Fashion retail is in a state of disruption and it is becoming all the more
important to focus on the strengths of a physical store. How this could
work in today’s digital age was demonstrated by the managing directors of
three German multi-brand retailers at the convention of the BTE Textile
Trade Association in Cologne at the beginning of June.
L&T: a regional all-round experience
Not many department stores offer a surf pool on the ground floor. In
December 2018 alone, German fashion retailer Lengermann & Trieschmann (L&T)
based in Osnabrück sold 2,000 coupons for it online and thus also attracted
customers. The family business, founded in 1910, runs its own tapas bar and
café in the atrium of the fashion store, and there is a bistro and a
restaurant in the same building. In its own sports studio, customers can
simulate how to train at over 2,500 meters altitude and students like to
play football in the football cages so much that its goal wall has to be
replaced every two months. L&T’s managing director Thomas Ganter calls his
houses all-round adventure parks where customers can spend a whole day from
morning till night.
“We believe in inner-city retail, in a meeting place as we have known
it for hundreds of years,” said Ganter during his presentation in Cologne.
His company has proven this attitude with the investment in the impressive
modern facade of the sports house. With this upgrade and its focus on the
customer experience, L&T has also decided to clearly focus on the
brick-and-mortar business. The online shop has no sales targets, explains
Ganter, and serves more like a digital showcase where customers can browse
the selection.
Cologne
Fashion houses May: disruptor in the executive chair
“Where does work start today and where does it end?”, asked Ulrich
Gröber, CEO of fashion store May when the new lingerie boutique of the
southern German fashion retailer did not do as well after its opening in
February last year as the in-depth business analyses and the preparations
had suggested. Times have changed: A beautiful store used to be a highlight
back in the day but today, it is part of the customer experience, said
Gröber in Cologne.
Although loyalty cards make up more than 63 percent of sales at the
fashion store, which was founded in 1930, and thus has an above-average
fund for data-supported decisions, Gröber is tired of the factual approach
and of rolling out projects according to a pre-designed master plan.
Instead, he now relies more on direct customer exchanges for future trends
and works with successive prototypes instead of the next big thing to not
“shoot past the target” in the end.
These are the findings he has drawn from a design thinking workshop, and
now, regular think tank meetings with customers and employees take place.
This has so far resulted in the prototype of a customer app and also the
approach to give top consultants the freedom to choose their micromarketing
tools. The most obvious success story of letting go as the boss is the case
of a consultant who remains in touch with more than 200 customers via
WhatsApp messages and garnering sales accordingly.
Her example has made him think about hierarchies as well. “Those who
earn my salary are not even on it,” says Gröber and points to an
organizational chart during his presentation. In search of fresh impulses
and changes, the self-critical managing director does not exclude himself:
Ulrich Gröber takes more freedom for himself to think while mountaineering
in nearby Switzerland and while considering further studies.
Fashion house Maas: the event maker
Michael Maas took over the management of the Maas fashion store in
2017, which will be celebrating its 100th anniversary next year. With his
ingenuity, the family business plays a part in the northern German town of
Bassum and surrounding regions with all kinds of events. To be able to host
events better, Maas even built an event loft on the upper floor of the
house. External users may use the facility for their ideas without charge,
the only condition is that they go through with their event regardless of
the number of participants, recounts Maas in Cologne. So far, there have
been whiskey tastings, game evenings, make-up tutorials, presentations on
Namibia and more. The active managing director does not limit himself to
events at one of his stores: In April, the third Food Festival in Bassum
took part in one the parking lots.
If the risk is manageable, Maas advises simply trying something out:
“Just do it” is his motto. Next up is a gin festival and a beer exchange.
This article was originally published on FashionUnited DE; edited
and translated by Simone Preuss.
Photo by Artem Beliaikin @belart84 from Pexels
