codes, Noms’ customers can use their mobile devices or desktops to chat or upload images that they want to be laser-etched on a gift box. We use text messaging to send alerts for deals and discounts. And, by using mobile—if that is your preference—you can track your purchase, payment, shipping and order history.

 

Today, we generate over $1 million in revenue annually and have 15 employees. As a business that is about helping our customers build and enhance their own client relationships, we know that meeting people where they are—which today almost always involves technology like mobile devices—is key.

 

Leveraging mobile has been a game-changer for our business and shows our customers that we care about theirs.

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