In most corners of the world – heck in most corners of this country – people don’t really pay attention to the cloth diaper industry. If they are not parents, I guess there is no real reason to, but I think a lot of companies could learn a thing or two (or three as the case may be) from this industry.
- They stand behind their product. Most cloth diaper companies, including FuzziBunz, understand that cloth diapers are an investment. An investment that touches the tenderest parts of our most precious gifts. And they get used a lot. Maybe because most cloth diaper manufacturers are small businesses and parents themselves, they understand the need for quality products that stand up to a lot of wear and tear. And if they don’t stand up, the warranty on my FuzziBunz is better than the one on my dishwasher.
- They get customer service. I am mostly speaking about FuzziBunz here because I have the most experience with them, but seriously, there is no waiting on the phone for 20 minutes, talking to a computer or trying to explain yourself, just a quick online form. There are clear instructions about what will be accepted and what will not. Luckily I haven’t had many problems with my diapers, but I hear over and over again that the customer service is fast, efficient and friendly. Can’t ask for much more.
- They engage their customers. Moms have got to be the most marketed-to demographic group out there. Sometimes I am just exhausted by the sheer number of product messages flying at me. But cloth diaper companies are definitely doing something right. They make it easy to connect with them online. They provide interesting information, answer questions, encourage discussion and, in general, do a lot of things to help build the cloth diapering community.
It’s not rocket science, just three simple things. It’s just crazy to me that more companies – especially small ones – don’t do a better job at these things. As consumers, we just want a company to demonstrate that they respect us and our investment in their product. That respect makes us want to come back and buy from them again… isn’t that the ultimate in building a successful brand?
What do you think the business world could learn from cloth diaper companies? What are they doing right? Wrong?
Sarah is a mom of two and blogs about her adventures in motherhood, cloth diapering and everything in between. Catch her “Cloth Diapering Unwrapped” series on the FuzziBunz blog every Tuesday.
