Great customer experience makes buyers loyal –Omowanle (PUNCH)

Folashade Omowanle, 28, is the co-founder of Hair by Saffron. She speaks about her business management strategies, in this interview with IFE OGUNFUWA

Tell us about Hair by Saffron?

Hair by Saffron, is a company which supplies genuine human hair. We painstakingly search out the very best in quality; thus our clients get only the best.  Our aim is to reach out to various levels of clients – the undergraduate, the high-class career woman, the celebrity, and the salon manager.

What business principles are working for you? 

, a key focus for us is customer satisfaction.  We don’t believe in the one-size-fits-all approach. We tailor our interactions to suit each individual or group of individuals. We believe that if you give someone a great customer experience, it makes them come back for more.

In addition, we don’t compromise on quality. Quality speaks for itself in the long run. Imitations abound in the market. A lady may rejoice over a cheap deal right after a purchase, but would realise before long that she had been scammed, because the product would not stand the test of time or might not hold its curls.

There may be uncontrollable tangling and shedding. We have tested our hairs by exposing them to stressful situations; thus we know how our products react. Whoever orders Hair by Saffron can be rest assured that we will give them value for their money.

Networking is another principle we apply. This is a means by which we connect with our potential and established clients and owners of related businesses. We also strive to learn more. A constant question on our mind is: “How can we be better?” The human hair business is versatile and dynamic; so, you have to remain at the top of your game.

What propelled you to start the business?

My sisters (co-directors) and I always had a passion for good hair, especially as we had been exposed to some less-than-satisfactory hair textures in the

past.  So, the idea to start Hair by Saffron came simultaneously from the three of us.

Prayer also had a lot to do with our decision as, surprisingly, each of us prayed individually for a business to invest in. We were all led to the human hair business. Thus, the journey to supply amazing hair at affordable rates began.

We chose ‘Hair by Saffron’ because the saffron beautifies and adds spice. It is also a symbol of youthfulness and cheerfulness.

How do you remain competitive?

Our strengths are competitive and affordable pricing, quality products, on-time delivery and customer satisfaction. We intend to focus on these. We have also taken a step above retailing to provide affordable wholesale options for individuals and salon managers interested in getting good affordable hair for their own businesses.

What in your view are the gaps in the e-commerce industry?

Nigerians still struggle with trust when it comes to purely online platforms for transactions with local businesses.  The average Nigerian is highly sceptical of arrangements that involve little physical interaction, especially when money is involved.

I don’t blame them because there are a lot of swindlers out there who give genuine folks like us a bad name. But the average Nigerian would make purchases on platforms such as eBay, Amazon and AliExpress without batting an eyelid, even though these companies do not have physical shops and may be thousands of miles away.

A common question in such a situation is: “How can I be sure you won’t run away with my money?” How about checking out reviews and testimonies about this business, especially if it is a small and medium-sized enterprise?  The e-commerce industry in Nigeria will only get better if Nigerians support their own. There are ways of verifying the legitimacy of a business.

How can we get more local products on Nigeria’s e-commerce sites?

It is a process. Rome was not built in a day. A few local products, including those from the fashion industry, the interior decorating business (which includes furniture makers and cosmetics) are becoming more prominent on e-commerce platforms.

Again, Nigerians must patronise Nigerians to encourage our local producers/manufacturers. The indigenous businessman on the other hand must strive to make only world-class products available.

That way, you encourage the end-user to patronise you time and time again. You also encourage export because excellence is a global language. All local manufacturers need to do is register with these e-commerce platforms. If they are of the right quality, they won’t be turned away.

That said, we must acknowledge the hardships faced by the brave few who venture into local manufacturing/production. Power supply is epileptic; funding is tough to come by, and most raw materials, for now, sadly, can only be imported.

The current state of our economy has given us a wake-up call though, and proactive Nigerians are harnessing the resources available here to make more local raw materials available. It’s a demanding task, yes, but the process has begun and it can only get better.

What business expansion plan do you have?

We are currently working on our website and it will go live in a few months. However, we are active on Instagram. We have launched a wholesale channel and plan to expand our frontiers to other countries.

We intend to be suppliers of genuine human hair to business owners within and outside Nigeria. The goal is to expand beyond Nigeria. It’s a tough journey, but slowly and surely, we will get there.