As an entrepreneur and the founder of Grasshaven Outdoor, the journey has brought new insights into myself and highlighted what I care about most in the business world.
Customers care. Customer experience. Customer service.... these terms are thrown about flippantly in the business world. I have used them myself on a daily basis.
However when I began this entrepreneurial journey, I knew I wanted to build a company that put customers first. Zappos as a brand has been heralded as a top customer experience company. I want the same for Grasshaven. Do everything we can do to make our customers our top priority. Really isn't this what should motivate every business. Because without customers, what is a business?
Taking this idea of customer care to heart at Grasshaven and creating a culture of customer experience infiltrates everything we do. Everything we say. And every emotion we have.
From the joys of a little comment about the care we have taken to pack and ship a customers order to the glowing feedback people have given regarding our product offerings, this is motivation.
It breaks our heart for every facebook unlike and unsubscription to our newsletter. We self reflect and try to understand what we may have done to cause our community any dissatisfaction.
We are building a company that cares where the customer is the center of what we do every single day. And that we believe is all that matters.
Saturday, August 31, 2013
Friday, August 30, 2013
RV Style Trending Topics
Recently I became engaged in a discussion on the topic of trends that needed to die in the RV industry. It is interesting to me there is so little style in some units on the market today. In the 80's and 90's, a sea of blue and mauve was the standard but now beige and brown with accents in black seem to be taking over. With all the home improvement shows and a focus on the stationary home so prevalent, I ask why are transportable motorhomes and trailers trending so far behind as a whole?
However, before I critique the RV industry too harshly, there are some companies that are really taking a stylish look at the interior and exteriors of these traveling homes. There are some truly nice examples out there. I'm focusing on two that really stand out of the crowd (and both in very different ways). Now before I get too many comments pointing out that I have chosen two of the more expensive options, I will postulate that style does not equate to a large price tag (or heavy weight for that matter). I will suggest it really boils down to selecting aesthetically pleasing finishes and employing a high level of editing to arrive at a finished look that evokes design envy.
Most notably, one of the iconic brands, Airstream, continues to lead the pack in high style RV'ing. Carrying a diehard following including some notable celebrities, there is a reason people love Airstreams. With interior collections and layouts seemingly pulled from the pages of Dwell magazine or houzz.com, these artistically designed masterpieces are beautiful through and through. Even their live riveted campaign, is inspiring and fitting for this iconic brand. Yes their finishes are beautiful with maple and wenge woods and leather options, but pull back from the price tag and they have really hit the design target spot on.
Alternatively a newer RV manufacturer is really heralding some notable interior style. Though featuring a different design aesthetic than Airstream, these trailers feel as though they could be pulled from the pages of a Pottery Barn catalog. DR Suites newest model, which debuted this year, features shaker styled cabinets and tones of sage and mushroom in its interior. It is light and airy featuring space that calls for people to stay a while. All around, the trim and accents create a calm and relaxing interior.
What undertones do each of these different brands have? I suggest they are both looking at interior design trends for the interiors of their units. They are using a level of editing (no adhesive contact paper-esq Barbie-motorhome pseudo-tiled back splashes here - just leave them off if you think this is the most cost effective route). I challenge the industry to take a closer look at styles, finishes and trim options - and manufacturers, ask yourself, would you use those materials in your own home? If the answer is no, then re-evalutate the RV interior selection. Let's reset the style quotient for the RV industry. There can be style on the open road.
By the way, I'll put my "money where my mouth is." I'm up for the challenge anytime to assist any manufacturer in creating a beautiful interior and exterior for their units (that is also cost efficient).
However, before I critique the RV industry too harshly, there are some companies that are really taking a stylish look at the interior and exteriors of these traveling homes. There are some truly nice examples out there. I'm focusing on two that really stand out of the crowd (and both in very different ways). Now before I get too many comments pointing out that I have chosen two of the more expensive options, I will postulate that style does not equate to a large price tag (or heavy weight for that matter). I will suggest it really boils down to selecting aesthetically pleasing finishes and employing a high level of editing to arrive at a finished look that evokes design envy.
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| Loving the Airstream lifestyle |
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| Courtesy of DR Suites |
Alternatively a newer RV manufacturer is really heralding some notable interior style. Though featuring a different design aesthetic than Airstream, these trailers feel as though they could be pulled from the pages of a Pottery Barn catalog. DR Suites newest model, which debuted this year, features shaker styled cabinets and tones of sage and mushroom in its interior. It is light and airy featuring space that calls for people to stay a while. All around, the trim and accents create a calm and relaxing interior.
What undertones do each of these different brands have? I suggest they are both looking at interior design trends for the interiors of their units. They are using a level of editing (no adhesive contact paper-esq Barbie-motorhome pseudo-tiled back splashes here - just leave them off if you think this is the most cost effective route). I challenge the industry to take a closer look at styles, finishes and trim options - and manufacturers, ask yourself, would you use those materials in your own home? If the answer is no, then re-evalutate the RV interior selection. Let's reset the style quotient for the RV industry. There can be style on the open road.
By the way, I'll put my "money where my mouth is." I'm up for the challenge anytime to assist any manufacturer in creating a beautiful interior and exterior for their units (that is also cost efficient).
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