Gurpreet Bhurjee
Marymount University
Larry Clay
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The business I interviewed is Vibrant Phulkari. Vibrant Phulkari is an Indian clothing and accessories boutique that sells all types of Indian clothing, jewelry, and clutches. It is a home-based business and is local in Virginia. I am from India, and it’s hard to go back home to get clothing for special occasions. I found out about this company, and it works out well. The prices are affordable, the location is perfect for me, and the customer service is excellent. Every time I walked in, I felt so welcomed; they helped me with the fitting and made me feel valued. The whole family comes down to help the client, which is fantastic because there are more people who can give their opinion about something and advise you the right way.
The first question I asked the business owner was to tell us a story about their experience with your company. She told me that she goes to exhibitions to get their company out there for advertisement and to have customers see our products and purchase them. One of their experiences was that many of their clients complemented their products and complimented our services, and we always enjoyed hearing good feedback. They also go out of state to other exhibitions to inform clients about the company and the quality of our clothing and accessories and get more clientele. When they do a transaction, they would take the customer’s name and number, create a profile, and call them to follow up on the pieces they purchased. That, to me, is excellent customer service because I would love a company to follow up with me about the details I bought because it shows me that they care and are here for me if I need anything.
My second question was about a high point moment for the company. One of the high point moments for them was that many of their customers complimented their products and services, and that would mean a lot to the company because, for them, it means that they are doing well. Another high point moment was when their whole family worked together as a team. I would always support a family-owned business instead of a franchise or a company chain business, for example, Macy’s, JCPenney, etc. In a family-owned business, it’s always better customer service, and I would always support family-owned companies first so that I can support them. Another high point moment for them was that the exhibitions they would go to were successful, and they had many customers call to make appointments to get more products from them and custom order their pieces. The business owner also said that everyone loves our products' quality and told us that we will always shop at your company for special occasions.
My third question was about her business innovation, what it was, how it emerged, and the motivation or purpose. As I mentioned earlier, the invention is a home-based Indian boutique that sells Indian wear and accessories. Their innovation occurred after the covid pandemic. They have always planned on innovating this business for years, and because of the pandemic, they decided to open a new business, and that way, we can meet new people and help them with their wants and needs, and make a profit on the side. Their main thing is about their customers. When I was talking to the business owner, she told me that she handpicks the pieces herself and that she takes a lot of time to select the products and accessories because she wants to ensure the trend is modern. She also thinks about the customers and whether they would like these pieces. The motivation for doing this innovation was to bring stylish Indian clothing/ accessories easily accessible and affordable. Before this company, I used to go to other businesses, and they would charge me double the price for the same thing. Hence, when this company came out, I went to see the quality of the clothing, and if I liked a piece, I would ask the price, and when she told me the price, I was shocked and asked her again if that was the actual price and she confirmed. I told her my story of what I went through, and she was surprised and was like that is not suitable to do, and she said to me that here you don’t have to worry about that happening; we don’t cheat our clients like that at all. They treat their customers equally and fair, and their customer service is excellent.
My last question was who was involved in the innovation, does the business relate to a sense of mission, purpose, or meaning, and what was the impact of the invention on the company in the society or the environment? Her entire family was involved in starting the business. Each person brought their perspective when selecting products, and the business owners contacted the vendors to get those pieces shipped. Currently, the innovation does not relate to a sense of mission, but as the business grows, it would like to donate a certain percentage to nonprofit organizations and charities. Not a lot of companies would donate to nonprofit organizations and charities. They keep the money for themselves, which is why supporting those businesses is hard to sustain. I love that this company would donate to nonprofit organizations and charities because that shows that they care about what is happening today. The impact of the innovation on the business, society, or the environment is that they try to incorporate traditional Indian wear into modern outfits so that their customers can keep in style with the current style that is going on currently. Few people can return to India to get clothing and accessories, so they have modern clothing and accessories in class, and their products are affordable. You won’t find things like that easily, and it can be hard sometimes to find something you are looking for.
In conclusion, this business is booming, and many clients love their clothing and accessories. I am their customer, and it gave me pleasure to interview the business owner and a chance to know her and the company better. I have always felt valued as a customer and will always support this business because of its quality and customer service. I have even told my friends to check this business out because I would keep a good company, and the owner is friendly and has always cared about me and helped me through.
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Nikki Kaur, Founder and ceo
