In the era of omnichannel, where offline and online sales complement each other, every retailer is looking for innovative ways to enhance the shopping experience of their customers and ensure their loyalty. According to a recent study by PWC, 82% of the top-performing retailers declare they pay significant attention to the human experience surrounding online and offline experiences. Introducing a Personal Shopper Service can meet this need and increase customer loyalty by 40%. These statistics prove that a personal shopper service can not only aim to elevate the shopping journey but also transform it into an exclusive experience.

But what exactly is a personal shopper?

In a few words, a personal shopper is a person dedicated to advising a client of a brand or store over a given period. The development of this service responds to a growing demand for personalization (According to a recent study by Medallia, 61% of consumers are willing to spend more for personalized experiences). This service, which can be managed internally by the brand itself or by an external specialized company like Lookiero, is now extending well beyond physical luxury boutiques to also integrate e-commerce sites.

For some of our clients, like Printemps, personal shopping is a well-established and historic service. With over 60 personal shoppers available on-site today, specializing in various domains, they significantly contribute to the customer experience, representing 4000 new clients per year thanks to the Booxi module.

These experts offer more than just a simple sales service; they provide personalized support to each customer, enriching their shopping experience with an exclusive touch that results in a 35% increase in customer satisfaction.

So how can a personal shopping service be effectively implemented? Here are the 10 key steps to consider for developing such a service (for a condensed and printable version of the checklist, click here):

1. Defining Objectives

The first step is the most crucial for setting up a personal shopper service. Is it to increase sales, improve the loyalty of existing customers, or attract new customers? Understanding your target customer segment is essential for effectively shaping the service. It can be done through a simple data analysis, a CRM and targeting strategy defined by user behavior, questionnaires, focus groups, and any other method aimed at collecting data.

2. Designing the Service

The type of personal shopping services offered (in-store, online, or hybrid) must be decided from the beginning. Do you need a fashion stylist? For a makeover? A service for men? For children? On choosing clothes according to trends? These parameters must be defined from the start, as well as those of the service: the details of the appointment, the duration, the cancellation policy, the confidentiality of the information shared, are also fundamental points.

3. Recruitment and Training

Selecting personal shoppers should be based on specific qualifications and skills, such as interpersonal skills, an interest in fashion and design, customer service and sales techniques. After recruitment, a training program is indispensable to ensure a deep understanding of the brand, products, and the appointment scheduling software provided. This will allow acquiring technical skills on the tools available, customer engagement tactics, and sales methods.

4. Technological Integration

Integrating a suitable booking system can reduce appointment management time by 50%, allowing for simplified planning and a better customer experience. Integrating this service with your current POS (Point of Sale) system can also simplify and centralize appointment scheduling, offering improved management. The integration of our solution at certain retailers has streamlined operations on a large scale while optimizing team work.

5. Marketing Strategies

Promoting personal shopping services through the website, CRM, in-store displays, and social networks is essential to raise awareness about the exclusivity and added value of these types of services. Taking the example of Printemps again, their personal shoppers are highlighted on their site in the related section. The extra touch: accompanying videos for consumers have been made available to better understand personal shopping and its benefits.

6. Personalized Experiences

Developing a questionnaire to understand the individual preferences and needs of clients (style preferences, lifestyle, clothing sizes...) is crucial. The option for clients to try out available selections in-store or online using augmented reality, for example, can enrich the experience.

7. Feedback Mechanisms

Integrating a feedback form, focus groups, to better understand how a client experienced their in-store visit with a personal shopper allows detecting and adjusting services needing improvements, thus increasing customer satisfaction by 25%.

8. Operations Optimization

Setting key performance indicators to measure the success of the service and holding regular meetings with personal shoppers to discuss challenges, successes, and strategies for improvement are essential.

9. Leveraging Events

Organizing exclusive in-store events in partnership with fashion brands like concerts, exclusive collections, in-store animations by offering priority access to personal shopping service clients, can add an additional layer of exclusivity.

10. Valuing Long-Term Customer Relationships

Encouraging personal shoppers to cultivate long-term relationships with clients through personalized follow-ups and offering exclusive deals or previews as a loyalty advantage can strengthen loyalty.

In conclusion, integrating a personal shopper service can radically transform the shopping experience for customers. Through personalization, intimacy, and attention to detail, these services can create lasting bonds with customers, propelling brands to new heights of success in the competitive retail landscape. If you found this list helpful, and for a condensed and printable version of the checklist above, feel free to click on this link.

*Understanding Personalization Efforts in the Hotel and Retail Industries - Medallia

** Experience is Everything - Here’s how to get it right - PWC*