How Whatnot goes beyond dogfooding to instill a consumer focus

""We only exist to the extent that we provide our customers a lot of value," says cofounder and CEO Grant LaFontaine. "If you want to build a customer-centered culture, you have to actually follow through on building one and inject it everywhere you possibly can in the organization.""

""If you interview at Whatnot, somewhere along your interview pathway, someone's going to ask you, 'Have you used the app? What do you think about it? What could be improved?'" LaFontaine says. "We want to see that you actually use it, you understand it, and you can think through the lens of a customer.""

"Once hired, every one of the company's more than 1,000 full-time employees is required to answer customer support tickets each quarter, plus sell and buy on the app. The company provides $150 in credits to make purchases and lets employees do their required buying and selling on company time."

Whatnot, a digital live-shopping app launched in 2019, prioritizes a customer-centered culture by integrating customer engagement into its hiring and employee evaluation processes. Employees must use the app, answer customer support tickets, and engage in buying and selling activities. The company provides credits for purchases and allows this engagement during work hours. CEO Grant LaFontaine emphasizes the importance of understanding customer needs and values in building a successful organization.

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