In an exclusive interview to Gifts & Accessories Magazine, Mr. Suvir Khullar, Director of Gifting Ideas Pvt. Ltd. revealed how the company has been able to make their mark in the industry and also discussed some of their new innovations with us.

G. & A.: How is Gifting Ideas different from a lot of other corporate gifting brands?

S.K.: Gifting Ideas is different as we value relationships more than transactions. We also do not believe in just building up a range of products for the sake of sheer numbers. Yes, having a variety of options is important. But what is more important is the exclusivity of items offered. A lot of companies have big 'shops' offering thousands of items. We dedicate a lot of time in putting the right products inside our 'shop'. A lot of our products are design registered. Some are specifically designed for our catalogues by our Partners or our internal design team. A wide basket of exciting products, strong focus on building relationships with the help of a fantastic team of over 65, across 3 cities, is what makes us different.

G. & A.: How long have you been in the market? How many different products have you introduced in this span of time?

S.K: We started in 1996 with car sunshades, our debut product. We sold many of those, but every year we reached almost the same sales as the year before. We slowly realized that you cannot hard-sell an item, if the customer has no need for it. You need to be able to offer more products that a customer may need, so as to keep the relationship going. Today we have around 5000 items in our product portfolio.

G. & A.: How can creativity and innovation be motivated across the industry since we feel that countries such as China and Hong Kong are curbing the Indian gifting market?

S.K: I don't agree with your statement that China and Hong Kong are curbing the Indian gift market. Most factories out of China spend a significant amount every year in new moulds and designs. It keeps their collection look fresh and trendy. They innovate with materials, which is why customers from the world over flock to the exhibitions in those countries. They know they will not be disappointed. It's a win-win situation for all. Creative designs and innovative products are what can set a company apart from its competitors. It can be achieved only by having a dedicated team working on that. We, at Gifting Ideas, have a team of 8 Designers. Amongst them, there is a Manager - Product Development, who heads our I-design range of trendy, innovative and distinctive gifts.

G. & A.: Talk us through some of your innovative products, which you are proud of.

S.K: Well, amongst the best that we have, the Water Clock calls for a special mention. The clock is made up of bio-degradable plastic and it works without a battery!! You have to just pour water in it to enable it to work smoothly. For slightly better performance, you may add a bit of salt to it. So it is an innovative product, breaks the clutter and at the same time, is eco-friendly. We also have the Adaptall range of world travel adapters. These days, a lot of Indians are travelling abroad on business and leisure. Our adapters work in more than 150 countries and can be used to power all mobile electronics such as laptops, mobile phones, PDAs, IPods etc. They also come with a twin USB port variant.

G. & A.: What are your views on the expectations of the corporate sector pertaining to corporate gifts this Diwali?

S.K: In my opinion, the corporate sector will be looking forward to lifestyle and eco-sensitive products, this Diwali season. Products of utility, travel related items, aspirational products; aesthetic items for the workplace will continue to be in demand.

G. & A.: Moving forward, where do you see your company heading for? What is its vision for the future?

S.K: We see ourselves as a reliable one-stop shop for our client's gifting needs. We will expand our reach with a larger and knowledgeable servicing team. We will do whatever it takes to maintain the level of service, speed and reliability that clients have come to expect from us. We are prepared to make the necessary investments it will entail.

We realise that our clients have many choices and that motivates us to keep working harder to offer an ever-increasing range of products to them.

We want to be the most admired gifting company in the country. Our main focus is on respecting and nurturing relationships and that is what we stand for at the end of the day.

- As told to Gaurav Bhat