Customer Service Experience

During the first couple of weeks as a freshman at SMU, the school would host fairs for the wide-eyed, timid freshman to find their place on campus and feel more comfortable in their new “home away from home.” The fairs essentially consisted of tables set up in a huge space that displayed posters with different club names and organizations written on them in sharpie and glitter pens. Wandering around one of these fairs, lost and confused, my friend and I stumbled upon a club that finally drew us in: Retail Club. Our first event as members of this club was the opportunity to attend a fashion show at Saks, held exclusively for SMU students, which displayed the latest winter trends. After the show, the guests were given $50 Saks gift cards to shop for merchandise that had not yet been seen by other customers.

For Saks, the connection was inevitable. The combination of over- privileged rich girls in a status-driven campus with the high-end Dallas shopping district is like peanut butter and jelly. Too good to pass up. Early on, Saks associates want to establish relationships with SMU students, turning them into regular customers. While I was always interested in clothes, up to that point, I was from a middle class family in Austin, Texas and thought high fashion was Dillards. The high-end retail experience was something totally unfamiliar to me. I think this is why the fashion show at Saks was such a meaningful customer experience for me.

SENSE:  The visual presentation of the event was one of its most compelling aspects, especially as a first-time attendee. The entire set-up screamed exclusivity. There was a small “runway,” surrounded by about 25 chairs on each side for the customers to sit. There were delicious refreshments available, as well as a waitstaff that offered wine, tea and coffee. Loud, booming music played in the background, and I remember thinking that this is what it would feel like to be rich. It was as if Saks had already thought of everything a customer would want, and if they hadn’t, they were willing to get it to make us comfortable. And the clothes! Never have I seen such composed women in structured, fashionable outfits. As each model strutted down the runway, I was even more impressed with each outfit, as well the small touches, like smoky eye makeup and floral-scented perfume.

FEEL: Saks as a brand has a huge objective to make the consumer’s life easier. The reason that people pay a premium to buy designer clothing is to feel a certain way in the clothes, whether it is more affluent, more beautiful, thinner, etc. In certain social circles in Dallas, it is important to look a certain way, and this is the exact consumer that Saks appeals to the most. More than just the outfit, they are selling a lifestyle, and the positive recognition from others is what keeps the consumer coming back for more

ACT: The purpose of act marketing is to influence customers’ lifestyles. Saks aims to have its clothing and access become a part of consumers’ lives. During the fashion show, associates would explain how to put outfits together, and explained how to put together outfits for different occasions. For example, to cater to the SMU student population, certain outfits were for “going out on the town,” while others were for a “casual lunch date.” Still, others were versatile and could be dressed up or dressed down, depending on your preference. Saks wants the consumer to purchase clothing pieces that become woven into their daily lives.

RELATE: The sales associates are the greatest “expro” when it comes to Saks ability to form a long-lasting relationship with a consumer, because the associates are the backbone of the business. For example, when trying on clothes, the associates would bring us other outfits that we may like based on what we had already chosen to try on. Additionally, they would actually provide truthful opinions as to what looked best and how to wear certain pieces. Each one of us was sent a “thank you” note after the event, and to my surprise, the associates even remembered what we had purchased! The associates combine all of the elements in sense to create an overall satisfying and uplifting experience for every consumer.

Overall, my first fashion show at Saks is something I will always remember as my first taste into high-end retail. I used the gift card to buy my first designer dress. Since then, I have been hooked!