Our Customer Service Ethos and Meet the CS Team!

We're all about the art of quality here at Pad & Quill, and that shows in our Customer Service Team. They are incredibly hardworking and available by phone, chat, and via email. You can chat with us about pretty much anything. We love leather, the art of crafting, and making people smile. Not many people get to say that they get to help spread joy to people for a living, but we are the lucky few!

Here at PQ, we are a tight-knit, family run business. We're on the tail end of our biggest season ever, orders are flying all over our warehouse. Our customers have questions, requests, returns, the list goes on!

It's incredibly busy, and we're practically up to our eyes in emails - but that's exactly how we like it. You make Pad & Quill thrive. Every year, we start a countdown for the holiday season. By reaching out to sayhello@padandquill.com, you'll be reaching out to a person, every time. We don't let robots craft our products, and we don't let them speak for us either. When you reach out, you've almost certainly brightened up our day and given us a way to make your day better in return.

How We Got Started

At first, Pad and Quill was designed, handcrafted, and run by Brian, our founder. He created four stellar prototypes. Then, he painted his web designer's deck in exchange for a website. After a steady start, Pad and Quill outgrew the basement. Processing orders, shipping, designing, and customer service, phew! Brian was juggling it all but making it work. However, it wasn't allowing for the critical communication with the growing Pad and Quill Family. Even before Pad and Quill was a full-time job, Brian hired others to ensure we stayed in touch with our customers.

Does It Matter?

It matters the world to us. Devoted and excited PQ fans are why we wake up in the morning. You may have tried out an item for a quick trip, and we quickly became an essential part of your wardrobe. Our Pad & Quill products integrate into your everyday life. A phone case, a wallet, a work bag, we are there every day, along for the ride. We want you to feel like we always have your back! That kind of trust doesn't happen instantly, or simply because we've got a great product. It's a combination of a quality product and quality service.

We're an online-only company. Aside from the few folks that stop into our warehouse in Minneapolis, we rarely get to meet our customers face-to-face. Customer Service is our first and foremost line of communication with you. In each interaction, we aim to express just how important you are to us. It's not sheer happenstance we have the team we have. We gathered the first and foremost experts in Customer Service to build the best team ever. Okay, maybe we are a bit biased... but it didn't take long for reviews like this to come in:

"First, thank you so much for your email. It is wonderful to know that you care for the customer." -Tim

"The folks at Pad and Quill are AMAZING on their design and craftsmanship of their products. I’ve been a fan and customer for years and years and they have never let me down on any of their products nor their excellent customer service. I’m very grateful for their company and their employees. Thank you." -Jerry

"My fiancée purchased this bag as a Christmas gift and I love it!. Great quality and customer service response to emails. They even packaged my bag very well for me to pick up. I will not hesitate to purchase another bag from Pad & Quill. Thank you!" -Vang

Our Recipe for True Customer Service

1. We're so grateful you're here. We know you have a lot of options out there and are thrilled to have you. We are happy to chat about everything PQ, from the big things to the nitty-gritty details. Need to know how we got started? Have a question about how much something weighs? Which color should you get? Which one is best for your job and lifestyle? Drop us a line! We love this stuff and are happy to chat and explore options with you.

2. Our aim is to delight you. Whether you're just checking in to say hi, or if there's a speedbump- we want to make your day a bit brighter. If you encounter an issue, it's our goal to make it right for you, as soon as possible. We will do our best to resolve the issue, outfit you with the best products on the market, and leave you with a smile.

3. You are our inspiration. You're a huge part of our product development process. Any feedback that comes in is tracked and saved. Positive or negative, defects or beloved features, even new product requests - we document it and pass it along to our design team.

Brian (aka Mr. PQ)

Brian wears the most hats out of all of us, literally. You can usually find him rocking a Page or Trilby hat. He also has the most roles; he's Pad & Quill's founder, designer, CEO, visionary, and general helmsman. Ever see one of our videos? That's Brian! With so much on his plate, he can't handle every order or answer every email. He is a great resource, and always makes time for us in Customer Service. We check in with him regularly with updates, product questions, and suggestions from our devoted fans. This way, we are all looped in and he is able to take the pulse on feedback.

