What Matters Most: Shaping The Customer Journey

I am a small business owner. I have lost count of all the ways my life has changed since making the pivot from full-time employee to full-time entrepreneur. You know what hasn't changed...I am still a consumer. We all are. In fact, I often find myself thinking more like a consumer than the CEO of a company. That being said, the perspectives of customer versus business owner are often at odds. What's good for the customer may not be what's best for the business and vice versa. We have different goals, different challenges and roadblocks, and different pain points. We are...consumers and entrepreneurs that is...different. But, if we are all customers first, how can businesses thrive while prioritizing the customer above all else? 

Customer feedback is an essential aspect of any successful business. Moreover, for my business anyway, customer feedback serves as a direct line of communication between myself and the consumers purchasing my products. They provide invaluable insights into how Anthologie Soap Co. operates. Our customers not only redefine what success looks like but they inspire me to be a better business.

We are heading into the holidays, the busiest shopping time of the year. Saturday November 30th, 2024 is set aside as Small Business Saturday. Before we get there, before the first dollar hits the till, I want to hear from our customers about what matters to them. Too many times I think, businesses make operating decisions without considering consumer behavior first. Putting the cart before the horse so to speak. This year I decided to take a huge risk. When everyone else was setting Q4 sales goals I was developing a customer centric interview. Before I set a single business goal I want to understand your needs.

Here’s a closer look at why your consumer voice is not only necessary but can also be a powerful strategy for not just our growth but also protecting your pocketbook.

• We want to be a solution orientated business that meets customers where they're at by addressing their challenges and their needs.
• We want to understand what drives your consumer choices.
• We want to hear your overall experience with our brand in both product and service.
• Our vision for the future of Anthologie Soap Co. does not exist without our customers input.

Starting today thru November 30th, instead of obsessing over Small Business Saturday, we are shifting our focus to you the consumer. We will be hosting ad hoc customer interviews in the soap shop...completely voluntary of course. I have devised a series of five simple questions. In an effort to draw data that is both quantitative as well as qualitative we are hoping to garner a variety of respondents. To that, the ideal interview participant are those specifically shopping for the holidays, parents with children under 18 years old, and people between the ages of 35 and 44 years old. Let me clear...the "ideal" participant is simply a benchmark. We want to hear from anyone willing to speak because we are listening. Every interview participant will receive a free gift as a token of our appreciation.

Transparency continues to be a core value and guiding principle in our business. Participants can expect a detailed follow up after interviews close. Please visit Anthologie Soap Co. in Wahoo and consider participating in our customer interview. We are also hosting a Bath Bar "Bar" Event on Saturday 11/30/24 and we encourage you to make a stop to customize a unique gift set to give or keep for yourself.

Sincerely Yours,

Anthologie Soap Co.