By: Bianca M. Strzalkowski
Nadia Martinez says her customers are always right and she goes out of her way to make sure they know it. The Marine wife is owner of Kallie Shoes, LLC, a not-just-for-profits footwear company that gives part of its proceeds to organizations that support veterans and wounded warriors. She used her education and professional experience to get started, then met up with some of the brightest minds in business at an Inc. 5000 conference late last year. The interactions there gave her tools to grow her business even further.
Kallie Shoes targets a specific customer: people who love shoes, people who are animal-friendly, and people who support the military. The PETA-approved vegan company delivers products made with the safety of animals in mind. Because she knows her customer base so well, Martinez put flexible policies in place to ensure her shoppers always know they are right.
“My team and I understand that the majority of women like to try the shoes on before making the purchase. Since we sell via e-commerce, our customers rely on the products’ description and reviews to make the purchase. However, it is because we are aware of this challenge and understand it that we make the exchange process as easy as possible. Shipping and returns are complimentary,” Martinez said. “Our company is in business and still growing because of our customers. At Kallie Shoes we strive to make our customers our top priority; customer satisfaction comes first. This means that they are right, and we resolve any issues as soon as possible.”
She said it is critical for businesses to use customer engagement as a means to build brand loyalty – social media is a must for any company, especially when operating online. Kallie Shoes has added a new blog section – Women of Strength – sharing inspiring stories.
Nadia’s Tips for Customer-Driven Business Etiquette:
- Free shipping
- Streamlined return process
- Constant communication for any customer inquiries
Check out Kallie Shoes’ latest handcrafted footwear at http://www.kallieshoes.com/ and ‘like’ the company’s Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/kallieshoes/.
