Maintaining an H relationship

[papertiger]

Please focus on the title of this thread rather than each other, TY

If you find it very hard to ignore certain people, please feel free in adding them to your 'Ignore' list.

For advice on how to obtain a B/K/C please go to the reading room in the Reading Room The Newbie's HOW DO I GET A BIRKIN (or other bag) Reading Room

For advice on how to shop at your local store please do a search in Hermes Shopping sub-forum and look for your store/region/country.

 

[pasdedeux1]

They do this intentionally, no doubt. Boy what I would give to be a fly on the wall when new SAs are getting trained at H. Their strategy is brilliant

If they train SAs to do this, I have to say it's never been applied to me. I have a few I work with and all answer my queries. Perhaps not as timely as I would at my job, but given that yesterday I tied up an SA for three hours trying on scarves, that was time she could not answer texts/emails. I always assume they will not answer when not at work, as retail is not the sort of position that demands 24/7. If there is something I really want, I will let all of them know separately and a date when I will be near their store to get said item.

I have never had a problem getting anything I wanted, so long as I stay within quota obviously. Neither of the stores I treat as "home" are actually anywhere near my home, but a cheap flight away.

If you pay attention, your SA may give you some hints. I've found that when I am working well with an SA, they will drop some details that might help reveal how this will work. It is very different at tourist stores, for sure, and I have found that being a reliable repeat customer there versus one they will never see again gets me quite far. Ymmv of course.

 

[skybluesky]

I think it depends on the SA's personality too. My SA is younger and replies to an email within 1-2 days and returns a text during the day she's working. None of my inquiries are super urgent, it's usually just to see when she's working and to know the range of time I'll be dropping by.

But I'd be annoyed if they never replied back to me, either.

 

[Ethengdurst]

My SA in my home store fails to respond to my emails 9 out of 10 times... she prefers phone calls. She mentioned that she doesn’t bother replying if she doesn’t have it/can’t get it for me. But I have two other SAs I work with from other states who answer my emails asap, whether they have it or not. I don’t take it personally; my home SA is still the best one at getting me quota bags, lol. She said she has 50+ clients sometimes asking her for the same thing (I was hunting the orange bag charm that time) and she doesn’t have the time to answer each and everyone that the store only got 2-3 and of course went to the VVIPs. I think most SAs aren’t intentionally rude and trying to avoid clients, it’s just they don’t have the time. And if talking on the phone is not your thing, maybe ask for a cell number you can text her at instead?

 

[LadyO]

Hi girls,
Sorry, that I’m posting here, I’m new here. Does anybody know what’s the price for these beauties at the store?
Thank You! *;-***

 

[Phiona88]

Hi girls,
Sorry, that I’m posting here, I’m new here. Does anybody know what’s the price for these beauties at the store?
Thank You! *;-***

You can find their 2019 prices here.

 

[little.bear]

Ahh my SA just rung me to tell me that she’s temporarily moving to another H store for the next 12 months. It’s about 40 mins drive there. Question is, because she’s moving temporarily, should I follow her and rebuild a profile in her new store, or should I stick with my current store and work directly with my SM while I wait for her to return end of next year? I know that H is all about store commission and loyalty but is the loyalty with the SA who helps you with your wishlist bags or with the store aka SM? My SA has subtly hinted that I can follow her and that supporting both stores is fine but isn’t it implied that you stick to one store? This is my understanding across other overseas stores I go to. Can I anyone here chime in and give their advice?

Option 1: Work with my SM directly and stick to my home store which is highly convenient as it’s 10 mins walk from home.

Option 2: Follow my SA to the other store for 12 months and go back after. But what’s the impact on the current SM’s impression? Will she care and get upset that I didn’t support her?

Long post and i would appreciate some advice, thanks in advance!


So from my previous quoted post ... I kinda suspected i would run into this situation eventually now that my SA has relocated in the new store and I did!

I decided to visit her in her new store just to say hello without any intention to shop and I happened to find a beautiful coat and pants there which my home store definitely doesn’t have. While I was trying them on, she complimented me for looking great in them and obviously was waiting for me to settle the payment. I asked her some questions about how this would work if I were to purchase these from her and by that I mean how will my bag requests be fulfilled and whether I should just get a store transfer to my home store.

Her answers started along the lines of we are still one ‘hermes’ so it doesn’t matter where you buy from. So I probed more by asking will new store SM look after me since I’m after a constance bag. She said ‘of course we can still fulfil your request and I’m still working with SM on this but he isn’t in today’. By the way, I’ve made no mention to her about wanting another b or k because I already got one recently so there’s no point asking. Plus I would still wait for quota bags to be fulfilled by my home store.