Dawn

Dawn is simply incredible... and incredibly busy. She is our Operations Manager, which basically means she's in charge of making sure everything runs smoothly. She handles all of the order processing, oversees all the shipping, maintains the stock status of our inventory, supervises all of Customer Service, and even jumps in to help us with emails often! It's a lot, right? Passion for her craft, and passion for delighting people are what keep her going. Well... that, and regular visits to any local coffee shops.

Jessica

Oh, Jess! She's always quick with a "Howdy" and is the epitome of warm Southern hospitality. Often, you can hear her chatting about bluebonnets in the spring, sweet tea in the summer, PSL's in the fall, and her plans for Christmas during the winter. She's vibrant and loves to talk about all things leather.

Fallon

She's our kind, easy-going, beach girl. She's worked in a Customer Service role for her entire career and just loves helping people out. In between calls, you can probably find her rocking out to some 90's alternative. On top of being a full-time mom, she's a bullet journaling expert, gardener, and known as our resident Sherlock. She's our go-to-gal for finding things and will don the Deerhunter and track it down.

Valerie

She's our supervisor around here and she helps out so much. Val is usually juggling a few different things, but is always there for us! When you chat with her, you can make her day by a kind word or a joke. Her giggle is truly infectious. She loves Irish pub music and her dog, Hoss.  Also, she adores the woods, especially in winter time. You can usually find her curled up with a warm mug of coffee watching the snowfall.

Erica

She's our sunny extrovert who will get your issue resolved quickly and leave you smiling! Around here, her jokes and laugh brighten up our team meetings and Customer Service chats.  She's a bit of a bookworm and is always picking up a new novel. She loves to travel, especially to the beach. Also, she enjoys a DIY manicure and going to superhero movies.

Naomi

I do quite a bit around here, Customer Service, Marketing, and writing for the Bindery Blog. Sharing our artistry with the world brings me the most joy, no matter which role I am in that day. I am a huge Apple geek and always happy to talk tech and leather. In my off time, I make alcohol ink art. Currently, nature scenes and abstract pieces are my favorites. Also, I love all things related to beauty, nerdiness, and being outdoors. I enjoy being active by surfing, snowboarding, powerlifting or hiking.

Branch Happiness Managers (aka Our Dogs):

This is Tayla, an 11-year old rescue pup who was hit by a truck at two years old. The doctors gave her a pin her leg to help her walk again. She still struggles with her bad leg but has remained super spunky, even in her golden years. Tayla...

Loves: This hammock, like, a lot. Also, Tayla likes being tucked in with loads of blankets and cuddles.

Hates: Not being given all the treats at all times. Also, she has an ongoing, one-sided feud with the mailman, probably over lack of treats.

This is Moya, she's about 3 years old, and I got her on a "clearance" special about a year and a half ago. The shelter couldn't afford the heartworm treatment needed to save her life, and I was head over heels for her. So, I adopted her and got a best friend in exchange! She...

Loves: Cheesin' for pics, ham, naps, and zooming around with me. She's a mellow soul and gives the best hugs out of everyone I know. She also has the loudest snores of anyone I know.

Hates: Squirrels and baths.

This is Hoss, Valerie's 9-year old oaf. The shelter had him on "sale" too, and she got plenty of bang for her buck. He is full of energy and has an adventurous spirit. He...

Loves: getting scratches and going for walks and car rides. Also, you can find him staring at his own reflection and getting treats from the delivery people who come by to visit.

Hates: Animals on TV, we think he's jealous of their limelight. Also, he hates rabbits, squirrels and random refractions of light. (Okay, he loves the light, but hates that he can't catch it!)

We Want to Hear From You

The last point we want to touch on is quite simply: Don't hold back! We are always eager to hear what you think, good or bad. There's no detail we aren't interested in, and no issue we won't try to resolve. Before reaching out, it might be helpful to visit our FAQ's. If your question isn't on there, or you encounter an issue, want to sing PQ's praises, or have a really great taco recipe, give us a shout! We'll do our best to reach back out to you in 24-48 hours. We get to our emails in chronological order and are genuinely eager to assist you. Above all, remember to be kind.