Client Background
Tate Engineering is a mechanical service and equipment provider serving the Mid-Atlantic for over 100 years. With seven offices across the DMV region and more than 150 employees, Tate is known for its operational excellence and strong team culture.
As the company continued to grow, its leadership recognized the need to streamline internal processes, enhance employee appreciation, and unify brand experiences across locations. That’s when they turned to Strategic Factory.
The Challenge
Tate Engineering’s internal marketing and HR teams faced mounting challenges managing employee appreciation and branded merchandise. Their previous company store, hosted by another vendor, lacked visibility into inventory and offered a frustrating user experience.
"I found myself fielding daily requests from employees who couldn’t navigate the old platform. Without live inventory or reporting, I was left guessing at what was in stock and overwhelmed by manual ordering." — Jessica Wilking, Director of Marketing
The inefficiency wasted both time and resources. At one point, Jessica discovered that what she believed was a single pallet of branded goods was actually nine—filled with outdated materials she didn’t even know existed. Leadership knew it was time for a better system—and a smarter way to support their team.
The Process & Solution
- A Strategic Connection
In late 2024, Tate & Strategic Factory kicked off a collaborative conversation between both organizations. The Strategic Factory team, including sales, marketing, and HR leadership, met with key Tate stakeholders across marketing, human resources, and sales to identify needs and build a plan. - A Smarter Company Store
Tate launched a fully customized Company Store with Strategic Factory in June 2025, featuring real-time inventory visibility, easy ordering, and streamlined fulfillment. Unlike their previous platform, the new system was intuitive and widely adopted by the entire team. - A New Employee Reward System
To boost employee engagement, Tate implemented a custom rewards system called “Tate Bucks”—a digital currency employees can earn for birthdays, work anniversaries, holidays, and outstanding performance. Employees can redeem their Tate Bucks for branded company apparel and merchandise, ranging from practical office items to premium retail goods. Strategic Factory handles warehousing, branding, and fulfillment of the rewards, even deploying Tate Bucks to employee store accounts on behalf of Jessica, saving her time and administrative effort. - Better Branded Merchandise
One of the most notable upgrades has been the quality and variety of products. Employees now enjoy choosing from a curated selection of exciting, on-trend items—including retail brands—making company swag something to look forward to. As Jessica shared, she regularly receives enthusiastic feedback from employees who love the new offerings. - Employee Appreciation Boxes That Stand Out
Strategic Factory also helps Tate create custom employee appreciation experiences—from welcome kits for new hires to years-of-service boxes featuring acrylic coin holders and challenge coins in beautifully branded packaging. For the company’s 2025 Crab Feast celebration, Strategic Factory delivered a fully branded event kit including koozies, pint glasses, Old Bay hot sauce, waterproof “how to pick a crab” guides, and more—all packed in a custom-designed box. - Daily Collaboration & Fresh Ideas
Jessica works closely with Aaron, her dedicated account executive, who offers proactive ideas and continuously refreshes store inventory with high-quality and brand-name items. The team now feels excited and proud to use their company store—something that simply didn’t happen before.
The Results
Since launching their new company store, Jessica reports a major improvement in team morale and internal efficiency. She estimates that she’s regained two full weeks of work per year, thanks to the streamlined ordering process and Strategic Factory’s hands-on support.
She has also reclaimed physical space in her office, as all branded goods are now inventoried and stored at Strategic Factory’s warehouse.
"I can’t say thank you enough to the entire team at Strategic Factory. We’ve thrown some big challenges their way, and they’ve consistently delivered quickly, creatively, and without hesitation. They’ve helped us streamline several internal processes, freeing up valuable time for our team to focus on more strategic initiatives.
From managing our internal portal and fulfillment needs to creating event favors and memorable customer gifts, their support has been outstanding—a special thank you to Aaron, who has truly become an extension of our team. We’re in contact almost daily. He keeps projects on track, communicates clearly, sends helpful reminders, and always brings fresh ideas that take our concepts to the next level.
We’re incredibly grateful for the partnership and continued support. Thank you for making our lives easier and our projects better!" - Jessica Wilking, Director of Marketing
The results? A full-scale partnership that supports Tate’s marketing, HR, and operational goals.
From high-end swag and branded apparel to thoughtful employee appreciation boxes and real-time data reporting, Strategic Factory is helping Tate Engineering show up better for their clients and their people.
Discover What a Smarter Company Store Could Do for You
- Streamline operations
- Boost employee retention
- Build a better workplace culture
- Ace your employer marketing
