Petite Plume — Customer Service Playbook for a Boutique Children’s Apparel Brand

Overview and customer promise

Petite Plume positions itself as a premium small-batch children’s apparel brand serving parents who value fabric quality, fit, and ethical sourcing. The customer service function should reinforce brand values: empathy, speed, and accuracy. Operationally, the team’s objective is to resolve 80–90% of inquiries on first contact, maintain a CSAT (customer satisfaction) of 90%+ and aim for an NPS (net promoter score) above 40 within 12–18 months of scale-up.

To convert the brand promise into measurable delivery, define concrete SLAs: respond to live chat within 60–120 seconds, to email within 12–24 hours, and to social mentions within 2 hours during business hours. Publish these SLAs on the support page (example contact: [email protected]; example website: https://petiteplume.example) so expectations are clear upfront.

Contact channels, coverage and staffing model

Offer a multi-channel support stack: phone, email, live chat, and social DM. Recommended hours for a boutique brand: Monday–Friday 9:00–18:00 local time, Saturday 10:00–16:00, closed Sundays with an auto-reply noting response time. For peak seasons (Black Friday, holiday weeks: late November–December), extend coverage to 7 days/week and increase live-agent capacity by 50–100% for a 4–8 week window.

Staffing example: if average monthly inquiries are 3,000 and target handle time is 6 minutes (including wrap-up), you need ~6–8 full-time agents (allowing 25% shrinkage for breaks/training) plus 1 shift supervisor and 1 operations analyst. Use a shared CRM (e.g., Zendesk, Gorgias) and route tickets via skill-based routing (returns, sizing, wholesale) to increase first-contact resolution.

Returns, exchanges, pricing and shipping policy

Clear, fair policies prevent repeat contacts and reduce escalations. Recommended policy for Petite Plume: free returns within 30 days on domestic orders over $75; exchanges supported for size and color for up to 45 days. Charge a flat expedited exchange fee of $8 if customer needs same-week replacement. Refunds processed within 3–7 business days after warehouse receipt; communicate this window in order confirmations and return labels.

Example SKU/pricing ranges for planning: basic bodysuits $28–$38, knitted rompers $48–$82, outerwear $90–$160. Shipping: standard domestic 2–5 business days ($6.95), free over $100; expedited 1–2 business days ($18.95). International transit 7–14 business days plus duties; display landed-cost estimator at checkout to reduce cross-border support queries.

Order fulfillment, tracking and backorders

Integrate the support platform with fulfillment to provide real-time tracking updates. Communicate realistic dispatch SLAs: process orders in 24–48 hours (business days) and mark items as backordered if out-of-stock beyond 7 days. If an item is backordered, proactively email customers within 24 hours with the expected ship date and a one-click option for refund or keep-on-file.

Proactive communications reduce inbound tickets by up to 35% in practice. Templates should include order number, SKU, ETA in calendar date format (e.g., “Expected to ship by June 12, 2025”), and links to live tracking. For high-value orders ($150+), offer a complimentary signature requirement on delivery to minimize fraud and claims.

Quality control, damaged goods and chargebacks

Define a 3-step QC at picking, packing and pre-shipment inspection. If a customer reports a damaged item, request one photo of the garment on a flat surface plus a photo of the order label within 7 days. Offer a prepaid return label for qualifying damages and issue a replacement or full refund within 72 hours of receiving the return authorization.

For potential chargebacks, maintain a standard evidence packet: proof of delivery, signature capture (if used), order confirmation email, and pre-authorization of return attempt. Maintain a chargeback win rate target of 70%+ by documenting every case and using clear policy language on product pages to set expectations.

Metrics, reporting and continuous improvement

Track daily and weekly KPIs: average first response time, average handle time (AHT), first contact resolution (FCR), CSAT, NPS and ticket volume by reason code. Target benchmarks: AHT 4–8 minutes, FCR 80%+, CSAT 90%+, and backlog <48 hours. Run a monthly root-cause analysis on the top 5 ticket reasons to feed product, logistics and web teams.

Collect qualitative data via post-interaction surveys and monthly voice-of-customer summaries. Use cohort analysis to quantify the impact of service changes: for example, improving FCR by 10% should reduce repeat contacts and decrease monthly ticket volume proportionally (expect ~10–20% reduction in repeat contacts).

Scripts, escalation and sample touchpoints

Equip agents with short, empathetic scripts and decision trees. Example greeting: “Hi Jenna, thanks for contacting Petite Plume — I’m Alex. I can help with sizing or returns right away; may I have your order number?” Train agents to own the interaction and offer one concrete next step within 60 seconds (refund initiated, replacement ordered, return label sent).

Escalation matrix: Tier 1 resolves general queries and returns; Tier 2 (supervisor) handles exceptions like quality disputes or VIP complaints; Tier 3 (operations manager) handles legal, chargebacks, and wholesale accounts. Ensure SLA to resolve Tier 2 escalations within 48 hours and Tier 3 within 5 business days.

• Daily checklist for agents: 1) Triage new tickets within 30 minutes; 2) Clear any hold items older than 24 hours; 3) Log reason codes and disposition for every resolved ticket; 4) Escalate at predefined thresholds (refunds >$150, chargebacks, VIP customers).
• Top 8 automated messages to reduce volume: order confirmation, shipping notification with tracking, backorder alert with ETA, return label and instructions, refund processed confirmation, sizing guide link, care instructions (washing/ironing), and post-delivery satisfaction survey.

Final operational notes

Document everything in a living knowledge base accessible to both agents and customers. Review policies quarterly and after major sales/promotions. Budget example: allocate 6–10% of annual revenue for customer service overhead in year 1 of scaling, reducing to 3–5% as automation and self-service improve.

For implementation, start with a 90-day pilot measuring CSAT and ticket volume before widening hours or adding headcount. Use concrete targets and simple reporting dashboards to demonstrate ROI: each 1-point increase in CSAT among new customers typically correlates with a 0.5–1.5% lift in 12-month repurchase rate for apparel brands.

How long does Petite Plume take to deliver?

Orders arrive to your address in approximately 8-14 business days*.

Does a Petite Plume shrink?

While the fabric is preshrunk, 100% cotton will typically shrink 3-5% upon washing. We recommend machine washing in cold water and machine drying without heat.

How long do petite keeps take to ship?

All in-stock orders will ship within 4 weeks. Please allow 2-4 business days for shipping transit times during non-holiday seasons. Please refer to the product page for preorder shipping timelines, as they vary. Please reach out to the Petite Keep team with any questions.

Is Petite Plume good quality?

The fabric is made from 100 percent of the finest-quality cotton and brushed for added softness, making the sleepwear feel absolutely luxurious, getting cozier with each wash.

What is the return policy for Petite Plume?

Returns Eligibility:
14 Days from shipping date to return or exchange. Items are in unworn, unwashed condition with tags still attached. All Sale styles, Hairbows and Dog accessories are Final Sale and cannot be returned or exchanged.

Who owns Petite Plume?

Emily Hikade
Emily Hikade is the Founder and CEO of Petite Plume, a luxury sleepwear and home company. In 2024, Emily was named EY Entrepreneur of the Year.