Two years ago: Choose a new direction for Gorilla Gesund
Two years ago, my company was at a crucial point: Should we close down or take a fresh start? An important client, who was our main source of income, went bankrupt and was taken over by a larger company. At the same time, we were working on launching a new pillow brand, Gorilla Gesund, but the project was still too small to sustain the company. Additionally, my business partner also decided to leave the company.
After months of consideration, I decided to continue the online sales activities that we had taken over for our customer directly under my company. This meant that I had to do everything myself and without employees, but it was the only option. I adapted all work processes to the new direction of the company and took over the administrative tasks and accounting that my former partner had neglected.
Reorientation towards health products
The new goal was to establish health products as the main line of business. The already introduced pillow brand was supplemented with medical supply store products. Since we didn't yet work with health insurance companies, we couldn't accept prescriptions, but we still had to stand out.
After some consideration, I decided that we should focus on understanding and meeting our customers' real needs. During my time in the medical supply store, I learned that people weren't looking for decorative items or gifts, but rather products that are really necessary in everyday life. But many large medical supply companies were unable to really empathize with the needs of their customers because their organizations were too large and the tasks were processed too mechanically. So I decided that we should focus on understanding customer needs and solving them.
Four principles for implementation
Firstly, we have focused on providing high quality products. Through my experience, I knew which branded products had high customer satisfaction and a low return rate. At the beginning we didn't have many products, but we gradually expanded our range with selected products.
Secondly, we wanted to improve the quality of the content. Since online sales were our main communication channel, we invested a lot of time and effort into the website content. Instead of simply copying the manufacturer's catalog content, we integrated customer examples and questions to design the product pages. We analyzed returns and alerted customers to potential issues so they could make informed purchasing decisions.
Thirdly, close communication was a central part of our work. Even though many processes are automated online, human adjustments are often required. If there were delivery delays or production bottlenecks or products had defects, we proactively informed customers and found solutions together.
Fourth, we wanted to get closer to the customer and solve their problems with empathy. If a product could only be delivered to the curb, we contacted nearby moving companies to arrange delivery to the door at a reasonable price. Even though the height of a walker was uncomfortable, we solved the problem by custom-making it by machining the wooden part of the seat.
First successes and challenges
The initial changes in the first year were challenging, but they brought initial positive results. Even though there wasn't a big profit yet, I was able to cover costs and validate the company's direction. The second year continued with many difficulties, but we managed to persevere each month and now we are close to completing the year.
Of course, we couldn't meet all of our customers' expectations. Some were dissatisfied with our products, others were annoyed about late deliveries. In such cases I have tried to explain and offer solutions as best as possible. There were also customers who gave us grateful feedback despite the problems. These moments motivate me to keep going.
There were also challenges with paying customers. A customer ordered an electric vehicle worth almost 1,000 euros but didn't pay. However, we found out that he was in a difficult financial situation. Through personal communication, we found a solution where he could make the payment in small installments. Even though this was a loss from a business perspective, it was important to me to listen to the customer's needs and find a solution.
Looking to the Future
In times of economic uncertainty in Europe and Germany, it is not easy to run a company. However, I want to continue to move forward because I want to give customers trust and contribute to society in a small but positive way. My company is still small, but through continued commitment to our customers' needs and focus on sustainable growth, I hope to continue to be successful on this journey.
Hyoun Wook Song
customer service representative | Managing Director
Gorilla Gesund
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