ViDi founder Tanner Yarro witnessed a scene while leading a youth trip that forever changed the direction of the ViDi brand. When one youngster, McKinley, was teased and laughed at for having an inexpensive, “off-brand” action camera, Yarro saw an opportunity. Why not split the profit margin of the basic action camera business model with the end consumer, and make the cheaper brand “cool,” with the help of pro athletes who are often no strangers to low income upbringings?

In the first episode of the Hello Customer Podcast, Espree interviews Cassy Miller-Crispe on how Afends provides customer support through live chat and integrates the community and its customers with the brand. Tune in to get a sneak peek into Afends’ plans to take its customer service to the next level and how it is working on connecting with its customers.

The quest for spiritual intoxication… No, it’s not a cult. It’s the driving force behind lifestyle apparel brand Volcom. The company started in 1991 with a passion for surfing, skateboarding, and snowboarding, and they continue to convey just how strongly these sports are intertwined with self expression.

For Brian Reid, founder of Osiris, incredible sneakers are not a commodity. Each pair is a piece of art. And to continually find inspiration for his art and craft, he travels the world, watching, listening, and most importantly -- skating. It’s the only way he has discovered to stay true to the “16-year-old” at heart so he can continue to connect with his customers even at age 40.

As a company that has to talk to people about their underwear (awkward), customer experience is at the tip-top of the priority list for globally growing brand MeUndies. How do they keep it lighthearted and memorably awesome?

Growing up in an urban environment in a difficult household, Element founder Johnny Schillereff discovered comfort in the artistic expression of skateboarding and other street culture. Emerging as a successful skateboarder and artist, he found himself bombarded with branded items and gear. He intuitively sensed that if he were to have a company, he would treat the branding a little differently. He received all this stuff, but what did it mean? What were they trying to say and who were the people saying it?

When a company is as established as Levi’s (founded in the late 1800s), they have to continue to please generations-loyal customers and solve new problems for younger jean-wearers. With each initiative of marketing and product development, Levi’s ensures customer satisfaction by hitting the ground, listening, and learning from the consumers in their markets.

In this episode of the Hello Customer Podcast, Espree interviews Rob Siefker, the Senior Director of the Customer Loyalty Team at Zappos. He is based at the Zappos’ campus in downtown Las Vegas. The Customer Loyalty Team (CLT) at Zappos is a team of 650+ employees who handle customer calls, answer emails and live chats and provide other kinds of support for customers.