Maintaining an H relationship

[papertiger]

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

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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.

 

[acrowcounted]

If your SA doesn't respond to you about whether an item is in stock, when do you decide to follow up?

Silence is usually a “no”

 

[Hanash]

If your SA doesn't respond to you about whether an item is in stock, when do you decide to follow up?

I’d suggest a few weeks - sometimes they are making enquiries / you may also have caught them at a time they are on leave. The other option is to drop into the store and ask about the item directly again. It’s often easier in person!

 

[lala_retro]

If your SA doesn't respond to you about whether an item is in stock, when do you decide to follow up?

I've learned to just take silence to stock questions as a no, though I have discovered that sometimes it means my SA was too busy to look. if it's something you are super after I would follow up after a full week.

 

[SDC2003]

Hi cad33, it is interesting that some new clients in your city are spending below 1:1 to get the QB. However, based on past experiences of clients in other boutiques in past few years, the new clients likely need a significantly higher spend ratio next time if they intend to get a second QB. A 2:1 spending ratio will not work, likely at least 3 - 5X spending ratio before these new clients will be offered a second QB. And that is a true test if the clients would become the long-time regular clients of the boutique.

I think it’s a mixed bag. I have seen one person on YouTube claim she got a gog mini k from her boutique with about 1.5 spend. This was last month. Maybe she isn’t being forthcoming or maybe she has a transactional sa and was incredibly lucky. Maybe her sa hinted at what she needed to buy (Rtw and diamond earrings) and it was the end of month and the boutique needed to hit sales goals. Maybe the sm liked the client’s personality or the sa brings in high sales. This person based on what I have seen does not appear to be a potential long time regular client.

Of course logically if makes sense to prefer long term clients over short term ones, but some of us have seen it play out over and over haven’t we -where new clients who spend quickly and at higher dollar amounts gets offers before long time clients?

From a sales goal perspective, if you have a long time client who spends slow and steady and is loyal and a new one that is willing to spend a lot and quickly and may get out, what would you do? Wouldn’t it make sense from a sales perspective to give that new client what she or he has asked for and after they’re satisfied and knowing the long time client isn’t going anywhere then prioritize the old client?

Personally I think this is not a good way to do business long term because of the risk of annoying and irritating long time clients for the sake of increasing sales.

Anyway, who knows how it really works. There is some spend of course required and these days it’s not easy for any client it seems, but I have seen stories last year and this year of new clients getting second bag offers and they didn’t spend 3-5x. (And btw that significant spend since Covid is largely from the influx of new clients who are willing it seems to do things outside the norm like buy multiple profile items and then resell them on social media. Some of these are also people who are really in it to resell qb.) But these clients will spend 1-2x a bag within a couple months.

It’s a guessing game. Whatever the spend may be it’s not uniform and so whoever is waiting for a qb offer now has to be willing to trust the sa and the process and realize spend could go up and up.

 

[fice16]

I think it’s a mixed bag. I have seen one person on YouTube claim she got a gog mini k from her boutique with about 1.5 spend. This was last month. Maybe she isn’t being forthcoming or maybe she has a transactional sa and was incredibly lucky. Maybe her sa hinted at what she needed to buy (Rtw and diamond earrings) and it was the end of month and the boutique needed to hit sales goals. Maybe the sm liked the client’s personality or the sa brings in high sales. This person based on what I have seen does not appear to be a potential long time regular client.

Of course logically if makes sense to prefer long term clients over short term ones, but some of us have seen it play out over and over haven’t we -where new clients who spend quickly and at higher dollar amounts gets offers before long time clients?

From a sales goal perspective, if you have a long time client who spends slow and steady and is loyal and a new one that is willing to spend a lot and quickly and may get out, what would you do? Wouldn’t it make sense from a sales perspective to give that new client what she or he has asked for and after they’re satisfied and knowing the long time client isn’t going anywhere then prioritize the old client?

Personally I think this is not a good way to do business long term because of the risk of annoying and irritating long time clients for the sake of increasing sales.

