In the luxury industry, customer service is essential. Every Client entering the store should feel privileged and should be provided with assistance from the very beginning of their shopping experience. Luxury customers are willing to pay more, not just for a product, but for an excellent shopping experience, from the in-store visit to after-sales services. It is therefore important for companies to put their best Advisors in front of their Clients. Luxury no longer has anything to do with price; it is now all about receiving an intimate and personalized experience.

Clienteling has now become an essential marketing strategy in the retail world, more particularly in the luxury sector. It is one of the most effective solutions for building customer loyalty. Although this term is used very frequently, it is still misunderstood by many brands.

Here is what Clienteling means and why this strategy is so important for luxury Maisons.

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What is Clienteling?

Many different definitions can be found on the Internet, but the core is the same: Clienteling is primarily a marketing strategy that aims to build customer loyalty by creating a special relationship between the Client and the staff. More precisely, it is a matter of addressing the customer in a unique and personalized way to build loyalty and increase conversion.

Clienteling has been around since the dawn of time! It was once normal for local shops to know their customers and to have a friendly relationship with them. However, today, it is rarer that a Client Advisor remembers all the customers, as well as their previous purchases, and offers them an experience to their taste. Yet, in the luxury industry, this notion is simply essential to give the Client the motivation they need to purchase and become loyal to the brand.

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What is the purpose of Clienteling?

As previously explained, the ultimate goal of Clienteling is to convert and retain customers. It is the best way to turn a simple in-store visit into a long-lasting brand ambassador.

In an industry where the population is overwhelmed by choice, marketing and advertising, it is essential to stand out by placing people at the heart of your retail strategy. By feeling put on a pedestal, customers will feel a certain affection and trust towards the staff and thus towards the brand. They'll feel that their needs are being taken into consideration and that the personnel are adapting to their requests. According to Salesforce Research, 89% of consumers are more likely to make another purchase after a positive customer service experience.

Clienteling is always a winning strategy when it is well implemented, from the first in-store visit to the after-sales service.

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How to implement Clienteling?

To implement a Clienteling strategy for your business, and therefore benefit from its results, it is necessary to build a relationship between the customer and the employee by addressing them in the most personal way. There are many ways to achieve this, but the best way is to assign a Client Advisor to each customer when they visit the store. They must be able to remember the Client's name, preferences and purchase history. The staff plays a key role in the implementation of Clienteling.

Most of the major luxury brands seem to understand this concept with the notion of Personal Shoppers. These Advisors are assigned to specific Clients and their role is to accompany them during their visit to the store and to help, advise and inform them. This strategy is very lucrative and represents the foundation of Clienteling.

Another effective method to build this relationship is through storytelling. The customer will appreciate it if, during their visit, the Client Advisor can tell them more about the history of the Maison, its values, its products... They can also make recommendations about the different seasons, etc. Storytelling allows you to sell a story before selling a brand.

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How can e-booking help?

Appointment scheduling is the perfect method to provide an enhanced customer experience, whether in-store or online. By offering your customers the opportunity to make an appointment with an in-store Personal Shopper, your staff will be able to offer them the best experience possible. By knowing who is coming in, they can prepare for their arrival, study their needs in advance, look at their purchase history, etc.

When the staff is well prepared, Clients will feel privileged and their sense of trust in your brand will increase. Without an appointment, it is more difficult for the Client Advisors to know everything about the customers upon arrival, which can result in a poor experience for both the customer and the staff.

Booxi is a platform specialized in customer experience that allows the biggest luxury Maisons to easily implement their Clienteling strategy through appointment scheduling. By scheduling your interactions with Booxi, it will be much easier to prepare yourself to offer Clients a personalized service that will give them the confidence to become true ambassadors.

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Clienteling and e-commerce

In today's omnichannel environment, it is important to also implement Clienteling via digital channels. Some consumers prefer to shop online, so it is important to offer an experience that is just as qualitative and authentic as in-store. Moreover, luxury customers need more than the price and some brief information about a product to decide to make a purchase. Most of them will abandon their shopping carts if they can't resolve their questions quickly.

Chatbots are a good start but are not quite enough! It is difficult to create a relationship through a simple message conversion. Appointment scheduling allows you to connect online shoppers with staff for a live shopping session, a video consultation, or even a simple phone call to discuss and get the information needed to purchase. The whole concept of Clienteling is to create a fully personalized one-to-one customer experience. Who says it can't be done remotely?

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In conclusion

Today, luxury is all about offering the best of something - whether it's a product, a service or an experience. While traditional marketing now seems generic, the human touch is at the heart of the strategy with Awareness Marketing. Putting the Client at the center of the strategy strengthens the bond with the Maison and builds a long-term relationship.