A Hand-Crafted Experience
Experience every step
Wiley Guitarworks is an independent luthier known for their tagline "A Hand-crafted Experience." They specialize in creating not just custom guitars, but transformative journeys for musicians.
Challenge
Challenge
Wiley Guitarworks was struggling with fragmented customer communications across multiple platforms (iMessage, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger), which contradicted their brand promise of "A Hand-crafted Experience"
solution
We created a branded, immersive platform that transformed customer communication into a meaningful part of the journey. This allowed WGW to showcase the evolving story of each instrument's birth while honoring the company's belief that they're not just building guitars – they're crafting experiences.
results
The Soundboard app transformed the custom guitar journey, customers reporting they were receiving "more than just a guitar" and removed the previously frustrating waiting period as "part of the enjoyment." This emotional connection strengthened the brand's "Hand-crafted Experience" positioning, resulting in an increase in referral business and inspiring existing customers to commission second instruments.
Process
Research & Discovery
Through narrative interviews with luthiers and customers, along with extensive sentiment analysis of past communications, we discovered that customers deeply value the emotional journey of guitar creation but felt disconnected from their instrument's story due to fragmented communications, with 83% describing the building process as "emotional" or "personal" and 72% treasuring build photos but struggling to connect them to a cohesive narrative.
Design & Prototyping
Through narrative interviews with luthiers and customers, along with extensive sentiment analysis of past communications, we discovered that customers deeply value the emotional journey of guitar creation but felt disconnected from their instrument's story due to fragmented communications, with 83% describing the building process as "emotional" or "personal" and 72% treasuring build photos but struggling to connect them to a cohesive narrative.
Results and Impact
The Soundboard app transformed the custom guitar journey, with customers stating they were receiving 'more than just a guitar' and spending an average of 22 minutes weekly engaging with their instrument's evolving story. The emotional connection created during the building process resulted in 74% of customers viewing the waiting period as 'part of the enjoyment' rather than a frustration. This strengthened Wiley Guitarworks' brand positioning around 'A Hand-crafted Experience,' increased referral business and inspired existing customers to commission second instruments 35% faster than previously. Most significantly, the app reinforced the philosophy that the creation narrative is as valuable as the physical product itself, turning what was once a communication challenge into a competitive advantage that competitors could not easily replicate.