Here is where I need some advice, since it’s a constance non quota bag I’m after, should I just buy my rtw from her and as a way to give her my moral support in her new store? And bet on a chance that I might get a constance bag?

I know my home store won’t be offering me any iconic bags for the foreseeable near future like in the next few weeks or months because I just got my quota bag plus another SA I’m close with indicated that the chances of approval by my current home SM are low but if I drop 1:1 at once, there’s a chance I can still get a constance.

But because my relocated SA is still trying to find her feet there, and I know she wants her clients to follow her (she can’t poach of course), I feel like there’s a chance she might work extra hard to try win me a bag of my dreams just to get me over to the new store as a client.

I have two options:

1. Request store transfer of these RTW items to my home store and hope my SM will still offer me a constance although chances are low only because I have just received my SO Kelly AND have placed another new SO. Also, I don’t know from a sales commission perspective, if requesting a store transfer compromises my chances too because it’s technically not my home store’s stock.

2. Support and buy from my SA who has relocated, and hope she can win me a constance offer as she knows how much I want it and in fact she said it was the first thing she checked to see if they have them coming.

Thoughts? I know i am probably over complicating this and keen to see what everyone else here thinks or would do if you were in my position

 

[Phiona88]

I have two options:

1. Request store transfer of these RTW items to my home store and hope my SM will still offer me a constance although chances are low only because I have just received my SO Kelly AND have placed another new SO. Also, I don’t know from a sales commission perspective, if requesting a store transfer compromises my chances too because it’s technically not my home store’s stock.

2. Support and buy from my SA who has relocated, and hope she can win me a constance offer as she knows how much I want it and in fact she said it was the first thing she checked to see if they have them coming.

Thoughts? I know i am probably over complicating this and keen to see what everyone else here thinks or would do if you were in my position

This is a tough one, but I would stick to Option 1. At the end of the day, it's the SM who approves bag purchases and you want him/her on your good side. He/she will appreciate your loyalty to the store and to the shop he/she manages. I wouldn't risk jeopardizing that relationship over a Constance that your former SA may not even be able to obtain for you.

There's also a chance your former SA will not come back - although the move is meant to be temporary, things change and the move could be a permanent one. If that happens, then you're pretty much stuck with a new store that's a 40 min drive away.

If I were in your shoes, I'd be patient. Stick to the original store, request for your Constance with the SM and be prepared to wait, and hopefully by year end your former SA will be back.

 

[acrowcounted]

This is a tough one, but I would stick to Option 1. At the end of the day, it's the SM who approves bag purchases and you want him/her on your good side. He/she will appreciate your loyalty to the store and to the shop he/she manages. I wouldn't risk jeopardizing that relationship over a Constance that your former SA may not even be able to obtain for you.

There's also a chance your former SA will not come back - although the move is meant to be temporary, things change and the move could be a permanent one. If that happens, then you're pretty much stuck with a new store that's a 40 min drive away.

If I were in your shoes, I'd be patient. Stick to the original store, request for your Constance with the SM and be prepared to wait, and hopefully by year end your former SA will be back.

I agree that this is the right thing to do for your profile and would add that I would probably stop going to the other store to visit the old SA. Afterall, she’s just assisted you with these RTW items, spent her time with you on them, gave you her opinion of their fit on you etc but won’t be getting credit for the sale if you transfer them to your original store for purchase. Thus, visiting her really isn’t doing her any favors. If you didn’t have an outstanding SO at your original store, my answer might have been different but with the SO, your loyalty should really remain settled.
As far as transfers go, the store that rings you up gets the credit. Behind the scenes, the stores trade stock when they make a transfer and the transferred items becomes the new store’s inventory (at least in the USA).

 

[little.bear]

This is a tough one, but I would stick to Option 1. At the end of the day, it's the SM who approves bag purchases and you want him/her on your good side. He/she will appreciate your loyalty to the store and to the shop he/she manages. I wouldn't risk jeopardizing that relationship over a Constance that your former SA may not even be able to obtain for you.

There's also a chance your former SA will not come back - although the move is meant to be temporary, things change and the move could be a permanent one. If that happens, then you're pretty much stuck with a new store that's a 40 min drive away.

If I were in your shoes, I'd be patient. Stick to the original store, request for your Constance with the SM and be prepared to wait, and hopefully by year end your former SA will be back.

