If you want to work in a luxury store

Last week I received an email from someone who would like to work in a store in the luxury segment. And whether we could write a piece to prepare her a bit for that. So in the category ‘you ask, we deliver’: the things you should and for sure should not say in a luxury store.

Store is really far too ordinary for a luxury brand. You refer to ‘the boutique’ with fancier brands like Chanel, Louis Vuitton, or Hermès, and with cooler labels, you talk about ‘the store’.

The more luxurious the store, the harder it is to find the price. A tip from me: with bags, the tag is usually hidden inside the small zipper pocket on the side. Then you can take a quiet peek there to know if you need to eat dry bread for one or two months. If you work in a luxury store and someone dares to ask the much too everyday question: What does it cost? / What does it do? / How much is it?, subtly correct that person and say: “The value of the mattelassé is 2300 euros.”

Your customer can see for themselves that something is a bag, a pair of pants, or a sweater. Therefore, you casually provide extra information and talk about the clutch, the flared, or the cardigan.

As soon as you feel that a black, hard card might be pulled out of the wallet, you offer your customer something to drink. Coffee, tea, a nice glass of water or oh, why not, a glass of champagne. Girl, before you know it, you are employee of the month.

Just as you talk about the boutique, you refer to the necklace and not a chain. That goes on your bike. If it’s good at least. You say watch and not clock, and preferably about jewelry (if it’s jewelry) and about bijoux for the cheaper stuff. Jewelry is also too everyday for the PC and the Maastricht Stokstraat.

No matter how exciting your adventures are, this is your customer's moment. They are not interested in your stories, and even if they were, your manager wouldn’t think it’s a good idea. And talking about your children is absolutely forbidden. Giving attention is the word.

If you work in a luxury store, you do not hand over the bag over the counter. You walk around, hand the bag to your customer, hold the door open for them (unless you have a doorman who does that for you), wish them a nice day, and possibly shake their hand.