DAILY
UPDATE N E WS
â
PR O MO T I O N S
â
AWAR D S
â
OU T R EA CH
ď§ Instead of manufacturing armor based on demand, PBA made the commitment to begin warehousing stock in anticipation of demand so that when customers placed orders, they would be fulfilled with no unnecessary lead time.
Creating a Complete Customer Experience
P
remier Body Armor isnât exactly new to providing personalized protection to military, law enforcement and even civilians. Officially established in 2013, the company that would become PBA actually spent more than 20 years developing innovative and effective armor for tactical vehicles. When they made the
transition to personalized body armor, they applied the lessons learned from two decades of fortifying vehicles to create a growing line of protective vests, tee shirts and even backpack inserts. The newest innovation that is setting PBA apart in the industry, however, has nothing to do with stopping bullets. âWe originally created a partnership with Vertx to make inserts for its backpacks, but then we realized that there were so many people out there who wanted inserts for the backpacks they already had and didnât want to get rid of, so we decided to start creating custom inserts for those bags,â said Alex Stewart, PBAâs executive vice president. âThat was the first time we stepped outside of our comfort zone in an attempt to make the customer experience better. It was a little bit scary, but the feedback from our customers was amazing.â The success of that concept led to much more than a new line of products; it led to a new way of doing business. âAfter that, we made a commitment to provide more than just customer service. We dedicated
ourselves to creating a complete customer experience,â Stewart said. âIt was absolutely our best concept. We want to be the best place in the world for people to buy body armor. Period.â To reach that goal, PBA not only intensified its commitment to provide custom armor inserts for as many types of backpacks, bags and laptop cases as possible, they also made a commitment to do something that nearly no other company was doing. âMost body armor companies have a lead time thatâs anywhere from four to 16 weeks. We wanted to change that. We wanted our customers to get armor when they wanted it, not when it was convenient for us to make it for them,â Stewart said. Instead of manufacturing armor based on demand, PBA made the commitment to begin warehousing stock in anticipation of demand so that when customers placed orders, they would be fulfilled with no unnecessary lead time. To pull this off, PBA also had to coordinate with its partners to make sure they were on board with the concept. âIt wasnât an issue at all to get our partners on board,â Stewart said. âWe decided early on that the partnerships we formed had to be part of our overall commitment to providing that superior customer experience, so when we form partnerships with other companies, theyâre real partnerships. We work together, we collaborate together, we help promote each other. When they win, we win, and vice versa. And ultimately, itâs the customer who wins, and thatâs what we all want.â Judging by the comments PBA is receiving from its customers, the experience the company is providing is certainly appreciated. âWe have tons of
By Christopher Cogley
five-star reviews on our site, and most of them mention how fast they received their order,â Smith said. âThatâs what itâs all about. Thatâs what makes us happy.â PBAâs commitment to providing a superior customer experience isnât limited to its civilian customers. When PBA began selling protective vests to law enforcement, they implemented a new way of making sure their vests fit the officers properly so that theyâd be more comfortable and help provide more reliable protection. Instead of just having officers send in measurements to the corporate offices, PBA created a specialized van stocked with every size and shape of vest in its offering. Now, when departments around the region need to fit their officers with new vests, PBA drives its van to the department and personally helps fit officers with the actual vests so they know without a doubt theyâre getting the best possible fit. âWe want law-enforcement officers to be as protected as possible, and in addition to making our vests as reliable as they can be, this was the best way we could come up with to make sure we were providing the officers with that kind of protection,â Smith said. âThese officers do so much for all of us. We figured this was the least we could do for them.â Because the reality is that whether itâs law enforcement or civilian customers, PBAâs commitment to providing a superior customer experience isnât just about having happy customers. Itâs about having customers who come home to their families at the end of the day. Booth #41548 (premierbodyarmor.com)
DAY 3, JANUARY 20, 2022
SD_Day 3_Daily Update.indd 5
â
SHOT BUSINESS DAILY
â
5
12/8/21 4:08 PM