Knowing Your Consumers

The tag
Originally uploaded by chuvaness.

A great lesson today in knowing your consumers and how to respond to them ... found by following my nose along the rich Z-lister path.

The folks over at ExtraTasty point toward this interesting article on Goyard, the luxury goods brand that REALLY focuses on "personalised" service. It is interesting that they focus on "personalised service" rather than "customer service" or even "customer experience".

Special stripes and personal monograms can be included in your Goyard luggage/accessories when you order, but you need to KNOW where to go before even thinking about it -- there are only 12 stores around the world. And you CANNOT (as far as I can see) order online. You see, the focus is on allowing customers to "feel a kind of authorship in the process".

With my interest in writing I am sure you are not surprised to see this comment pricked my ears. When I look at the elegant travel luggage it reminds me of a time when international adventuring took weeks not hours and provided time for reflection, drinking, diversion and writing (I am sure I am romanticising here). However, there is no escaping the allure of a a slow-boiling brand or the benefits of quality, prestige and access to a long tail.

With a ZERO advertising spend but 90% sales growth in its only wholly-owned boutique in Paris, the Goyard team obviously have a great handle on "non-traditional" approaches. They certainly have a story to tell -- and even better -- their product IS the story. I expect that this style of luggage would actually PROMPT conversation while in the act of travelling -- while waiting at the carousel playing luggage roulette, in the Club waiting for a boarding call, or at the hotel checking in.

Now, that is clever.
S.

Comments

[Valeria Maltoni]

Luxury goods and limited edition items is something that the Italian fashion world has long benefited from.

There's nothing like seeing one beautiful item on display and knowing that only one person in each size can have one: what are the chances of two of us being in the same room?

It makes you feel special and unique to own one of those. And we all like to feel that way, don't we?

[Sean Howard]

I YEARN to feel that way.

On the rare occasion that it occurs, a company often has me for life.

Sadly, the opposite is what often occurs. A poorly made product or a company that forgets the value of its customers.

[Gavin Heaton]

Sean ... A good example is Tim Jackson's debacle over his once-beloved Saturn car.