Service - a way to distinguish yourself from others

As this blog is not only about luxury and design - but about luxury in general - today I‘d like to talk about the importance of service for luxury brands as well as about my personal experience with service and luxury brands. When we talk about service the first thing that comes to our minds is a restaurant or a hotel, companies that belong to the so called „service industry“. But service is much more - service, in my opinion, can influence our perception of brands and can even make up for bad products or experiences.

One luxury brand that managed to impress me by its extraordinary service for example was the German caterer and delicatessen store Käfer, that is known worldwide. 

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When I went shopping there last week, first of all I was greeted with my name as soon as I entered the shop. Secondly the shop assistant at the bread counter remembered what I usually buy so he asked me whether I would like to buy „the usual“. And while I was walking round the shop with a heavy basket doing my shopping, a member of staff came to ask me whether he could collect my basket, bring it to the cash point and give me a new basket.
In today‘s world where most people are always in a rush and most food stores like Tesco do not even have cashiers anymore but machines for the checkout service elements like that in my opinion make the difference. Good service makes you feel welcome in a shop and gives your shopping experience a very personal and positive note. 

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Another industry that is also very well influences by changes such as automation are airline companies. If you for example look at Easyjet or Ryanair you do get the service of the transport from one point to another but service wise that was it - you have to pay for your luggage as well as for your drinks, you do not get reserved seating and you are not even allowed to carry a handbag if you have another cabin luggage. More „luxurious“ airlines such as Lufthansa for example have very well understood, that service is crucial to maintain customer loyalty (Harrison, 2012). Although many steps such as the check in and the boarding are automated and carried out by machines rather than people - on board you get a great service longing from complimentary drinks and snacks on to the possibility of on-board shopping and watching movies. Furthermore their service for Business Class and First Class customers is outstanding - passengers can book flexible tickets so according to their meetings they can take a plane at the most convenient time for them, they can use the airport lounges which are for Business and First travellers only and are equipped with bars, lounges, free internet, newspapers and magazines. And to save them from queuing and waiting in a line for boarding they get picked up by luxury cars such as Porsche, so they can board the plane easily. On board they get great food, complimentary magazines and newspapers and when they arrive their luggage arrives in a fast line - so they do not have to wait for it.

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In my opinion providing good service and fulfilling the customers' needs is a way to distinguish yourself from other brands as well as other luxury brands (Harrison, 2012). Satisfied customers are very important because they are highly likely to stay loyal to your brand and can be expected to promote the brand through positive word of mouth.

References:

Harrison, John (2012). Managing Luxury Brands. The Service Model. London: European Business School.