We were lucky to catch up with Qiana Scales recently and have shared our conversation below.

Qiana, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What was the most important lesson/experience you had in a job that has helped you as a business owner?

The most valuable and important lesson I gained from working in Corporate America that helped me as a business owner is mastering the skill set of customer service/ the customer experience. My previous job taught me that customer service is important to any business as it is the gateway to retaining customers and extracting more value from the customer in the end.
Let me take you back several years ago when I encountered a difficult customer and what the outcome was while working in the customer service field…

I encountered a customer that was displeased with her insurance not covering diabetic supplies at the time. I allowed the customer to speak without interrupting, then asked if I could have her credentials to review her policy. Upon reviewing her policy, I noticed that it was not a covered benefit and could see that the customer uses the diabetic supplies on a daily basis. I acknowledged the situation and apologized (although it was not my fault) for this becoming a burden on her. I was able to rectify the situation by giving the customer contact information for several agencies that offered diabetic supplies for free or at a discounted rate. I also followed up with the customer to ensure that the information I provided was indeed helpful. I was informed that the information I had provided was extremely helpful and how thankful and appreciative she was of my attention to detail and follow up that allowed her a sense of monetary relief.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My journey to becoming a business owner started in 2005 when I was working for Cigna Healthcare. During that time, the company was undergoing a major organizational realignment and I started to ponder what my next chapter would look like after being employed with the company for ten years and at this point, medical billing and contracting is all I knew. Despite my skill set, I came up with the idea to start a nonprofit that I would name The Closet Experience.

My vision was to seek a grant writer to help bring my vision to life of having a warehouse space that was designed to look like a closet that would serve as a hub for underserved communities providing clothing and toiletries to assist with aiding women and men on their path to bettering themselves. Although, I hit a dead end in my initial journey and never fulfilled my initial vision; in 2009 I decided I wanted to try and establish a for-profit company selling women accessories and shoes.

At this point, I am still in the healthcare industry and after doing some research I decided to take a bonus check and purchase my first set of accessories that I would launch at the Seventh Annual Mt. Zion Business Expo around October of 2009. From there, I kept the momentum and kept doing vendor shows and increasing my inventory until I was able to become the full-fledged boutique I am today.

The Closet Experience is a fashion boutique that has been delighting women of all ages and sizes since 2009.
As the store owner, I have been passionate about women’s fashion from an early age. As a plus-size woman, I have often been discouraged that most stores do not cater to my needs and wanted to provide women with curves more fashion options.

Not only do I believe in providing styling needs to my clients, but I also strive to provide exceptional customer service here at The Closet Experience Boutique. This is what sets my boutique apart from our competitors along with an exceptional work ethic that I have established over the years.

The Closet Experience is not just about fashion…It is also about community involvement. The Closet Experience was able to issue gift cards and monetary donations for families that were displaced or affected by the March 2020 tornadoes that wreaked havoc over the North Nashville community. We do a Christmas give back each year to a designated family that is brought to our attention that is in need or via Angel Tree. We also donate to various students seeking college funding while in the Nashville community that are enrolled at Tennessee State University and Fisk University.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I can honestly say that the process of building a reputation takes time. I have been able to build my reputation in the fashion industry since 2009 by remaining professional and providing a good customer experience for those I come into contact with via my brick and mortar, website or vendor expos. I make sure that I greet each customer or potential customer with a smile, I make sure that I am helpful and polite and that I do not come across as as pushy saleswoman. I stay knowledgeable regarding my industry by keeping up with the latest trends and fashions. This allows me to curate a better shopping experience for my clients. In return my clients remain loyal to The Closet Experience brand and help me to continue to expand my brand by referring others to get this EXPERIENCE!

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

With the economy on what seems like shaky ground and unemployment on the rise these days, it seems as if consumers have reined in their spending. We also live in a world where new businesses are emerging at an alarming rate; the marketplace is crowded and for every product or service category, there are a million plus options for customers to choose from; especially in the fashion industry. I ensure that my customers feel like their patronage is not just transactional with me. It is important to me that I build a personal relationship with my customers. I make sure to send thank you cards/notes and randomly send FREE products to my clients. I send out email blast with new arrivals and exclusive deals and discounts. I recently implemented the Experiencer Loyalty Program. This is a VIP type discount program that fosters brand loyalty and provides a 10% savings to our clients on all future transactions.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.theclosetexperience.com
• Instagram: @TheClosetExperienceBoutique
• Facebook: The Closet Experience Boutique