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.

 

[fice16]

Hello ladies, can these conversations be stopped please?
If the existing H selling model doesn't work for anyone, please feel free to shop from other brands that would work for you.

Please note that the SAs have been very busy at the H boutiques since the COVID-19 pandemic. I think the last thing that they would want to do at the end of a busy day was to browse through the rants at this H forum. They have better things to spend their energy & life on (working, spending time with family), right?

 

[Justlikewhatilike]

Now, I am trying to fix an appointment with my SA to place an order for something which I was procrastinating on (really don’t like the it that I am putting deposit towards items which Nobody has any idea when they would arrive). My SA was urging me to put in the order with deposit to lock in the price. Zzzzzzz…..

it take probably took half a day intermittent to/fro and we still haven’t fix the darn appointment….

So, it’s really tiring. But it’s better since I know my SA now than initially.

 

[DME]

Honestly I believe there’s not much point talking about tactics/ strategy / approaches… etc to out-smart the ‘game’.
SA has most likely seen all the tricks under the Sun and everyone trying to build profile through Oran slippers, scarves and Click H.

Agree 1000%! I would also add that things differ by country, by store (even within the same country), by SM (across stores) and by SA (even within the same store); the way an SA operates likely differs from customer to customer, too. To what @WhiteBus said, this is more a process than a game and there are so many factors at work. This may be frustrating at times because there is no one, true formula, but I honestly love the personalized experience. This is much more the old way of doing business and less the instant gratification model we have all become accustomed to. I am more appreciative of my H purchases because of the experience.

To the point @EllenTsai is making that I quoted above, good SAs can read people well. They can easily sort out the quick and dirty shoppers who are only after a B/K/C from the likely resellers from those who truly love the brand and will react to each customer accordingly.

 

[IronOak]

As riveting as this conversation is, we should all, myself included, and take a step back and remind ourselves we are still in a pandemic with a new highly contagious variant.

Paid a recent visit to our local boutique but could not because many staff had tested positive. Everyone’s boostered so no one is gravely ill. Not gonna lie I was irked. I really wanted to place an order for home goods asap because I know there’s a long wait time. All this to say, let’s all take a deep breath, be thankful that we are healthy physically and financially, and discuss this journey with a more positive attitude among each other.

 

[WhiteBus]

Agree 1000%! I would also add that things differ by country, by store (even within the same country), by SM (across stores) and by SA (even within the same store); the way an SA operates likely differs from customer to customer, too. To what @WhiteBus said, this is more a process than a game and there are so many factors at work. This may be frustrating at times because there is no one, true formula, but I honestly love the personalized experience. This is much more the old way of doing business and less the instant gratification model we have all become accustomed to. I am more appreciative of my H purchases because of the experience.

To the point @EllenTsai is making that I quoted above, good SAs can read people well. They can easily sort out the quick and dirty shoppers who are only after a B/K/C from the likely resellers from those who truly love the brand and will react to each customer accordingly.

Bravo!

 

[Love Of My Life]

Itinerantd , you have been given extraordinary advice & insight here by experienced & knowledgeable
H clients & it seems like we are all going around & around in circles.
This is not a normal time to expect a normal response from a SA.. Inventories are not
plentiful, H SA's are likely inundated with texts & wish lists remain bountiful. SA's in
general have their hands full & are likely doing their best.
SA's understand clients changing their mind or being hesitant about an item. This is not
their first time in the H rodeo with clients & for the most part SA's appreciate having a client
be candid with them.
If you decide on the 9K watch, wear it well, if you pass, you will not be the first one doing so.
And to the point many posters have noted, SA's read clients well as they have the experience to
do so.
Try to enjoy the process of accomplishing your wish list & try not to take this so personally, JMO

 

[880]

There are times when I showed hesitation on an Item, my SA will not proceed with the sale

normal response confirming an appointment time especially since it is SA who asked me to come in (I didn’t bring this up). Or, I cannot confirm yet for whatever reason and will let you know.

Occam’s Razor, the simplest answer is the right one, would indicate that the SA had the 9K watch, and it’s harder to source/transfer other items on your list right now (others have posted this too). Premier luxury SAs value repeat customers. Selling an item that a customer is hesitant about, does not bode well for a long term relationship.

H may not respond as quickly by text bc it’s a heritage luxury French company. Text message is not exactly conducive to luxury. Many have stated that an H SA does not have access to work texts when not at work; so, there may be delays. @DME observed, its an older way of doing business

As to the statement that this thread seems like an echo chamber. TPF seems to draw viewpoints of many US or European posters with experience in the US or Europe. Of course, @Justlikewhatilike has shown us that the experience in Asia is vastly different.

