A customer closeness workshop is one of the most effective ways to bring stakeholders closer to real customer experience. In this case study, we show how Angelfish Fieldwork delivered an in‑store customer immersion session that created shared understanding, richer discussion, and clearer insight for a major retail brand.
-Mar-20-2026-09-50-57-8897-AM.png?width=1200&height=628&name=Untitled%20design%20(3)-Mar-20-2026-09-50-57-8897-AM.png "Stakeholders engaging with real customers during an in store customer closeness workshop")
To bring internal stakeholders closer to real customers and support planning for the year ahead through a new customer closeness approach
£100 eGift card for completion of a 2-hour session
Customer closeness is about bringing real customers into the room.
As brands look ahead in an increasingly complex landscape, connecting directly with people is more important than ever. For this retailer, Angelfish Fieldwork developed and delivered a new customer closeness methodology, bringing stakeholders and customers together in-store for a shared, immersive experience.
Recruitment sat at the heart of the approach. By thoughtfully selecting engaged, articulate participants and supporting them throughout the day, we created the conditions for open conversation, honest insight and meaningful alignment across the client team.
The client approached Angelfish with a broad ambition rather than a fixed brief. They wanted to refresh how they planned for the year ahead and ensure their thinking was grounded in how customers were really feeling.
Although the team regularly conducts qualitative research for this client, this format was new territory. They were used to observing from a distance. This time, the goal was to bring customers and stakeholders into the same space.
As a long-standing partner, Angelfish understood the client’s internal dynamics and strategic priorities. From the outset, we helped shape the day using our experience of what makes stakeholder workshops genuinely insightful. Early conversations focused on what the client team needed to get out of the workshop, how stakeholders would be involved, and how to structure the day so the customer voice stayed clear, relevant and useful for decision-making.
Our qualitative consultant partners, who work as an extension of the Angelfish team, were brought in early to help shape the sessions and support strong moderation. Because they work closely with us across multiple projects, they already had a strong understanding of the client’s priorities and ways of working, allowing us to design a workshop that was both strategically aligned and genuinely customer led.
The workshop was built around shared experience in a live retail environment.
Customers began with a guided store walk, exploring the spaces and products that caught their attention. They were encouraged to talk through what felt inspiring, what felt confusing, and what influenced their decisions in the moment. This created a natural starting point for deeper discussion.
The day then moved into in-person focus groups observed by a cross-functional stakeholder team. Because everyone had just walked the same space, conversations were grounded in something tangible rather than abstract opinion. This kind of shared, in the moment human observation simply isn’t possible in remote research – it creates a level of immediacy and authenticity that drives deeper, meaningful insight.
Each session closed with a structured Q&A, giving stakeholders the opportunity to explore specific areas of interest. With experienced moderation guiding the flow, discussions remained open, balanced and consumer led.
For a customer closeness case study like this, recruitment quality is everything.
This was not about filling seats. It was about bringing the right people into the room.
Rather than over-complicating quotas, Angelfish focused on securing a broad mix of genuine customers who reflected everyday use of the brand. Household types varied, shopping behaviours differed, and levels of engagement ranged from frequent visitors to more occasional shoppers. The goal was to reflect real life.
Validation calls played a critical role. Beyond confirming eligibility, they allowed us to assess confidence, clarity of thought and comfort in a live stakeholder setting. Open-ended questions gave participants space to express themselves, helping us identify those who would contribute meaningfully to a highly interactive session.
Because stakeholders were present in the room, the bar was high. Customers needed to feel at ease, speak naturally and respond honestly. Careful recruitment ensured conversations felt authentic, dynamic and grounded in lived experience.
The quality of the room shaped the quality of the conversation.
The impact of the day was immediate.
Stakeholders were highly engaged, referencing specific customer comments in their debriefs and continuing discussions long after each session ended. Hearing customers together created shared reference points, reducing internal interpretation and speeding up alignment.
Being physically in-store changed the dynamic. Conversations were rooted in real behaviours and real environments, making insights feel tangible rather than theoretical.
The client described the approach as a game changer compared to previous remote-only research. The experience gave the team renewed confidence in their direction and highlighted the value of stepping directly into customers’ world.
The shared experience of being in‑store gave the team renewed clarity and confidence. It created a momentum that carried through into their planning conversations and helped align the organisation around what customers truly value.
The client expressed strong interest in repeating the format in the future. Hearing customers together had changed the tone and pace of internal conversations, and the team saw clear value in building this into their planning process.
At Angelfish Fieldwork, we help brands and agencies design customer closeness approaches that bring teams closer to their target audience.
From recruitment and validation through to in-person workshops and live stakeholder sessions, we focus on creating the right conditions for honest conversation and meaningful insight.
Planning for the year ahead? If you’re exploring how to bring your stakeholders closer to real customers, we can help design a customer closeness approach that works for your team, your environment and your objectives.
Let’s talk about what a customer closeness project could look like for your team.
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