Luxury & retail specialist, Public Speaker, Leadership & Sales Training facilitator. Coach. Head Hunter. Founder of Training Luxury
In the world of luxury, the customer is sacred. This was a lesson I learned from various CEOs I had the privilege of meeting, particularly highlighted by an experience I had while working in Japan. One day, I was at the Matsuya department store in Ginza when I ran into a friend who worked for another luxury brand, accompanied by the owner and CEO of that brand. As we exchanged greetings, we noticed a sales associate from their brand engaged in a heated argument with a customer. The CEO, who did not understand Japanese, asked us, "Why are they arguing?" My friend explained that the customer wanted to return a pair of shoes that hurt her feet, but since she had already worn them, store policy did not allow for a return. Despite the language barrier, the CEO intervened. He introduced himself, apologized to the customer, and approved the return. Then, turning to my friend, he remarked, "Does that client advisor know how long it takes to create a customer? We don't want to lose a customer over a pair of shoes." #CustomerFirst #LuxuryExperience #Japan #Tokyo #customercentricity
Filiberto Amati
5mo
A great story, and I wonder why other consumer brands do not take clients as seriously as luxury brands
Olga Granikowska
5mo
It's true that create a customer - is a journey! But, as an ex SA, I may tell that these kind of situations depends on many facts: if SA is new, if communication between SA and Store Manager is good. On my trainings, we role-play it, to avoid misunderstanding and give to a customer a quick solution.
Dario Spinelli
5mo
Well said Renato! The customers should always remain the center of luxury world. Sometimes the brands think the opposite. The client journey has to be the k-points for the Luxury market.
Great anecdote. Even more important, the litigious item was a pair of shoes, and it was hurting. What do you make of a brand that (really, and not only figuratively) hurts you?
Oliver G Allen
5mo
When someone's shopping at the high end it's more than just the one product they purchase. It's about the lifetime of products and other customers they may bring in.
I Launch & Scale Premium Brands with a laser focus on Customer Acquisition and Brand Management. Luxury | Beauty | Fashion | Tech are our playground. Let’s elevate your vision. DM me. Let's go. 😎⚡️
5moMan, that CEO had the vision. In luxury, the customer isn’t just king—they’re the entire royal family. That story from Japan? Pure gold. It’s a masterclass in understanding the long game. You know, a lot of folks miss the point that luxury isn’t just about the product; it’s about the experience, the story, and the relationship. That CEO knew that losing a customer over one pair of shoes isn’t just bad for business—it’s brand suicide. Think about it: the time, effort, and money invested in building that relationship outweigh the cost of a return. What do you think is the biggest challenge in keeping that customer-first mentality alive in luxury brands?