One Year In: Asking “Why?” at The Customer Closeness Company

Looking back on my first year at The Customer Closeness Company, I’ve realised that my interest in understanding how people tick has been quietly growing for years. As a child, I was constantly asking “Why?” – a habit that’s stuck with me through life, especially studying Human Geography at university and now into my career. I’ve always been curious about what drives people’s decisions, and TCCC has given me the perfect space to explore that.  

When I joined, I was new to the world of Customer Closeness, but I quickly saw its impact. One of my first projects was with a Financial Services brand, exploring how customers use credit. We hosted an online session with eight customers and members of the Senior Leadership Team in attendance. During the Q&A, dozens of questions poured in – I was immediately struck by how eager colleagues were to hear directly from their customers and to see the instant impact it could have on decision making. That moment showed me how powerful Customer Closeness can be in driving real change. Since then, I’ve seen it shape countless meaningful business decisions.  

TCCC has also helped me grow as a researcher. The initial steep learning curve – juggling multiple parts of a project at once (managing recruitment, logistics, creating event materials/stimulus, video editing etc.) – soon became second nature. One skill I’ve especially loved developing is video editing. Starting with raw Voxpop footage and then crafting a compelling 5-minute story has become one of my favourite parts of the job. It’s helped me sharpen my storytelling skills which I’m keen to bring more into my writing this coming year.  

Looking ahead, I’m excited to keep building the skills I need to be a great researcher and learning how to do this from my peers. For me, mastering the dark arts of moderation is next on the list! I’m looking to continue to improve my storytelling in a different light (and of course, keep asking “Why?”). In addition, I’m curious about how AI can enhance our work – bringing fresh perspectives and helping me grow even faster! 

One thing’s for sure – there are plenty of paths for me to harness my natural curiosity and I’m excited to see what Year 2 at The Customer Closeness Company has in store.

Watch this space!