STELLAR SERVICE

Playing in the Big League

Serving ultra-high-end consumers takes more than a smile. Here are tips for improving your service game

By Lee Ann Murphy

Beautiful product and a smile just aren't enough to attract and keep a luxury clientele. Retailers must get into clients' heads and learn to anticipate their needs.

"Most people in sales hire the smile, but that doesn't build relationships," says Mary Louise Starkey, founder of Starkey International Institute for Service Management, where she trains service professionals to cater to the luxury market. We must learn how to develop genuine relationships with people." Starkey suggests focusing on five elements.

BUILD GENUINE RELATIONSHIPS

It's not enough to offer variety and quality product. You need to get to know every client to the point where you can anticipate their needs. Starkey adds, "The truly great sales person asks ‘what is the client's lifestyle?’

PERFECT THE TECHNICAL SKILLS

In the luxury market there is no room for sloppy errors. If a customer detects even a whiff of incompetence in your core business, it can degrade the credibility of your entire operation.

MASTER THE MOMENT

When a client comes to you with extraordinary circumstances, it's your chance to seize the day. "Maybe I'm in Dubai and my glasses broke and it's my only pair," says Starkey. "If you can find me another and get them to me, I'll be impressed."

HOLD ON TO YOUR ETHICS

Catering to the rich and powerful isn't all about satisfying their expensive tastes. It's also about trust. Clients must be sure they can trust you with personal information.

DO IT BECAUSE YOU LOVE IT

If you don't love what you do, you'll never ignite the customer's passion for your business. So let your exuberance shine through.

"People who are paying top dollar deserve real service," says Starkey. "And they will not continue to come back if they're not getting it."