2019—What a Year, Right?
The world was on the brink of a seismic shift, and if you were starting a company just as the pandemic loomed large, well, that’s a story worth telling. Imagine launching a business that designs high-quality office furniture just before everything shut down and turned our work lives upside down. Sounds like a wild ride, doesn’t it?
So, what do you do in such a scenario? Let’s hear it straight from the source. Branch Furniture is a standout name in the office furniture world. They kicked off their journey in 2019 with a big focus on serving large enterprises. Fast forward a bit, and they’ve evolved significantly. With remote and hybrid work becoming the norm, Branch saw the chance to expand its reach. They pivoted to cater to individuals and smaller businesses, bringing their innovative furniture solutions to a broader audience. This shift not only widened their customer base but also underscored their commitment to creating top-notch office environments for everyone.
I had the pleasure of chatting with Sib, the co-founder and Chief Product Officer at Branch Furniture. We dove into their growth story, focusing on the role of customer feedback and Sib’s advice for CX leaders on embracing a customer-centric approach. Sib took me on a trip down memory lane, sharing how the founders tackled customer tickets in the early days—good times indeed! It’s fascinating to see how that small team transformed into the efficient, dynamic force we see today.
Let’s take a trip back to the early days of Branch Furniture when customer service was a hands-on affair. The founders themselves were deeply involved in managing every customer interaction. Customer Experience quickly became rooted in their foundation and as they began to grow, they knew how pivotal that department would be for their continued success. As Sib shared, “In the early days, it was all hands on deck. We were personally responding to every ticket, and while it was a great way to stay connected, it became clear we needed a better system.”
Now comes the hard part: as the business grew, the founders became a degree separated from their customers, but still wanted to be at the forefront of what people are experiencing with their company.
They brought on automated tools and focused on process to keep efficiency high while doing their best to maintain the Voice of Customer throughout the org. One element of customer insight that became crucial as Branch evolved was collecting both Qualitative AND Quantitative data. The Branch product line is complex and the more the Branch team could see what our customers are seeing, the faster the feedback loops and the more value they could deliver.
One of the key pillars here was implementing Hark.
“Now we have a little bit more depth and clarity, and that is because we're able to get feedback beyond text. Yep. And of course, that's a big part of where Hark has been super helpful for us.” - Sib noted
He recalled, “Early on we had a recurring issue with a certain product feature. It probably took us 20 tickets to really understand what that problem was. And it consequently took us longer to react to it. Now that we have a tool like Hark, it'd be very simple to diagnose this issue with audio-visual context. Instead of someone describing this mechanical issue in words, they send a video showing the issue—leading to a quicker resolution time”
By mixing quantitative data with qualitative insights, Branch could tackle specific pain points and spot bigger trends. This smart combo didn’t just boost product development and customer service; it also pumped up their overall strategy and promoted cross-departmental collaboration.
When asked how they measure customer loyalty, Sib shared three key metrics they rely on to gauge it:
Branch doesn’t just aim for the stars—they reach for them. By setting high NPS goals, they push for greater levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty. “We set NPS goals to be better than world-class in our industry,” Sib shares. When I asked how they celebrate after hitting those ambitious NPS goals, Sib laughed and said they just raise the bar.
“Our job doesn’t stop at a good NPS score. We thrive on finding the comments and feedback that’s richer. The offhand remark, the tone of voice. If you’ve got a great NPS, you’re hitting your goal, that’s five stars, but you just can’t stop there. Much like Brian Chesky’s 7-star approach at Airbnb. And so qualitative data is the way you get to seven stars.”
If I were to summarize one big takeaway from Branch’s strategy, it’s that quantitative metrics are crucial, but qualitative feedback adds depth to contextualize and enable continuous improvement. Branch actively seeks out and analyzes detailed customer comments and suggestions. This deeper dive helps them understand the nuances behind satisfaction scores.
“Even when the metric is looking really good, you have to go to the qualitative to find opportunities to improve the product. Hark has made it possible for us,” Sib explains.
One of the standout points in my conversation with Sib was how Branch Furniture relies heavily on benchmarks, dashboards, and disciplined reporting. This ensures every move they make is backed by accurate and actionable data. Here are some key takeaways from our conversation:
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