When I made skincare as a hobby, my customers were friends and family, and they kind of had to be nice to me, after all, at some point, we would be sharing a Thanksgiving table. I had been basking in the glow of my friendship/family bubble for quite a few years before turning my hobby into a business.
Prior to my “hobby”, I had worked with the public for a very long time, since I was 17 years old. I learned from the best, Nordstrom, on how to treat customers so when I started Celtic Complexion, I was armed with a very good customer service blueprint.
However, putting ones self “out there” can be daunting, especially in this day and age of social media. When deciding my “store policy”, it was simple, treat the customer exactly as I myself would want to be treated. I realize that it’s hard to garner trust on a computer screen, from a location hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of miles away. No smiling face to greet you, or muzak pumping from the elevator, no department store smell or crisp fancy bag.
In other words, most people who arrive at the website don’t know me from the man on the moon. It can be a very daunting thing; handing over money to someone you’ve never met for products you can’t touch.
But you showed up, and kept showing up, and brought your friends.
Here’s what makes you so great:
1. You trust me. You have concerns, you’ve been disappointed before, and you’ve wasted money. But… you’ve made a decision to trust me when I tell you I can help. And I will never, ever forget or take for granted your trust and patronage. (If you ever get wanderlust, and decide to leave the Celtic Complexion tribe, know that we part friends, and the door is always open for you to return.)
2. You are polite, sincere and polite (ok, that’s three, but it falls under the same “kindness” umbrella). An artisan brand lives and dies by testimonials and referrals, and when you take the time out of your busy day to write something about our products, it’s quite simply the very best thing you can do for us. Those short (and sometimes long) notes are what keep me motivated during the more challenging times of being an entrepreneur. I LOVE hearing from you because behind the Celtic Complexion “brand”, there is a human “Jennifer” 🙂
3. You are educated. You have the best questions and suggestions for me, and I listen to each and every one. I love being able to have great conversations and separate the hype from facts.
4. You are understanding. On a rare occasion when I haven’t met your expectations, you let me know with grace and I sincerely appreciate that. Thank you for realizing that a human resides at the other side of your computer screen, and I will do everything in my power to make you happy (if you give me a chance).
5. You inspire me. Your expectations of me make me want to strive to raise the bar higher. I may not have shareholders, but I do feel like I answer to you every day, with every batch.
So, thank you dear Celtic Complexion fans, even though we may have never met in person, you are the most important part of our company, and I’m honored to serve you.