Pretty or Plain?

‘The customer is always right’. This was the well-worn motto in the 90’s hospitality industry. The implication was that, of course, they were not always right…but they ARE always right.  To put the customer first and do one’s best to provide a satisfactory experience was paramount.

Of course, the reality is that almost everyone has had an experience where the customer has not been right. I recall a scene from the movie ‘No Reservations” where the protagonist, a chef at a high-end restaurant in Manhattan, receives a complaint from a customer claiming the steak was over cooked. In a rage, she marches out of the kitchen with a raw steak on a fork and slams it down on the table in front of the startled customer. This is a very relatable scene for anyone who’s worked in the food service industry.

But the customer is always right (even when they’re wrong!) in the very true sense that they are the customer. They are the ones paying for the service or the product. If they don’t like it, they will not remain a customer for long. So even if the customer is, objectively speaking, wrong, for example the steak was rare, if they think it was overcooked, it was. This is not some ‘truth is relative’ philosophy but the simple reality that customers vote with their wallets and choose products that provide what they want.

In the world of soap making, this question has come up regarding the pretty vs. plain soap. Fancy patterns and floral garnishes are almost irresistible for artisans making hand-crafted cold processed soap. But very early on in my soap-making I began to wonder if all the toppings and swirls is what customers really want. The pretty soap definitely makes for a better picture and pins for Pinterest but when the rubber hits the road- in a bathroom sink with a pair of dirty hands – what is ideal?

The only way to answer this question, as far as I can tell, is to ask the customer directly. Because they are always right. I have made two versions of the ever-popular Pure Lavender soap; one with lavender buds topping and the other without. Both have the exact same ingredients, made with all natural oils, butters and essential oil from lavender- functionally they are identical. So, my dear customers (and all those reading this blog!), please let me know which you prefer. Either by buying one or the other, or a direct message to let me know. Visit The Cottage Line shop to cast your vote. My customers are always right!!