Exit Interview

(1) What is your essential question, and what are your answers?  What is your best answer and why?

EQ: What is the best way to maximize profits in a small retail business

Answer 1: Promoting the business through social media 

Answer 2: Providing the best possible customer service

Answer 3:  Creating and maintaining a visually appealing, yet helpful website

Best Answer: 3

The reason I chose answer 3 as my best answer is because customer service is what creates loyal customers which leads to positive word of mouth, and brings in more customers. Having excellent customer service encourages customers to keep coming back leading to more money for the business. 

(2) What process did you take to arrive at this answer?

Mentoring at Maple I experienced how well Amy and her employees treat her customers whether it be from helping them shop around the store, or following up with them after they make a purchase at the store. A simple "hello" or "thank you" when  the customers enter and leave the store is what makes the customer feel appreciated and brings them back for that same experience. Also, researching my topic this whole year gave me insight to a lot of different ways a small business could be successful, and I came across customer service more then plenty times, only to reassure it as my best answer. 

(3) What problems did you face?  How did you resolve them?

In the beginning of the year I had trouble finding a mentor who could guide me through this year long experience. I guess the saying " Good things happen to those who wait" is true, because not long after I was almost about to give up, I found Amy. I called several boutiques in the Claremont Village, and finally one store was able to give me the "okay", which was Maple Boutique. Amy has been a huge blessing and help to researching my senior project. Not only is she super kind in assisting me with any of my needs, but she goes out of her way to teach me all the ins and outs of the business. 

(4) What are the two most significant sources you used to answer your essential question and why?

• Tahir, Liz. "10 Effective Customer Service Tips." About.com. About.com, n.d. Web. 26 Apr. 2015.- This article gave me more then plenty help as to why customer service is so crucial, especially in smaller businesses. It also gave me a detailed list as to what is important in customer service and how to improve it. 

• Third interview with my mentor, Amy- This interview in specific helped me understand how social media plays a huge role in Maple Boutique, and what she does specifically on it to promote the business. She further explained how having a functioning websiste for her business helps her control what she sells, who she sells it to, and how it beings in more business for the boutique. Both of these things helped me back up my answers to my EQ, and generate further research.