Customization is important when ordering branded products for employee swag. It allows the company to tailor the products to the specific needs and preferences of their employees.

Customization enables the company to create a unique and personalized experience for their employees. This experience can help build employee loyalty and promote a sense of pride in the company.

When employees receive promotional products that are customized with the company's logo, brand identity, or even their own name, it can create a sense of ownership and belonging. Employees are more likely to use and display branded gifts that are customized to their liking. Using these company giveaways in their personal lives helps increase brand visibility and recognition.

Customization can also help the company ensure that the swag is relevant and useful to their employees. For example, if the company has a remote or hybrid team, it may be important to offer swag that can be easily shipped to different locations. Customization allows the company to tailor the products to the specific needs and preferences of their employees, making it more likely that they will use and appreciate the swag.

According to a survey, employees prefer personalized appreciation business gifts from their managers or supervisors, with 53% of them wanting more recognition from their superiors compared to 41% who prefer recognition from coworkers. The study also revealed that employees find manager and supervisor recognition to be the most significant and meaningful.

However, customization and personalization have far-reaching effects even outside of ordering swag. By looking at product customization as a whole, we can get more creative with what offering that customization can help your company or team gain.

What is customization of a product?

With the advancement of technology and manufacturing production processes, it has become possible for manufacturers to offer their customers customized products. This involves providing a range of options such as color, design, functionalities, add-on components, etc., which can be selected by the buyers to create a unique product that suits their personal preferences. 

For instance, a shoe company can enable its customers to design and order a unique pair of sneakers through their online platform. This trend of product customization is gaining traction across various industries and is increasingly being used as a marketing tool to attract buyers.

The Nike ID online shoe customizer allows customers to choose from their selection of fabrics, styles, and colors to create a shoe that is completely their own.

Why is product customization important?

Deloitte's consumer review revealed that a considerable number of consumers, 36%, are keen on purchasing personalized products or services. The review also disclosed that 48% of consumers are willing to be patient and wait longer for their tailored product or service. 

Invesp's statistics showed that 53% of online shoppers appreciate brands that offer a personalized shopping experience as they consider it a valuable service. 

Rae Whitte, in her Forbes article, pointed out that personalization is no longer a luxury only sought by consumers who know their preferences, but it has become a solution to various problems beyond stocking products.

How does product personalization increase a feeling of loyalty and ownership?

According to an article in Harvard Business Review (HBR), businesses that foster "psychological ownership" among consumers can not only increase sales and encourage higher-priced purchases, but also prompt customers to recommend products to others. 

Psychological ownership refers to the feeling of a strong connection between a consumer and a product, where the consumer perceives the object as an extension of themselves. This connection can arise from a sense of control, investment, or familiarity with the product. 

Consumers are more likely to feel ownership of customized products they have helped create, leading to a subconscious attachment and increased value of the product.

How does personalization help me make my product or process better?

When compared to products that can not be personalized, customized ones can provide brands with a deeper understanding of their customers' preferences. By utilizing data analytics, brands can use this knowledge to meet their customers' demands more effectively. This awareness also provides an advantage over competitors in the market. 

A post from Brian Scudamore, Founder & CEO of O2EBrands, about what happens when you create customized and personalized award and recognition programs for your employees.

How does this relate to customization in my company store?

Your employees are consumers. If 36% of consumers prefer personalized products, the same applies to employees preferring personalized brand swag. If 53% of consumers say personalization is a valuable service, 53% of your employees will place more value on your swag for business recognition if it is personalized.

The same applies to psychological ownership. If customized company merchandise makes your employees feel like they have a strong connection with your product (in this case, their job), they are more likely to feel fulfilled by their daily work environment, do better work, and stay at their job longer. They are also more likely to turn into a recruiting tool for your company.

And, all of this rolls up to creating the data that moves the needle for your company by making your employee recognition program stronger. If you can tell which gifts are immediately redeemed, you can align those customized promotional items with more immediate recognition. If you can tell what demographic or department goes for specific branded merchandise, you can align employee incentives with the best swag items for that individual or department. If you can prove that customized swag increases an employee’s engagement, you can proactively send logo merchandise to employees who are feeling unengaged to help retain them longer.

It is important to remember that at the center of this, your employees are individuals. They ultimately want personalized swag kits because they want to feel that their individual contribution is seen, recognized, and appreciated.

When acknowledging your team's achievements, it's essential to take into account the specific requirements of each team member. It's also important for leaders to realize that each employee is unique and may have different priorities. For instance, some may consider paid time off as a top priority, while others may prefer material rewards or verbal praise. The level of involvement of a team member in an organization directly impacts their level of dedication towards it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, customization is an essential aspect of the best company swag for employee swag programs. By providing customized corporate swag to employees, companies can create a unique and personalized experience for their workforce, which can help build loyalty and a sense of ownership, and motivate employees. 

This trend of personalization is not limited to employee swag programs but also extends to product customization, where it is increasingly being used as a marketing tool to attract consumers. Personalization has far-reaching effects that help businesses better understand their customers' preferences and, as a result, create better products and services. 

Companies that embrace customization in their employee swag programs and corporate apparel can also use data analytics to understand their employees' preferences better, align incentives with specific products, and create a more engaging workplace. 

In conclusion, customization is an effective tool that businesses can use to create stronger connections with their workforce and drive business success.