Our Customer Service Ethos

Some of the team, at the time of the Kickstarter launch of our Meridian Dress Shirt. September, 2017.

Guys, I have to tell you, we’re right in the middle of the holiday rush when orders are flying around like crazy and people have questions, returns, etc. — all of which have to happen right away as December 26th just won’t cut it. So, we have our hands full.

But here’s the thing — we crave this time of year. You guys are our lifeblood, and we relish all of the interactions this season brings.

In contacting us, you are likely well aware that you aren’t receiving a response from me. It’s my team that fields most requests, as it would be humanly impossible for me to touch every question or order.

As a founder, even though I can’t talk to every customer, I think we’ve found a way for me to be in the loop on most things - to take the pulse of customer feedback thanks to our incredible team. Customer Service has become one of the major strengths and assets of the company; some say it’s what we do best.

So, how did we get here?

The Beginning

Someone recently described the process of growing a business like this: in the beginning, the founder wears all of the hats, and the further ones goes, the more hats the founder removes and hands to someone else to wear.

In the beginning, Bluffworks was just me, selling a single style of pants while holding down my software day job. Orders would come in, and the warehouse would ship them.

It was working, but the one thing that wasn’t scalable was critical communication with our customers. I would spend so much time answering your questions and helping you place your order, because I loved it. But trying to juggle a business, day job, and family wasn’t going to work long term. I needed help.

So, even before I was working full time on Bluffworks, our first customer service agent was 100% on the case. Many of you know Monica. That’s her in the photo on the back right.

What’s the big deal?

The thing is, you guys use our product as “gear”. When you first found Bluffworks, you were probably outfitting yourself for a big adventure — like an overseas trip, or a challenging schedule of business travel — and your gear needed to be right. So, you had specific requirements that go beyond size and fit, down to details like how many ounces a pair of pants weigh, or how many days you can wear one of our blazers.

After you tried us for a journey, we became an everyday wardrobe for many of you. But, that trust doesn’t happen overnight and it needs to be earned.

Building the team

I’m going to go on record and say that it wasn’t a stroke of genius that built our customer service team. It was luck.

It didn’t take long for comments like this to pour in:

I have to say that this is some of the quickest and most efficient customer service I have received in a long time. I say that as a Sommelier who has worked at multiple Michelin starred restaurants over the course of 15 years. Very impressed, and thank you.

- John T.

Thanks so much for the crazy good customer support! Honestly don't know which I like better, your product or your customer service. You guys are awesome.

- Michael G.

By the way, just wanted to say thank you for the excellent customer service - I will most definitely continue to bluff on. :D

- Jonathan R.

For an ecommerce company that seldom gets to meet its customers face to face, customer service is our front line of communication with you. I got lucky hiring the type of people who were as invested in helping customers as I was.  

Our recipe for customer service

1. We’re here for you. We’re eager to answer any questions you have that help get you ready for your biggest adventure. What’s the best product for a trip where I am both hiking and eating in nice restaurants? How much does the material weigh? How do I figure out if my blazer will fit? Which Meridian Shirt goes with the blazer and pants I already own? We love talking about all of this and more.

2. Our goal is to take care of you. When there’s a problem, it’s our goal to make it right…as quickly as possible. Our customer service team is empowered to do whatever it takes to serve our customers.

3. You guys have great ideas. Customer feedback is a huge part of our product development process. A little known fact: our team tracks everything you tell us. Good feedback, bad feedback, defects, new product requests — the team documents it, and I see it all. 

This is personal for me

I still remember the first picture I ever received of a guy getting married in our pants down at city hall. I was floored. The most important day of his life so far, and he reached for his Bluffs.

Having you use our products in your daily lives is personal for me.

And while every job in the company is important, customer service is both important and urgent. I’m really grateful for the team that enables me to sleep at night, knowing that you guys are well taken care of.

We want to hear from you

The last thing to say is, don’t hold back: we’re always eager to hear what you think.

There’s no detail too small that we’re not interested in, and no problem we won’t try to fix.

So keep it coming. Let us know how we can help. (And a huge thanks to my team.)

Bluff on,