If you grow it, they will come: Brave & Bearded of Montreal prioritizes customer-centric strategies

2 minute read

It’s the golden age of facial hair.

That makes beard oils, balms and accessories big business – but cracking the code on customer preferences isn’t easy.

Montreal’s Brave & Bearded is on the front lines offering a truly extraordinary customer service experience.

“There are many aspects to beard and hair maintenance. We want to become the resource for all of our customers’ needs,” says founder Max Fortin.

“We bend over backwards for our customers and we have more than 5,000 five-star reviews to prove it. Our percentage of returns is minimal.”

It’s all about going beyond for the customer.

Mr. Fortin has embraced e-commerce best practices to ensure that Brave & Bearded is the go-to destination for men’s grooming.

That commitment has served his business well this year. COVID -19 lockdowns put a pause on several of Mr. Fortin’s revenue streams: conventions, tattoo shows and retail channels, including the barbershop.

We’re seeing a 4% online conversion on our website from Facebook – the best ever.

Max Fortin

Brave & Bearded

E-commerce picked up a lot of the slack. “We’re seeing a 4% online conversion on our website from Facebook – the best ever.” During the slowdown, Mr. Fortin seized the opportunity to rethink customer incentives. One was free shipping, a very appealing selling feature for online shoppers.

The Brave & Bearded website not only offers seamless transactions but lots of tips, insights and advice. The site includes informative videos to help new and current customers choose fragrances and products that suit them.

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Building loyalty, one purchase at a time.

“When our customers write to us, we take the time to respond. I will even send personalized videos to address more complicated questions.”

Since fragrance is very subjective, Mr. Fortin allows his customers to exchange any product within 30 days – no questions asked.

Customers are also delighted to find free samples of fragrances or beard combs in their orders. Everyone receives discount coupons that can be applied to their next purchases.

The Brave & Bearded team also asks new customers to offer feedback in a post-purchase survey, enabling the team to continually enhance every step of the customer’s journey.

Fast, reliable delivery is extremely important for every e-commerce business and Brave & Bearded is no exception.

“Our customers want to receive their orders right away, so we offer a quicker Canada Post delivery option. We also have our phone number visible throughout the purchase process, should the customer ever need help.”

Brave & Bearded’s success proves the importance of keeping consumers engaged and satisfied in an increasingly competitive online world.

What are you doing differently in 2020 to separate your business from the pack?

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