The final 5 years have been a difficult time for John Lewis. Beneath the chairmanship of Dame Sharon White, the Partnership needed to navigate the challenges of Brexit, Covid, and a cost-of-living disaster. Throughout White’s tenure as chairman, she took the enterprise from a pre-tax lack of £517 million ($688 million) within the yr ending January 2021 to a pre-tax revenue of £126 million ($168 million) earlier than stepping down in February 2025. And with a brand new management group in place, the return of ‘By no means Knowingly Undersold’ and a newfound confidence, the enterprise is as soon as once more thriving.
A cornerstone of that restoration is an absolute dedication to customer support. This kinds one of many 4 key drivers to progress within the refreshed Plan.
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John Lewis Partnership rank on the Fortune 500 Europe
As soon as the protect of the wealthy and well-known, due to John Lewis, having your individual stylist is now accessible to everybody.
It began out as an off-the-cuff chat with one of many Companions earlier this yr; I used to be bemoaning the truth that I felt my gown type had change into sadly predictable; the underside line was that I badly wanted a makeover.
With that, the concept was borne: how would I prefer to have a private styling session, courtesy of the Partnership? Extra of that later.
Private styling just isn’t the one such service supplied; the homeware and furnishing division gives related providers, as does the nursery division. All have confirmed to be highly regarded.
Katie Papakonstantinou, Director of Companies and Hospitality at John Lewis, stated: “Private styling is among the many providers and experiences that we provide in-store, serving to us present prospects the most effective buying expertise attainable. It’s massively common, with our group serving to over 2,000 prospects per week discover the right outfit.
She continued, “Whether or not it’s a booked appointment or a fast impromptu chat at our styling studios, our group is all the time available to supply professional, pleasant, neutral recommendation to assist prospects discover the fitting kinds, shapes, and merchandise to match their wants.”
“Private styling is among the many providers and experiences that we provide in-store, serving to us present prospects the most effective buying expertise attainable…”
Katie Papakonstantinou
And the success of the service may be judged by the truth that it has contributed to a rise of six factors within the enterprise’s web promoter rating.
And what of my expertise?
On arrival at their Oxford Avenue menswear division, the ever-affable Mark Lewis (no relation) greeted me with a beaming smile. I puzzled what I’d let myself in for; nonetheless, I shouldn’t have nervous.
Mark has styled lots of of individuals, together with Ed Miliband, Dermot O’Leary, and John Lewis CEO Nish Kankiwala, so I used to be in secure palms.
My curiosity was piqued when he led me to The Converse Straightforward, an innocuous-looking show that hid a shock.
And the success of the service may be judged by the truth that it has contributed to a rise of six factors within the enterprise’s web promoter rating.
On opening the door, a big hidden dressing room was revealed. Previous to the appointment, I used to be requested a lot of questions relating to my measurement, preferences, and how much outfit I used to be searching for, thus totally briefing Mark, who had already picked out quite a few outfits for me to strive.
And this was the place the service differed markedly from a curated on-line expertise. This was the creation of a brand new look, utilizing new (for me) materials, kinds, suits, and hues. It was a multi-sensory expertise the place I wanted to really feel and contact the material, strive on, and experiment, one thing that on-line may by no means replicate.
Appointments are usually two hours, and the time flew by as Mark moved seamlessly from jackets to trousers to shirts, mixing and matching as we went till the dressing room was awash with outfits of varied sizes and hues. He continuously probed and gently took me out of my consolation zone, suggesting completely different kinds while not scaring me with one thing too outrageous. The end result was that I used to be making an attempt some unfamiliar manufacturers, which in any other case I doubt I might have thought-about.
Mark Lewis (L) and Andrew Busby (R):
On the finish of the appointment, the large reveal! We had arrived at my new look, prepared for its first outing on stage the next week at a retail convention. And I’ve to say that I used to be and am totally delighted with it.
As an expertise, it was second to none, and I can’t communicate extremely sufficient of Mark. You’re really made to really feel like a VIP. And naturally, in contrast to on-line, there’s no staging (buying solely for social media posts then returning) or bracketing, as this was completed in actual time, the place undesirable clothes have been returned straight to the store flooring, therefore eliminating returns as we all know them.
The service is free, and you’re beneath no obligation to buy something, though I think that most individuals do.
This story was initially featured on Fortune.com
