Who is Allen Baler?

Meet Allen Baler, co-founder and CEO of 4Patriots.

About 4Patriots

4Patriots is an e-commerce, direct-to-consumer brand that develops and sells survival products that enable its customers to be self-reliant and independent in case of an emergency. The company’s goal is to be the most trustworthy preparedness resource in an ever-changing world.

4Patriots offers everything from solar-powered generators to water filtration systems to non-perishable foods, backed by ongoing education, expertise and a deep commitment to customer service.

Allen’s Journey

Allen and his wife, Erin, founded the company that became 4Patriots out of their home in 2008. Before that, Allen had worked a corporate job and had experience in direct-response marketing using radio and magazine advertising as well as direct mail.

“I was really interested in that direct connection with customers,” he said, “and I was fascinated by what was going on with e-commerce and online. What I love about e-commerce in general is the direct relationship with the customer.”

The first products the company offered were instructional materials, both videos and books advising people on how to purchase, construct and use a solar-power system. It was an immediate hit, and they sold 100,000 books in the first year alone, building the customer base for what would become 4Patriots.

The company now provides a wide array of products that allow its customers to be prepared for an emergency. 

“Unfortunately,” Allen said, “natural disasters and weather events and some of the crazy things that we're experiencing in the world are causing us all to have more and more issues where we feel a little bit unprepared and out of control. Our products are designed to address that and give people peace of mind in these unexpected situations.”

One thing that sets 4Patriots apart from the “doomsday prepper” stereotype is that it is inclusive for beginners and non-political as a company.

“The way we look at it is these products solve problems for all Americans, regardless of expertise or political affiliation,” Allen said. “Whether you're a midwestern grandma or a former Navy SEAL, whether you’re trying to be more sustainable or if you’re worried, ‘I won't be able to keep the lights on if the power grid goes down.’ Either way, it's a good thing to be more self-reliant and independent, and we are here to serve all who want more peace of mind and security for their families.”

As a kitchen-table entrepreneur, Allen’s initial customer-support system was a shared Gmail account, and while his customer experience team has grown considerably since then, one thing has remained the same.

“Our belief from the beginning was to treat customers the way we want to be treated,” Allen said. “It was a very simple statement but one that was the core basis for what we defined as a good or great customer experience.”

The CX team at 4Patriots

The company has grown to approximately 200 employees, all of whom work in the United States. Half of the employees are split between the company’s headquarters in Tennessee and its manufacturing and fulfillment centers in Utah. 

The customer-experience team at 4Patriots is composed of 100 representatives, all of whom are W-2 employees based in the United States. They work remotely, spread across a total of 20 states.

4Patriots backs its products with a 365-day money-back guarantee, which is longer than many of its competitors in the preparedness space. The company tries to address customer concerns and complaints at the first point of contact.

“We empower our customer-service agents,” Allen said. “We don't have strict guidelines about, ‘You can only do this,’ or ‘You can only do that.’ We give them a lot of autonomy and freedom to live by our core values and take care of our customers on the 1^st touch.”

There’s a reason nearly half the company’s workforce is in customer service.

“Companies like Amazon can ship things faster and sell things for cheaper,” Allen said. “But one of the ways that we can differentiate and have a competitive advantage is to provide what we think is a great customer experience.”

Integrating CX and innovation

4Patriots has also sought to incorporate its CX team into product innovation. After all, the reps are the ones who are hearing from the customers on a daily basis, getting first-hand information about what customers like and what they don’t.

“It's a combination of passive listening,” Allen said, “and being curious for what your customers are saying, and as well as being active and going out there to ask them directly.”

If a rep has an idea to pass along or a specific complaint or even a possible improvement, it can post it in a company Slack channel called “Voice of the Customer.”

4Patriots also surveys its customers at the time of purchase and again seven to 14 days after receiving the product. It also has a private Facebook group composed of some of its most dedicated and passionate customers. The community is moderated, and the customers are given opportunities to provide feedback or input on new products and ideas. Earlier this year, 4Patriots invited 15 customers from the Nashville area to come to the company’s headquarters for a Customer Advisory Panel.

When it comes to developing new products, 4Patriots consults with its suppliers and manufacturers, attends trade shows and also keeps an eye on what competitors are doing in the space.

“We’re in a relatively new industry,” Allen said. “So there’s a lot of innovation happening.”

Preparing for customer surges

4Patriots built its business around the desire to be prepared for emergencies. Those emergencies can pose a challenge for the company, too, because they create a spike in not just interest but customer demand.

“The real volatility in our business,” Allen said, “comes from some events beyond any of our control, which dominate the news cycle for a time and basically spread the awareness and utility for our products.”

A great example was the 2021 power crisis in Texas when a series of winter storms hit the state and triggered widespread power outages. More than 4.5 million homes and businesses were left without power, some for several days.

“That unfortunate situation and all the news coverage it generated,” Allen said, “stimulated a lot of awareness for how our products could help people.”

The result was a sales spike that lasted several weeks. But when an event like that triggers a surge in interest, it means that 4Patriots goes from fielding hundreds of calls in a day to thousands with no warning.

“We’ve had to develop a playbook over time,” Allen said. “How do we operate, as a business and a team, when this happens? How can we be transparent to our customers about shipping delays or customer-service delays in getting a hold of one of our reps?”

These significant but temporary spikes are something the company is still learning how to manage. You never know when it’s going to happen, but given recent history, you can be fairly certain it is going to occur.

Facing Negative Feedback

The feedback itself isn’t a problem so much as a tool. It’s the compass that can point you toward issues with everything from the customer service or the products themselves. Not only that, but a company that sells directly to its consumers has a built-in advantage: It’s already dealing with its customers directly.

“That to me is the magic solution,” Allen said. “They’ll tell you very clearly what they want and what they don’t want.”

You need to do more than listen, though. You need to take the time to understand what it is they’re seeking.

“Instead of creating a product, and saying, ‘How do I sell it?’ “Allen said, “we flip it around and ask our customers ‘What problems do you have that I can help solve?’ It’s sort of like jiu-jitsu.”