Anyway, who knows how it really works. There is some spend of course required and these days it’s not easy for any client it seems, but I have seen stories last year and this year of new clients getting second bag offers and they didn’t spend 3-5x. (And btw that significant spend since Covid is largely from the influx of new clients who are willing it seems to do things outside the norm like buy multiple profile items and then resell them on social media. Some of these are also people who are really in it to resell qb.) But these clients will spend 1-2x a bag within a couple months.

It’s a guessing game. Whatever the spend may be it’s not uniform and so whoever is waiting for a qb offer now has to be willing to trust the sa and the process and realize spend could go up and up.

Hi SDC2003, I am unsure about the situations at your local boutique or whoever YouTubers that you watched. In regards to the 1.5X spending in one go, Honestly, there are many existing long-term clients in highly competitive boutiques can spend that amount in one go. So, I am not sure why the Youtuber (that you mentioned) would be offered a MK, and would not comment about the QB situation that you mentioned since this is not my first-hand knowledge.

Actually, for my original post, I meant to reflect the QB situations at Hermes boutiques which are highly competitive in the country. I was not referring to other H boutiques situations. Just to clarify.

 

[SDC2003]

Hi SDC2003, I am unsure about the situations at your local boutique or whoever YouTubers that you watched. In regards to the 1.5X spending in one go, Honestly, there are many existing long-term clients in highly competitive boutiques can spend that amount in one go. So, I am not sure why the Youtuber (that you mentioned) would be offered a MK, and would not comment about the QB situation that you mentioned since this is not my first-hand knowledge.

Actually, for my original post, I meant to reflect the QB situations at Hermes boutiques which are highly competitive in the country. I was not referring to other H boutiques situations. Just to clarify.

My boutique is pretty competitive and the boutique where the client got a mini Kelly is the same. You can easily find her on YouTube. She got a gog mini k and a gris meyer Birkin 25 in the last four months. She’s been posting about these offers everywhere on social media. She spent about 20k for the b25. There are are high spending clients yes who can spend that at one go of course. My point is that while spend contributes to an offer even at a very competitive boutique it is not the sole determinative factor as to whether someone gets an offer. Perhaps the high spending clients doing that at one go are getting the offers. Perhaps others haven’t spent in the high commission categories or the categories that the boutique needs to hit sales quota. Maybe they’re mostly requesting transfers and charge sends. Maybe the sa knows there’s spending room so they’re not offering the qb right away. Maybe that client has a bad attitude or is too demanding. Maybe that client got to do an so recently. Maybe that client is not having enough face time in the boutique as others like @acrowcounted has said here. I agree with her that this absolutely is a major contributor to an offer. Maybe that client is actually a reseller offloading all profile items in fb reseller groups and h knows about it or the sa knows about it.

No one really knows anyones spend levels for certain without having first hand knowledge do they? I can speak from my own experience that at my very competitive boutique it was 1-1 pre Covid. Post Covid it’s been quite a different experience.

 

[fice16]

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[_kiki119_]

New territory for me… my amazing SA is promoted to assistant manager… which she is so deserved of the promotion, but sadly she will transfer my account to a new Sa who she thinks is amazing.

Sigh does that mean i need to start spending to get my profile on the radar? I loved my current SA who had me in mind, but now i have to rework that relationship

 

[GabrielleS]

My home store has stopped appointments again and is not reserving unpaid product anymore. Too many people reserved items and never showed up to buy them. I have a great spend (with recent SO) so I know it’s not personal to me but I am not waiting in line for hours in the hopes to see my SA. The walk-in line is hours long but I have heard SAs complain many people come to visit and don’t buy. I also saw a VIP client get quite upset about lack of availability of bags at my last visit. The store is packed and nobody seems happy. Looks like an H break for me for a bit. I am not lining up for hours and shopping has to be fun. It’s sad because I genuinely love H products and have been a loyal client with a strong spend for years.

