From fresh-faced interns to seasoned executives, there are no rules when it comes down to who orders the merch.
There are a lot of unsung heroes in the business world. From the guy who arrives with a fresh tray of donuts for everyone to tuck into, to the girl who takes it upon herself to organise the Christmas party, it never hurts to pay tribute to the amazing work that some people do.
Another example of an unsung hero is the person in charge of ordering the company merch. Whether it's a set of t-shirts ahead of an expo, a box of notepads for new recruits, or Hawaiian shirts for the next company outing, it's a job that often doesn't get a lot of attention.
It's also a job that doesn't exactly come with a guidebook. The received wisdom is that just about anyone can do it (although it can take some effort for you to actually get it right), which means for us that we encounter the full spectrum of grades and job roles when it comes to the who is getting in touch with us to make an order for merch.
We've recently announced our latest innovation to help companies take care of things more efficiently than ever. Our Merch Manager app is designed to make it easy for just about anyone to be in charge of merch and swag, regardless of the occasion. It makes it super simple to create, store and send merch to customers or team members.
To find out more about Merch Manager and how it works, head to our blog post about it here.
We've been thinking about the types of people who order merch from us and how they end up being 'the merch guy/girl'. It pretty much boils to these:
1. The excitable boss
We put this one first because they have a very special place in our hearts. If you have ever seen The US Office and are familiar with the cultural icon that is Michael Scott, you probably have some understanding as to what this character is like.
This is the type of boss that doesn't like to do things half-heartedly, so they see merch as the perfect way to show up any and all competitors. If they see another company order custom-made Hawaiian shirts for their staff, the excitable boss will raise the bar by ordering their team a crate load of custom-made Hawaiian shirts and matching bucket hats.
They will also be sure to let absolutely everybody know that it was in fact them who ordered the merch. Hopefully, they'll stop short at shouting sending all-staff email, but they will find a way to let everyone in the office who the creative lynchpin in the company is.
2. Unexpected merch maestro
As we've said, taking care of the merch isn't always a job that is dished out as part of some grand plan. Sometimes it can just be given to someone on the basis of something that has absolutely nothing to do with their actual job.
For example, if someone is arriving to the office in a different Hawaiian shirt pretty much every day during the summer, or turns up every December in a brand-new Christmas sweater that no one can find in stores, they're essentially auditioning for the job of selecting merch for the company. They're colorful, they're creative, they're fun to be around, how *wouldn't* they be amazing at managing the company merch?
Bonus points if they work in a creative role already, say graphic design or copywriting. Heck, you're going to say no if it's a dude in IT with a penchant for mind-bending custom Hawaiian shirts.
3. Fresh-faced intern
They might be a little bit wet behind the ears, but that doesn't mean they aren't capable of putting together some serious merch for their company. Being an intern can sometimes be an exercise in trying to be noticed by the big wigs, so any opportunity to earn a pat on that back is not going to be missed.
Finding a place that makes custom-made merch, instead of the mass produced crap that was ordered every other year, is a great way for them to put their hand up. And they're really going to be smelling of roses if the merch comes with a handy app that manages the ordering/storing/sending of the acquisitions on an ongoing basis.
4. C-suite executive
Probably about as far away from the previous person as it gets. This seasoned upper manager has been part of this company before there even was a company, destined from birth to pull the strings and keep the brand moving forward.
They also mastered, many years ago, the fine art of simply not giving a crap. Any sniff of BS is going to make them immediately pull out, and anything that doesn't fit in with the brand's ethos is definitely a no-go. They're really too busy to be the person ordering merch, but because it's not really anyone's job and because they know eh-ver-ee-thing that goes on inside the company, they do this on their 'lunch break'. If only there was an easier way...
5. Last minute crammer
Ever feel a sudden drop in the pit of your stomach after having forgotten something important, only to remember it at the last minute? Yeah, this guy gets that feeling at least once or twice before lunch.
Several months ago, they were told about this big event that was coming up and that they needed to order some merch to mark the occasion. While the person who delegated this task was factoring in ample time for all of this to be organised, they failed to factor into consideration the fact that some people have the mind of a goldfish right up until the 11th hour when they somehow manage to pull something out of the hat.
Think of this person as a miracle worker. Not only are they capable of fitting more work into a tiny amount of time than anyone else on the planet, but the sheer panic emanating from them in the midst of all this is strong enough to affect people in a two-mile radius.
There is an easier way....
As varied as the list of characters is, the fact of it is that just about anyone can actually order merch. We pride ourselves on offering nothing but the best of custom-made products made from the most sustainable materials available, and now, our new Merch Manager makes it just as easy to manage your merch and take full control.
If any of the people above are in charge of merch, do them a favor and tell them about us. If you've ever heard them grumble about any of the following: they found the merch store in some remote cupboard but it's not the right stuff, there isn't enough of the stuff they need, or, nobody knows where the merch is stored and it's needed ASAP, or, they've located the merch but it's in another office and won't be where they need it in time; do them a favor and tell them about us.
Merch shouldn't be a headache and this app will make it easier than ever before. Think of it as your new best friend when it comes to staying on top of your merch, be it for an upcoming company event, to greet new additions to your team, or something to hand out to your favourite clients and partner businesses.
Get in touch today and we can easily set-up your very own Merch Manager.