The Gift of Generosity | Biz Nola
We go above and beyond – Kristi Brocato, founder
Bringing people closer, one gift at a time.
What started with a single handmade fruit basket in 1995 soon blossomed into a thriving business that has shipped custom gift baskets — and lots of love and smiles — all over the world.
From client gifts and employee recognition to birthdays and other special occasions, The Basketry’s dedicated team hand selects each item that goes into their specialty gift baskets, ensuring that they arrive with a touch of kindness, a sprinkle of creativity and a burst of magic. The concept is inspired by owner Kristi Brocato’s passion for giving gifts that are simultaneously beautiful, thoughtful and personal to both the giver and the recipient. Those same values have made The Basketry’s services even more important in recent months, as friends, families and businesses find new, socially-distant ways to show their gratitude.
Luckily, building bridges and making connections come naturally to Brocato, so no matter what message or feeling someone wants to express, she’s got a basket worth a thousand words.
In what ways are you thriving and pushing forward as a business during COVID-19?
Since March, we have had record sales. While we lost almost $40K going into March, we had a huge order for virtual meeting gifts that helped make up for the loss. Since COVID-19, our customer base has grown along with our website sales. Our clients are sending more gifts to employees for working at home as well as for virtual meetings. During this time, I find our customers more generous and thoughtful. We are fortunate that we already had a great website along with a successful digital marketing strategy, but we have made quick changes in-house to adapt to the new times.
Any new technology you’ve embraced?
Our website chat feature, Podium, has been a game changer. Customers are able to communicate with us through our social media and website, which allows us to help them 24/7. Without this technology, we would rely strictly on phone and email, so this allows us to reach more people.
Do you anticipate your business will change in any way when the community opens back up? If so, how?
I am hoping that our new customers remain loyal to us as other businesses open up. We go above and beyond to create the most beautiful gifts with exceptional service. We celebrate our 25th anniversary this year, and that says a lot about the company and our team.