 

[GabrielleS]

i don’t think you should make yourself go in just to keep the connection alive esp if you aren’t interested in anything. Just tell him frankly that you normally love and have purchased x,y,z, but you are saddened by the fact that you honestly haven’t been enamored of recent seasons. Then ask him to let you know if anything appealing comes in. Let it unfold organically. Since you basically have your collection already, you can then decide to build things up more whenever you are ready. JMO. A bit OT, but I face the same dilemma with my VCA SA. I like him greatly and he’s spent a lot of time showing me items, and VCA ends up in second place compared to bulgari, Verdura, Foundrae, Briony Raymond, and others. I want to buy something from him; I just haven’t found much that I love. But, he does communicate semi regularly bc we always hope

ETA: wrote this before scrolling down to the other responses lol

@sheanabelle , congrats on your new gold togo 35B ghw. I’m so happy for you. For some time now, the fashion tide has been turning back towards larger bags and your 35 is a gorgeous classic.

I love Briony Raymond. So glad to see another fan!!

 

[Gal4Dior]

Hi cad33, it is interesting that some new clients in your city are spending below 1:1 to get the QB. However, based on past experiences of clients in other boutiques in past few years, the new clients likely need a significantly higher spend ratio next time if they intend to get a second QB. A 2:1 spending ratio will not work, likely at least 3 - 5X spending ratio before these new clients will be offered a second QB. And that is a true test if the clients would become the long-time regular clients of the boutique.

I feel that a 3 to 5 times the spend to maybe get what you want is ridiculous even over two years when appointments are impossible to get and stock is so low. It’s not a true testament to a person’s brand loyalty. I feel if you are a local customer that buys and keeps their Hermes items and loves the brand, it should be enough to prove loyalty. No offense to others who can afford to do so, but I can’t personally and I haven’t appreciated feeling less than.

 

[Gal4Dior]

My home store has stopped appointments again and is not reserving unpaid product anymore. Too many people reserved items and never showed up to buy them. I have a great spend (with recent SO) so I know it’s not personal to me but I am not waiting in line for hours in the hopes to see my SA. The walk-in line is hours long but I have heard SAs complain many people come to visit and don’t buy. I also saw a VIP client get quite upset about lack of availability of bags at my last visit. The store is packed and nobody seems happy. Looks like an H break for me for a bit. I am not lining up for hours and shopping has to be fun. It’s sad because I genuinely love H products and have been a loyal client with a strong spend for years.

I dislike the appt system. You can’t figure out when your SA is working if you can even find open times. I requested an appointment a couple weeks ago at my home store and the manager gives me a completely different date and time my SA is available. I guess that’s a sign they don’t value spenders with a job where they can’t just disappear for a couple of hours on a weekday without any notice. I long for the days of walk ins and SA’s making their appts themselves.

 

[cad33]

I dislike the appt system. You can’t figure out when your SA is working if you can even find open times. I requested an appointment a couple weeks ago at my home store and the manager gives me a completely different date and time my SA is available. I guess that’s a sign they don’t value spenders with a job where they can’t just disappear for a couple of hours on a weekday without any notice. I long for the days of walk ins and SA’s making their appts themselves.

I guess i am a bit confused about how the appointment system changed recently? In my store to get an appointment you have to make one directly with your sa or you can walkin. Is this new for other cities?(two others I visited in the US were like my store).

 

[Gal4Dior]

I guess i am a bit confused about how the appointment system changed recently? In my store to get an appointment you have to make one directly with your sa or you can walkin. Is this new for other cities?(two others I visited in the US were like my store).

It’s like that at my home store. Probably due to very high volume? Otherwise I’m thinking my own store or SA just played me.

 

[acrowcounted]

I feel that a 3 to 5 times the spend to maybe get what you want is ridiculous even over two years when appointments are impossible to get and stock is so low. It’s not a true testament to a person’s brand loyalty. I feel if you are a local customer that buys and keeps their Hermes items and loves the brand, it should be enough to prove loyalty. No offense to others who can afford to do so, but I can’t personally and I haven’t appreciated feeling less than.

Well “loyalty” is just a euphemism for helps our balance sheet. While I’m sure they prefer clients who seem enthusiastic about the brand, at the end of the day it’s a profit guided business with coveted items available in very limited supply for the highest spending clients. They don’t really care if you can’t get there often or can’t spend bucket loads; the next person through the door can and will.