How Luxury Brands Are Increasing Sales Staff Loyalty and Engagement in Japan/ Luxury retail excellence in Japan

 

The key mission of luxury brands is "continuity”.

For many Japanese, Western brand products have always been the object of admiration, regardless of gender. Of course, this is partly because they reflect craftsmanship, European history, and culture, but if anything, it is more directly related to the spiritual satisfaction of owning the product than the practical aspect.

Recently, an increasing number of young Japanese check how much second-hand items sell for on Mercari, which is a Japanese marketplace platform where you can buy and sell almost anything and choose items that do not fall in price, which can be seen as a sign of their desire to own sophisticated, high-quality items, even if they are a little more expensive.

During the heyday of DC brands in the 1980s in Japan, when people used to line up in laps around the store every time a new product came out, I myself thought that this ridiculous trend would not last very long. In Japan, the life span of a company is said to be 30 years, but superficial booms go away much faster.

I was one of those who felt a strong sense of crisis when I witnessed the frenzy for brands.

Therefore, in my training sessions with luxury brand store managers and staff, I have persistently told them, "Our mission is not to let this end in a boom. This is because the true value of a brand lies in its continuity, in its ability to be handed down through the ages. In other words, it is a grand challenge to be admired from generation to generation at all times.

Even if there is a similar bag, wallet, or watch, what makes it a brand and what no one can imitate is the fact that it has been supported through the ages for decades or even more than a century, and this is made possible by the skills, philosophy, and affection that have been passed down from generation to generation.

In other words, it is only possible because of the people who are involved with the brand and whose mission it is to maintain the brand in their respective positions.”

Of course, there is also the greatness of the top management who come up with the strategy. Because they understand the difficulty of "continuity" and the invaluable value that comes from making it happen.

Is the front line downstream? 

While top management's brain departments such as marketing and product development were coming up with new strategies one after another, the old Japanese corporate culture tended to think that stores were downstream and their job was to faithfully execute what they were told by their superiors. Perhaps this mentality was also strong among luxury brands in the beginning.

However, I found a Japanese manager of a luxury brand's Japanese subsidiary say something to his sales staff that seemed to overturn this mentality.

In order for our brand to truly continue to give our customers dreams and aspirations, it would never be possible without your sincere efforts.

Our products are planned by famous designers, painstakingly crafted by professional artisans, and carefully delivered to our stores. Then they are delivered to customers. However, if we just want to sell our products, they will sell without much effort because of their superior product quality.

Then, for what purpose do we invest in you all for self-improvement?" (Silence) "That's because the world of brands is not complete on its own." "If we just make products and explain our prodcts to customers about them, they will soon get tired of us. Do you know how much trial and error goes into creating a product and naming it with a lot of thought and care? It is a work of art in a sense".

"Of course, a work of art is wonderful just to look at, but the more you understand the story behind it, the more you become deeply interested in it and want to cherish it. Our brand is not about selling a product and calling it quits; our goal is for people to cherish and use our products for a long time. By doing so, our value is transmitted across time and generations."

"The value of a product can be greater or lesser depending on how the staff conveys it. Also, it is not enough to just push your favorite story one way or another. We also need to have the skill to communicate in such a way that each and every customer feels that the product is "even better than expected". To achieve this, it is first necessary for the staff to have a deep knowledge of the brand."

Luxury Brand's Service Design is excellent

Contrary to the view that the front line is "downstream," "just doing what they are told," or "a job that has to sell," they have been steadily investing in their staff for decades to build a bridge to the next generation, and they never cut corners for a moment to complete the brand's worldview. This is the concept of "service design," and I personally have learned the important lesson that it is only completed when everyone is involved.

Profile of Contributor (Yasuko Fukuroi)

Consultant, Service Design Institute, Tokyo Japan.

Through consulting and training for various luxury brands in Japan, she has seen the transition of brands business, "creating brand value" and "how to create brands worldview.