Customer Centric

When you push the door of a renowned and famous watch retailer, you might expect to get a very precise and convincing sales pitch supported by a top class customer experience.

3.15 pm: I am in the place
After a generic welcome, a staff member introduced me to a sales person to whom I described what I was looking for: chronograph, Jaeger-Lecoultre, Breitling or Zenith. I indicated that I was not an expert but that I appreciated a lot watches. I didn’t give indications on my budget.
This choice aims at reflecting 3 different brands’ positioning and watchmaking groups.

I am oriented towards a comfortable leather seat and 3 minutes later I have 3 watches in front of me: Navitimer (Breitling), Master Compressor (Jaeger-Lecoultre), ChronoMaster Open (Zenith). It’s time to enjoy wearing each of them while asking questions…as the reasonably well dressed man in front of me has turned his loudspeaker on the Off position.

How to make my choice?
I am reassured that all watches are automatic and that each of them are COSC certified (Swiss chronometry certificate for accuracy) when I trigger the question.
Currently valid for Breitling only. Zentih El Primero was certified but not anymore!
I am told that the main difference between the Navitimer and Master Compressor is that Jaeger-Lecoultre is an integrated Manufacture while Breitling is sourcing movements from outside. The finishing of the movement is an additional argument pushed for Jaeger-Lecoultre despite that none of them have a transparent saphir caseback. Nevertheless, the Master Compressor is declared more precise!
JLC 1000 hours testing process (much more demanding than the COSC) would have been a very good additional reference!

The comparison between Jaeger-Lecoultre’s timepiece and Zenith’s is taking a similar spin. Zenith’s movement, El Primero, is highly ranked by my interlocutor because of combining key advantages: Manufacture movement, very accurate thanks to the high frequency…so it might be implicitly a good choice. We have not yet talked about $$$.
I am getting the retail price when I prompt the question. Navitimer is at the bottom of the range and Chronomaster Open and Master Compressor are close.

At this stage, Breitling is virtually out of the scope.

I am a bit concerned about the pretty flat encephalogram of my interlocutor, so I ask him to propose some alternatives to the brands I had initially indicated.
A Pasha Seatimer Chrono (Cartier) and a Type XX Aeronavale (Breguet) are landing on the table after few seconds of thinking (see on page 2). Audemars Piguet and Vacheron Constantin are mentioned but are not within my budget.

After some trials and comments, I focus my potential choice on the Master Compressor and Chronomaster Open. I am digging for details on the types of straps, color of dials, after sales service… I would like Arabic numbers on a brown dial but “unfortunately it doesn’t exist”.
A basic knowledge of the product range of Zenith would have suggested the Class Open (Chrono) which matches perfectly these features!

I am told that Jaeger-Lecoultre offers one of the best “value for money” proposition, Zenith stands for people liking nice movements and Breguet..is left in the middle of nowhere.
It’s a pity for a brand which is one (The) pioneer of the watchmaking industry.
I am concluding by indicating that I need to think about my final choice and ask the sales person to write down the details of the 2 watches I’m considering. I am proposed to get the brochures from the different brands just on the doorstep.
I was not important enough to deserve a handshake and obviously not a personal business card!

3.45 pm: I am on sidewalk
I have visited several other watch stores (10) and I have not been amazed by the overall product/brand knowledge of the staff and definitely not by their commercial astuteness.
There is one exception that I will describe in the episode 2.

Nevetheless, I would like to pinpoint some areas I believe are important from both a client and a commercial perspective:

• Knowledge of your customer is a Golden Rule. The best way to achieve it would have been to ask me questions in order to get more insights on my expectations.
• Knowledge of your brands & products is a basic for staff members in any type of business. If not sure, the sles man could have checked in the trade books other references and he would have noticed a Zenith watch matching my needs. Even if the objective is to sell first the available stock, he could have checked other brands’ product on stock. I know that major watch brands are spending a lot of resources to provide training and information. However, it has not been so obvious in the different stores I have visited.
• Giving blindly what the client asks for is not necessarily a good sale. Even if the watch industry is booming, there is always an opportunity for up-grading or cross-selling. At the end of the day, a satisfied customer will not purchase only once but will come back and talk about his good experience.

I will be happy to debate about your personal experiences and suggestions on how to structure a good and performing sales pitch.

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