I agree that this is the right thing to do for your profile and would add that I would probably stop going to the other store to visit the old SA. Afterall, she’s just assisted you with these RTW items, spent her time with you on them, gave you her opinion of their fit on you etc but won’t be getting credit for the sale if you transfer them to your original store for purchase. Thus, visiting her really isn’t doing her any favors. If you didn’t have an outstanding SO at your original store, my answer might have been different but with the SO, your loyalty should really remain settled.
As far as transfers go, the store that rings you up gets the credit. Behind the scenes, the stores trade stock when they make a transfer and the transferred items becomes the new store’s inventory (at least in the USA).

Thank you for your inputs! After reading your advice, I'm leaning towards sticking with Option 1 as well. it's a good way to demonstrate my loyalty and hope something good comes my way. I guess if it still doesn't work out over time, I can rethink my approach.

 

[Awillow]

I have an SA I really like. I have bought about 15 scarves and two pieces of jewelry (fashion) from her in the last 6 months. She has transferred in two scarves for me, which I have bought. (I was pretty sure about those.)

There is a scarf I like, but as it's a new material for me I can't pull the trigger on it without trying it on. I feel like I shouldn't ask her to transfer it in because I am not positive about it.

It is available on the website. Am I better off ordering it there and returning it if necessary? Am I correct in assuming I shouldn' t ask to transfer a piece I am not committed to?

Incidentally, I have ordered off the website before, but it was before I met her. Do regular SAs mind if you order off the website?

 

[Phiona88]

I have an SA I really like. I have bought about 15 scarves and two pieces of jewelry (fashion) from her in the last 6 months. She has transferred in two scarves for me, which I have bought. (I was pretty sure about those.)

There is a scarf I like, but as it's a new material for me I can't pull the trigger on it without trying it on. I feel like I shouldn't ask her to transfer it in because I am not positive about it.

It is available on the website. Am I better off ordering it there and returning it if necessary? Am I correct in assuming I shouldn' t ask to transfer a piece I am not committed to?

Incidentally, I have ordered off the website before, but it was before I met her. Do regular SAs mind if you order off the website?

You’re overthinking it - totally OK to ask your SA to transfer the scarf for you. It’s not a commitment to buy.

 

[CMilly]

I have an SA I really like. I have bought about 15 scarves and two pieces of jewelry (fashion) from her in the last 6 months. She has transferred in two scarves for me, which I have bought. (I was pretty sure about those.)

There is a scarf I like, but as it's a new material for me I can't pull the trigger on it without trying it on. I feel like I shouldn't ask her to transfer it in because I am not positive about it.

It is available on the website. Am I better off ordering it there and returning it if necessary? Am I correct in assuming I shouldn' t ask to transfer a piece I am not committed to?

Incidentally, I have ordered off the website before, but it was before I met her. Do regular SAs mind if you order off the website?

If you aren’t sure about the materials perhaps explain to her you are interested in scarf X but are not sure about the materials and ask if she has a scarf available in that material for you to try before you order it in.

 

[Awillow]

You’re overthinking it - totally OK to ask your SA to transfer the scarf for you. It’s not a commitment to buy.

Thanks! That's great to know. I wasn't sure if it would leave the shop with inventory they didn't want or if it cost them anything to transfer it.

 

[Awillow]

If you aren’t sure about the materials perhaps explain to her you are interested in scarf X but are not sure about the materials and ask if she has a scarf available in that material for you to try before you order it in.

Good idea. I am making an appointment for Sunday, so I will do that then. Thanks!

 

[MissSteph]

Hi ladies. Thanks for all the advices so far. I have a question and I am not sure if I’m overthinking it: I emailed my SA last Sunday to inquire about SS season shawls. I also wrote a follow up email on Wednesday asking if they have the Pegasus Ballerina shoes in store so I can come try them on. My SA has not replied to either one of the emails. I started working with her (first Hermes experience) since June and have spent roughly 8k since in various departments. I understand that I am not a big client but is 1 week without reply bad?
I have emailed her in the past without a prompt reply but I normally come to see her a day or two later so I didn’t think much of it. This time I am 8 months pregnant and need to bed rest so I am not as keen to drive 45 minutes to the boutique if the items I am interested in are not there.
My question is... should I send another email? Is my SA a bad SA or if this is normal? Thank you!!

So it's me again who got all crazy because my SA didn't reply to my email. I am happy to report that I went to the store and she greeted me very warmly and apologized for not having the time to reply to my email. I was nervous because I did take a 4 months break from Hermes due to my difficult pregnancy (no mood for shopping) and thought that it hurt my newly established SA relationship. Anyway, after hinting that I am looking for a classic tote, she asked me for my wishlist and I promptly and happily given her mine (35B in gris fam and 28K in rose fam). I have spent roughly 11k with her at this point and have a couple more items waiting to be transferred so I am hoping an offer won't be too far out. *fingers crossed*.

I would love to hear others experience with their SA following a brief break!