Tash Insights continues with Kelly Bond, The Customer Experience Alchemist at Elle Sera.

In this episode, Kelly joins Tash Courtenay-Smith to talk about the kind of customer experience most brands say they want, but very few are willing to build. At Elle Sera, customer service means picking up the phone, starting real conversations and treating every customer like a person before they become a ticket, query or retention metric.

Kelly shares how she joined Elle Sera during the pandemic, after losing her work as a singer overnight, and learned ecommerce from the ground up alongside founder Alyssa. From boxing orders and working NHS 111 calls to becoming the person customers turn to for support, reassurance and honest conversation, her story is a powerful reminder that the strongest brands are often built through direct human connection.

The conversation explores why women are overwhelmed, overstimulated and expected to carry too much, and why so many customers open up when someone simply asks how they are. Kelly also shares why AI has a place in customer service, but cannot replace the emotional intelligence, kindness and trust that come from speaking to a real person.

You’ll hear:

• How Kelly became the wearer of all hats at Elle Sera
• Why the brand was built through direct conversations with women
• How customer service can drive retention, loyalty and word of mouth
• Why picking up the phone is still one of the most powerful things a brand can do
• What thousands of customer conversations reveal about women’s overwhelm
• Where AI helps, and where human connection still matters most
• Why kindness can be a serious commercial advantage
• How Kelly’s background in performance shaped her approach to work
• Why loyal customers become a brand’s most powerful advocates

This is a warm, honest and practical episode for founders, operators and ecommerce teams who want to build stronger customer relationships, create genuine loyalty and remember the person behind every purchase.