 

[mamakay]

Hi all, if I remember correctly, items available online can be purchased with your SA only when you’re physically in the store with the SA, correct? (So that the SA gets credit). Don’t want to email and bother my SA for such a small ticket item if she won’t be able to order it for me without me having to go in physically. TIA!

 

[KristinS]

Just a quick thank you to all you H veterans / OGs who give solid advice. The process is not straightforward sometimes and the time you take to read our questions and respond is valuable.
I believe in paying it forward, so I hope others who are new to the process do the same in time.

 

[hphile]

Hi all, if I remember correctly, items available online can be purchased with your SA only when you’re physically in the store with the SA, correct? (So that the SA gets credit). Don’t want to email and bother my SA for such a small ticket item if she won’t be able to order it for me without me having to go in physically. TIA!

Generally yes! I do wonder though - because sometimes my SA asks if I want a charge send over text - which implies that the item is not in my store - or else I would assume my SA would just ask me if I wanted to come in for an appointment. Especially when it's something I might want to try on like shoes. Then my SA sends me an online payment link and it gets shipped to my house.

Anyways, I think it's still worth it to ask and if your SA says we don't have that and doesn't offer a charge send you can just buy it online. But if it's a popular item, things disappear off the website fast, so just get it!

 

[WhiteBus]

Generally yes! I do wonder though - because sometimes my SA asks if I want a charge send over text - which implies that the item is not in my store - or else I would assume my SA would just ask me if I wanted to come in for an appointment. Especially when it's something I might want to try on like shoes. Then my SA sends me an online payment link and it gets shipped to my house.

Anyways, I think it's still worth it to ask and if your SA says we don't have that and doesn't offer a charge send you can just buy it online. But if it's a popular item, things disappear off the website fast, so just get it!

SAs knows the availability if items. They know that if a client wants something specifically they shoukd get it when they can. Therefore a decent SA will recommend the course of action to ensure a client is satisfied not disappointed.

 

[mamakay]

Generally yes! I do wonder though - because sometimes my SA asks if I want a charge send over text - which implies that the item is not in my store - or else I would assume my SA would just ask me if I wanted to come in for an appointment. Especially when it's something I might want to try on like shoes. Then my SA sends me an online payment link and it gets shipped to my house.

Anyways, I think it's still worth it to ask and if your SA says we don't have that and doesn't offer a charge send you can just buy it online. But if it's a popular item, things disappear off the website fast, so just get it!

Thank you so much! So very helpful.

 

[etoile de mer]

Occam’s Razor, the simplest answer is the right one, would indicate that the SA had the 9K watch, and it’s harder to source/transfer other items on your list right now (others have posted this too). Premier luxury SAs value repeat customers. Selling an item that a customer is hesitant about, does not bode well for a long term relationship.

H may not respond as quickly by text bc it’s a heritage luxury French company. Text message is not exactly conducive to luxury. Many have stated that an H SA does not have access to work texts when not at work; so, there may be delays. @DME observed, its an older way of doing business

As to the statement that this thread seems like an echo chamber. TPF seems to draw viewpoints of many US or European posters with experience in the US or Europe. Of course, @Justlikewhatilike has shown us that the experience in Asia is vastly different.

I agree! And adding to that, it's a company with old world, European customs where the relationships mattered, and where customers may have been coming in for generations. I think they'd still like to be that way, and their business model is really still geared toward in person shopping. Many of us will remember that it wasn't too long ago when sales associates finally got their own email addresses (previously there was just one email address for each boutique)!

The other issue you mention is so important too, giving advice here is really difficult because all we can do is speak from our own experience. Hermes boutiques are all around the world, with each country having its own cultural customs. In addition, even within the US, individual boutiques may be run very differently.

Best to find a boutique and SA one connects with, be polite and respectful of their time and attention, be mindful of all difficulties the SA currently are dealing with (we are still in a pandemic), and just directly ask those helping you what the best path forward is to meet your needs (whether it's buying a Twilly or a bag).

 

[WhiteBus]

I am so pleased that we have got people considering that it is how customers are valued as shoppers and clients is more important that pre-spend and other euphemismistic terms for how much spent is more important than scheming and second thinking.

 

[corgimom11]

I like to think I’m a reasonable person, of Course always allowing that they are Very Busy. i think it was just that they always responded so fast before, that I had unrealistic expectations

Yeah, it's funny - I think sometimes when I say "it's not urgent, so take your time!" that my SA will respond back even quicker for whatever reason most times. Reverse psychology and what not but who knows . But this time of the year, I have gone several to a few days before getting a response, I don't take it personally since I would imagine this is their busiest time of year by far where they probably have a lot of clients that only buy at this time of the year, gifts or whatever...