I am here in Europe for a few sessions with Partners! One of the funniest ones was with Louise Grey, the CEO of MVM on a luxury goods, personalization and social media panel. I spoke on the panel using our IBM customer, Faberge, as an example.
Our Story! Faberge is a boutique that designs and sells one of a kind works of art and jewellery. The company wanted to revitalize their business model, establish itself as a premiere world luxury brand, and define an online approach to selling its high-value luxury items that avoided the usual mass market, self service format of the web. Their aim was to make the experience truly interactive by providing each client with a real life personal sales advisor as they would find in a traditional, high end boutique. The new site would also become the hub around which all client interactions would be constructed, thereby providing global reach and accessibility without the constraints or cost of a physical store network.
The key was to free the client to choose how, where and when they purchase. With the new on-line experience, Faberge creates the impression of depth: of a multitude of shops and products accessible to their connoisseur clients, backed with the quality of 1:1 VIP experience found in a private salon.
Experience from our Visioning Session! The online experience delivered by IBM translates the key elements of the traditional high end luxury good shopping process into an online paradigm that reflects traditional VIP private selling methods based on highly interactive and personal service. Prospective clients are required to pass through a filtering process in order to access the exclusive ‘inner sanctum’ where they can explore and interact with Faberge products. As the customer builds trust and explores, more of the product catalogue is progressively revealed. Access to a personal agent is provided, avoiding mass market self service, and at the client’s discretion, can conduct a unique interactive dialogue via the medium of the web and assist by pushing items to the client’s browser and exploring them with the client. The result is multi-layered access, detail and exploration -Initial access to all via website. Access to inner sanctum is via agent enablement, inivitation or mentor recommendation.
Trust Builds! As the customer explores or returns to the site, rules unlock further elements making it a constantly developing experience -Agent may remotely(off line) or interactively expose further elements of the catalogue for a customer at any time and determine if they are VIP. VIP status is progressivey earned or can be given by agent. Pretty impressive and innovative use of social tools to match the company’s goals.
Launch in Sept 2009! The launch of Faberge’s site was a huge success, giving clients wishing to purchase their own personal sales advisor who provides a live 1:1 interactive sales service via video, telephone or live conversation text. The interactive platform model allows continuing development and the addition of further capabilities. These include the ability to involve other parties in the on line interaction and ensure the collection can be refreshed with new pieces.