In the world of luxury, Clients must be at the heart of your strategy. Luxury customers are willing to pay more - not just for a product, but for an optimal shopping experience. The services provided by the brand must be exceptional and fully personalized to make them feel privileged. From the way you interact with customers in your store to the way you care for them after the purchase, the luxury experience is all about the details. Your Associates are an essential part of this process - they are the face of the brand and the first point of contact with Clients. Their expertise contributes greatly to the way customers feel about your brand.

The luxury industry continues to evolve, and so do customers and their expectations. As a luxury brand, it is more important than ever to understand and adapt to their needs. Today, Maisons face three main challenges:

- Acquiring new Clients,
- Converting customers and online traffic,
- Repeat Business.

Brands must therefore provide each customer with the necessary level of trust and motivation that will lead them to purchase. To achieve this, it is essential to offer a personalized experience during each visit to the store - luxury customers no longer base their loyalty solely on the product itself, but they rather remain loyal to the brands offering them a great experience. When properly executed, experiential commerce will bring you highly qualified traffic, boost your sales and create long-lasting relationships with Clients.

One of the most effective ways to provide a personalized customer experience is to offer your services by appointment. By scheduling interactions in advance, your Associates will have time to carefully consider each Client and personalize each visit.

Here are different ways to use appointment scheduling for luxury Maisons.

‍

1 - Personal Shopper

Personal Shopper sessions are probably the most used type of appointment in the luxury world and seem to be one of the most effective retail strategies in the industry. A Personal Shopper is a staff member who guides and accompanies a Client throughout their in-store shopping experience, and then assists them during the fitting. The role of the Personal Shopper is to understand the needs and desires of the customer and help them select pieces and items. The Personal Shopper spends time with the customer and guides them through the various products to help them make their choice.

Advise your customers in the best way possible, give them an extraordinary experience and care for them with this face-to-face appointment. Make your Associate feel like a shopping companion rather than a salesperson.

By offering this service by appointment, your staff can be prepared before each visit to the store and provide customers with an enhanced personalized experience. In addition, if a Client comes back often, a Personal Shopper can be assigned to them, which will greatly increase the feeling of loyalty towards the Maison. With the help of an e-booking software, Associates always know if there is availability for a customer who shows up unexpectedly.

‍

2 - Private Stylist

An appointment with a Private Stylist is usually a paid service which aims to help the Client make choices with personalized advice from a professional.

The Stylist generally does some preliminary work; after an initial phone call with the Client to understand their needs, they do some research and select items before the Client shows up at the store. This service is ideal for a special occasion, an event or work.

The results of the implementation of this service have been very successful, with one of our clients in the luxury industry achieving a 95% conversion rate with this appointment-based service and an average shopping basket size ranging from 3,000 to 3,500€.

‍

3 - In-person or online Consultations

Appointment-based consultations are much more straightforward, they are primarily used to answer questions that customers may have. Virtual or in-person, this service allows Clients to book a session with an Associate to be informed about a particular product.

If it is a virtual appointment, the Client will be contacted via videoconference or by phone and will benefit from personalized expertise where they will have the answer to all the questions they might have about a specific item. The implementation of this online service can be very useful for customers who do not have time to go to the store.

‍

4 - Click & Fit

Click & Fit is a service that is highly appreciated by customers, it allows them to make an appointment to come in-store and try on a piece they have noticed on the brand's website. A fitting room is reserved for the customer to try on the items and ensure that they fit - if this is not the case, a sales Associate will help them find the right size, color, etc.

On one hand, this service allows Clients to avoid making unnecessary purchases by being able to try out the items first without having to wait - and on the other hand, it allows them to benefit from all the assistance they need.

‍

5 - Live Shopping

Live shopping consists of presenting items via video conference - this service is very easy to organize, but still requires some preparation. It can be performed in several ways; either by a brand Associate showing the items directly in front of the camera, or by filming a sort of fashion show where the pieces are worn by models.

Viewers can interact with the hosts and ask questions while product references appear live on their screens and can be directly added to the shopping cart. Live shopping is particularly effective for the luxury industry as it allows for a more detailed view of items. Luxury products have an average conversion rate of 70% when presented during a live shopping event. Every detail counts, even if it's remote, perfection and emotion must be felt! This online experience must match the welcome you give your customers in-store.

Live shopping is a more human alternative to online shopping. Offering this service by appointment is essential so that your customers are well-informed in advance and present during the event.

‍

6 - Appointment to discover the new collection

Offer your Clients the opportunity to make an appointment to come in-store and discover your latest collection. This service aims to bring customers to visit your store and give them a privileged feeling.

‍

7 - Appointment for a special occasion

Weddings, births, maternity, or any other special occasion deserve a special wardrobe. Offer an appointment-based service to guide and accompany your Clients throughout your store to help them find new pieces for their special occasion. Customers with specific questions can receive all the information they need before making a purchase. This type of service provides customers with a personalized in-store experience.

‍

8 - Personalization

In the luxury industry, the experience must continue even after the purchase - offering a personalization service is the best way to bring customers back to the store. Luxury shoppers like to own unique pieces, and offering them this type of service will add value and increase brand loyalty.

‍

9 - VIP Events

In the luxury sector, organizing an event is an excellent way to reward your best Clients, make them feel privileged and make them spend a special moment with your brand. There is a multitude of event opportunities to organize: fashion shows, private sales, preview of a new collection...

‍

10 - Masterclasses

Purchasing a product is good, but knowing how to use it is even better! Even after the purchase phase, it's important to continue to capture the attention of your customers. By offering them the possibility to participate in a masterclass, either in person or online, to learn how to properly use the product they just purchased, you will have the opportunity to extend the brand experience to the fullest. Plus, it's also the perfect occasion to offer them additional products and services to increase your conversion rates!

‍

11 - Click & Collect

It's common knowledge that customers do not appreciate waiting! By offering them the possibility to pick up a product they ordered online, you will give them the opportunity and motivation to visit your store and live the brand experience in person. Your personnel will also be able to assist and guide them if they need additional information and advice or if they want to make another purchase, which happens very often when this service is well done and the customer comes out satisfied.

‍

12 - After-sales services

Offering excellent after-sales services is essential for this industry. First and foremost, it brings customers back into the store and optimizes operations by dedicating them a specific amount of time. Moreover, 52% of consumers say they have made an additional purchase after a positive after-sales service experience.

You can, for example, offer your customers the possibility to make an appointment to take advantage of various services such as product maintenance, repair, or exchange without making them wait endlessly inside the store. This is another opportunity to offer them valuable experience.

‍

As you now understand, the service you offer to your customers is essential, whether it is in-store or online. The luxury Client has a much higher level of expectations than in various other industries. They don't just come to buy an item - you have to invite them to spend a quality moment and live an experience with the brand. It is important to generate a certain emotion and create a bond by welcoming them as privileged guests. The purchase journey must therefore become an experiential journey.

The luxury sector is full of opportunities that will allow you to create a lasting relationship with your customers...