- Vera Ensor, CEO of Grazie Gifts, says a personal touch is her secret to customer retention.
- Grazie is popular among her many real estate and finance business clients across Perth.
- Hand-delivering hampers to ecstatic recipients is Vera's favourite part of her job at Grazie.
For Vera Ensor, CEO and founder of Grazie Gifts Baskets and Hampers, a 5-star Facebook rating is just one of the many signs Grazie has mastered the art of customer retention.
As a small business owner specialising in customised gift baskets, she said adding a personal touch is at the heart of maintaining customer loyalty.
With a perpetual flow of generic gift-giving businesses available online, it’s easy to see why a bespoke company like Grazie is a success.
Many of Grazie’s clients are in the real estate and finance industries and Vera said the connection she makes with her clients through personalised service is what keeps them coming back for more.
The Property Tribune spoke to Vera to find out more about how the idea for Grazie Gifts Baskets and Hampers was born, and to hear the key to her success in customer retention.
A love for gifting runs in the family
Gift-giving has always had a special place in Vera’s heart, she told us.
After she and her family emigrated from East Africa in 1964, Vera’s dad worked as a fly-in fly-out worker and would spend months away from their family home in areas with unreliable reception.
She attributes her passion for giving to her parents, who expressed their love this way.
Vera said “My mother was very creative, sewing and knitting everything for the five of us to wear. She made her own jams from the fruits grown in the garden and was an expert fancy cake maker.”
“Mum had a motto that you must help others where you can, as it brings much joy. We were all taught her crafts.”
Vera Ensor, CEO of Grazie Gifts
Once Vera came of age, she spent her early working years travelling the world which took her to places such as London, Paris, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
She became a jack of all trades, working as a model’s assistant, record store manager, barmaid, and office manager. Vera fondly recalls a framed photo of herself, hung on the wall of the Painted Wagon pub in Southampton, UK.
In Perth, Vera started in sales for a tobacco company before transitioning to the liquor industry.
“They were interesting days as Bundy and Jacks customers were hardcore men and women, and our sales activities were centered around rock and roll, including the Bindoon Rock festival,” she said.
It was during her foray into the liquor industry that Vera started creating hampers for door prizes and thank-you gifts, and began to envision founding her own business.
Creating smiles through gift deliveries
Like most startups, the journey of Grazie Gifts Baskets and Hampers to where the business is today was not an easy one. Financing Grazie Gifts posed difficulties, so Vera set up Grazie Cleaning shortly after to help support her gifts venture.
Vera explained, “The cleaning had flexible hours and worked well with the gifting business. It financed the gift business. I still have the cleaning business to this day.”
Vera says all of the company’s stock and equipment are now self-owned, including Grazie’s motor vehicles. Thanks to her hard work, Grazie is now at a place where the business can offer clients free delivery within a 5km radius.
This boss likes to do her own deliveries. Vera said, “The delivery is the best part! The smiles. Did you know that one moment can change the way a person is thinking for the whole day?”
“Many times, I have walked away from a delivery with tears in my eyes.”
Vera Ensor, CEO of Grazie Gifts
Vera described the delight on the recipients’ faces as “priceless” and said she loved to capture the moment with a photo to send back to her client.
She said, “Don’t get me wrong, I love creating the gift – starting with an empty box or basket, and filling it with items that someone will love and enjoy. It brings me much happiness. Every day is like Christmas – it brings me much joy.
“I have also been told that I give too much away!” she laughed.
Vera’s key to success
According to Vera, what sets Grazie Gifts apart from its competitors is the unwavering care poured into each and every hamper.
For clients, Grazie is there to celebrate their happiest moments and provide comfort in their hardest. From weddings and milestone celebrations to funeral and bereavement services, each hamper is curated specifically for the client and occasion.
“I recently created a wedding gift for Matt and his now-wife Ellie. His parents live in Tasmania and were unable to travel. They gave me a budget and some information – champagne (more savory than sweet), and silk flowers…” said Vera.
The result was a stunning white wicker basket from Matt’s parents, filled with black, white and gold-themed gourmet goodies and champagne, delivered on the morning of the wedding. In true Grazie fashion, the couple’s photo was also printed on coasters and a personal message was printed on the ribbon.
Vera said she also loves creating hampers for her real estate clients, and recently created a black-and-white themed gift for a company featuring Sheridan towels, bath wash, candles, champagne, and a custom coffee cup.
Artist product collaborations
Artist collaborations are also an exciting opportunity for Grazie to broaden its gift range.
Vera said, “We recently collaborated with an indigenous local artist to use their six seasons graphic on various items that are added to Grazie hampers. This includes chocolate boxes, coasters, coffee mugs, socks, lunch bags and more. All the custom printing is done in-house so we have a quick turnaround.”
Grazie also provides its clients with endless exciting gift ideas packaged in a range of gift boxes including mini barbeques, charcuterie boards, guitar tins, flower pots, children’s trucks and more.
Having started the business in 2006, Vera feels this is still the early stages for Grazie Gifts, with many more successes and happy customers to come.
