Let your customers know that you're on their side

When Karen Williamson of K’s Market in Lynn contacted us following my request last month for local businesses to air their views through this column, she told us about her business and the attitude that drives it. It’s an attitude that has a resonance with us – the Chambers.

Karen has been trading for a year now. Inspired by two of her four children having coeliac disease, she opened a shop in King Street to sell gluten free products. She said: “There are a lot of people who have intolerances and allergies and I wanted to provide choices in a gluten-free market.”

Karen has started and shaped a business around delivering a wider choice of products, because she believes that leading a gluten free lifestyle should not be stressful.

Offering fresh bakery goods, sandwiches, frozen products such as ice-cream, cakes, cooking flours, conserves and chutneys has shown impressive development. Now she also sells cosmetics suitable for vegans, cleaning products and much more besides.

The really challenging thing about this market is that first and foremost there’s a need to extend consumers' knowledge and understanding of coeliac disease.

Karen said: “Surviving in retail is all about repeat business and providing a positive customer experience.” She tackles that by offering locally sourced products, attending social events and collaborating with health and well-being individuals and businesses.

Karen positions her business as a “trusted source of gluten free products in West Norfolk, where customers can shop with confidence”. Armed with a mantra of “be curious, listen and respond appropriately” she says, when asked what the really key message of her business is, it’s “I’m on your side”.

What a message that is. And even if your business is not in such a sensitive, health, sector, it’s still a really good attitude to have regarding your customers. In our case, it absolutely reflects how we feel about you – our members.

Tell us more about you and what’s on your mind.

Email: nova.fairbank@norfolkchamber.co.uk