We call it customer obsession – and it means putting people at the heart of every decision. It’s not just about offering support when something goes wrong. It’s about anticipating what our customers need, exceeding expectations, and delivering a world-class experience from the very first click.
In online retail, you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. If delivery is slow, returns are difficult, or communication is unclear, customers move on – and they don’t keep quiet about it – a few bad experiences and your reputation is in tatters. But when everything works seamlessly, people come back, they leave reviews, and they tell their friends – they become brand ambassadors.
Behind every order is a real person, and they deserve to be looked after, that’s why our motto is simple: treat every customer like your nan and make decisions that would make your mum proud.
Earning trust as a young brand
When we started Must Have Ideas, one of the biggest challenges was building trust. Why would someone buy from a brand they’ve never heard of?
We needed a simple way to tell the world; this is who we are and this is why you can be confident when you shop with us. That’s why we introduced three simple but powerful customer service policies:
Two-day delivery or your order is free:
This is more than just a promise – it shows we value your time and reinforces that we’re a UK-based business.
100-day money-back guarantee:
Shopping online can feel risky, especially with new brands. Our guarantee removes the fear and lets customers shop with confidence.
Easy, hassle-free returns:
We’ve all experienced nightmare returns. We made ours simple, fast and fair – because even when things don’t work out, the experience should still be a positive one.
These policies helped lay the foundation of trust. In a digital world where alternatives are just a click away, keeping our promises matters.
Keeping customer service in-house
As more companies turn to AI bots and outsourced call centres, we’ve gone the other way. We believe human, in-house service matters – and it matters now more than ever
Our 40-strong customer service team works under our own roof. They’re embedded in our company culture, know our products inside out, rigorously trained and have the freedom to make independent decisions that keep customers happy.
They’re available every day from 8am to midnight – by phone, email, WhatsApp, social media and, believe it or not, post – and yes, we still get the occasional letter.
Listen to your customers!
We’re incredibly proud to be rated ‘Excellent’ on Trustpilot having received over 140,000 reviews. But we don’t just scan them for stars – every review is a chance to learn something new. We use feedback to improve our service, refine our products and guide what we launch next.
Whether it’s a glowing compliment or constructive criticism, we take it seriously – because our customers are telling us exactly what they value. For any business to survive and grow, ignore customer feedback at your own risk!
Every customer interaction is a new opportunity
Every time someone contacts us – whether it’s to buy, ask a question or return something – we see it as an opportunity to create a positive connection. That mindset is baked into our customer service training. We teach every team member to treat people the way they’d want to be treated.
It sounds simple. But when it’s done consistently, it changes everything.
Looking ahead
We’re not done. We’re still investing in our team, extending our opening hours, and developing tools that make it even easier for customers to get what they need, when they need it.
We want to be more than just an online store. We want to be a brand that people trust, recommend and come back to – not just for the products, but for the way we make them feel.
A message to other founders
If you’re building a business today, ask yourself: is customer service truly part of your strategy – or just an afterthought you’ve outsourced? Yes, it costs more to staff a UK-based customer service team, but it costs far more to lose trust.
Anyone can copy your product. Competitors can undercut your prices. But customer service? That’s where you can stand out.
My advice: make it human. Make it matter.
And if in doubt? Just treat every customer like your nan and make decisions that would make your mum proud.
