Taking Stock

Today is officially my business year end. I always have to plan it around school holidays, and as we go away tomorrow for a week, it seemed as good a day as any to count stock.

Yes, exactly. We have to count ALL our stock. Everything. Maternity bras, nursing bras,

One of the many styles we've counted today

mastectomy bras, plus size bras, sports bras, soft cup bras, briefs to match bras, breastfeeding tops, breastpads, nursing nightwear…..exactly – EVERYTHING! We even have to go into those boxes that have come back from shows with all the bits and pieces in, like bra extenders, sort them, and count them – a job that always gets left!

It took the full day, which was expected. But I’ve found, for the first time since I started bras4mums, stocktake day has been a very inspiring. (more…)

Customer feedback

I really enjoyed my weekend at the London Baby Show this weekend with bras4mums. It was great to meet new and returning customers on the stand, and offer a free bra fitting service to pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Overall, I probably did about 200 bra fittings over the weekend, which is quite amazing really. Everyone is a different shape and needs different shape bras for support. Plus we all have different tastes and budgets.

It was also good to hear people’s feedback on our range and service so that we can grow and develop our range to suit women of all bra sizes. bras4mums currently offer the widest range of maternity and nursing bra styles and sizes in the UK, but as we were told at the weekend, there is still room for improvement!

We’ve recently asked for feedback through a short survey, which is makingĀ  interesting reading! I’m asking more people to complete the survey so that we can ensure that women who are both existing customers, and also those who have never used our online bra fitting service can let us know what we can do better for them.

I’m also getting a lot of helpful feedback through our facebook fan page, and via conversations on twitter. I take account of everything that’s said, even if I can’t change things straight away. Please do join in the conversations.

Tomorrow I’m heading to MODA, a trade fair for lingerie and fashion. I have a long list of styles and shapes that I’m looking for for existing customers. Some are for ladies who’ve had a mastectomy or lumpectomy, others are for smaller backed, and /or bigger busted ladies, some pregnant or breastfeeding, others who use our bras4all range. I’m hoping to find a lot of what I need. Otherwise I’ll have to rethink.

Feedback in a business and personally is so important. But, we must use what we learn. Not just tuck it away, or tick the box that we had on our list. Feedback from customers helps to inform the direction of the business, and develop excellent customer service to potentially loyal customers.

I’m in business to help women. But, I need to know what they’re struggling with bra wise to be able to help them more. Please let me know your feedback about bras, bra fitting, styles, sizes so that I can help you and others like you in the future.

Bra fitters are crucial to women’s health

I’ve just returned from training 7 bra fitters in the wider issues of bra fitting for maternity and nursing bras, using the RCM accredited Bra Fitting Awareness Course. During my long drive home it’s really struck me that, even though all these women have been bra fitters in the shops they work in, they still had very little understanding of how important bra fitting is to women’s health and well being, especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The exact point made by last week’s Which report I talked about previously. (more…)

Why aren’t we taught how to fit a bra at school?

If you’re anything like me, my Mum took me to M&S when my breasts started to grow and then I wore the same size bras for ever.

It was only when I got pregnant that I really started to become more aware of

Nursing bra by Bravado

my breasts and my bras. My breasts grew massive in the first few weeks of pregnancy, and was told by an M&S fitter that this was unusual, (I’ve since discovered that this is normal!). She put me in a sports bra, which wasn’t that comfy, but I thought they were the experts, so I wore it during pregnancy.

I discovered NCT bras for breastfeeding, which were OK. But looking back, I probably wasn’t wearing the right size. (more…)