Interview with Ahdee Abramson of Pet Ventures
Ahdee Abramson of Pet Ventures’ Pet N Shape dog treats speaks with Pet Insight about the key to creating a following of loyal customers is based around trust. In order for pet owners to become repeat customers, companies have to value transparency and meet or surpass quality control checks. In order for consumers to feel confident in what they’re feeding their pets, companies have to take a leadership role in standing behind their product to help instill faith in consumers.
How is Pet N Shape addressing consumers’ demands for cleaner, healthier dog treats?
Essentially by giving consumers what they want – treats with a limited number of ingredients, treats made with all-natural ingredients, no additives, no preservatives and no coloring. It’s about listening to what customers want and giving it to them, essentially.
How does your company determine which ingredients to use?
Seeing what’s out there and what products are doing well, and again, listening to your customers. It’s essential to listen to your customers to find out what their concerns are in terms of certain ingredients followed by finding the best ingredients that match their needs.
Why is this focus on offering pets increasingly nutritious and clean diets so important to pet owners?
I think it’s just consumers improving their own personal goals to achieve a healthier diet and lifestyle. We want products that are natural and low in fat, and we want to provide that same nutrition for our pets. Even if people slip and eat foods which are non-natural and non-nutritious, pet owners still make a point of ensuring what their pet is eating is healthy and nutritious. It’s our overall desire to make sure our pets last a long time and live forever and achieve their optimal health and their optimal potential.
What have been effective methods retailers have used to educate consumers about treat safety and how your company is ensuring treats are safe for pets?
It’s doing a lot of quality control testing and working with your supply chain to ensure your products are safe. For the retailer, it’s working with companies that you trust and getting information on the quality control standards everyone is using. That way, retailers can feel comfortable they are selling something that the company, the vendors, the supply chain that they’re working with is taking the steps necessary to ensure the products are safe. It comes down to the partnerships, the relationships and your confidence with the suppliers you’re working with and doing the quality control checks along the way.
How does Pet N Shape strengthen trust amongst retailers and consumers when it comes to ensuring your treats are safe?
I think al lot of it starts from the details. From a relationship standpoint, if you have a question, do they call you back? If you have a problem, is somebody going to be on that other line to pick up the phone and take care of the problem? I think that those things build trust along the way, such as saying what you’re going to do and doing what you say. From a service standpoint, I think that builds trust over time. From the service, from the delivery standpoint, does the company stand behind its products? Little thinks like that overtime build and develop trust between everybody along the supply chain, whether that’s the consumer and the retailer, the retailers and distributor, the distributor and the vendor, all the way up and down the chain. As a result, consumers trust the brand, know what they’re going to get and they know what that brand stands for. That’s a result of the trust companies have built over the years.