I landed back in Dubai the very day the war broke out. For the first week I was alone; my husband was still in India and unable to return. Like most residents of the UAE, my phone was flooded with messages from concerned friends and family abroad, while the distant sound of missile interceptions echoed across the sky. The idea of war is unsettling enough from afar — being physically present within it can easily trigger fear and anxiety.   Yet something unexpected happened ove

Defining a signature brand experience seems to be the call of the day for luxury brands. When market conditions are competitive and sales are in decline, and customers are skeptical and increasingly discerning, it becomes essential to revisit the brand’s value proposition. Most luxury leaders now recognise that customer experience is not just an extension of the product—it is the product. Values like emotional connection, hyper-personalisation, seamlessness, sustainability, a

The luxury slowdown can be attributed to several factors, such as the commercialization of luxury brands, lack of product innovation, sharp price increases, and questionable product quality. According to Business of Fashion and McKinsey’s report on the state of luxury, one-third of luxury customers feel in-store experiences have worsened in 2024 . Not only have aspirational luxury customers become increasingly skeptical of post-pandemic price increases, but they feel let down

How annoying is it to receive irrelevant information from a brand that you have previously shopped with ? It can make you feel under valued and invisible, and in today's busy world, a big waste of time. A friend who is a single career oriented personality feels miffed when receiving sentimental communication about mother's day and baby goods from her beloved luxury mall. A conservative shopper who always buys relaxed fit and full length workout gear would second guess the bra

Design thinking meets Luxury! It's a growing trend for brands to seek human centered tools to help deliver great customer experiences.

Clients often ask me how customer experience differs from marketing as a function, and I find the best way to explain the difference is by elaborating on the customer journey view. Marketers certainly try to understand the customer and finds ways to attract them through attention grabbing campaigns, events and targeted brand messaging. Customer Experience examines how customers are experiencing the brand at every moment.  The scope involves every micro and even mundane custom

Chats are often seen as reactive customer service tools rather than opportunities to acquire, engage and connect with customers. When it comes to luxury brands, effectively using chat to meet customer expectations becomes even more critical. Let's delve into three key aspects of chat: moving from reactive to proactive, performing as a sales tool and personalising customer interaction. Elevate chat from reactive to proactive Nothing frustrates a customer more than not being ab

Empathy plays a crucial role in building meaningful relationships with customers in the digital landscape of e-commerce. Let's explore how e-commerce businesses can incorporate empathy across three key stages of the customer journey: pre-sales, during sales, and post-sales. 1.Pre-Sales Phase: During the initial stages of discovery and browsing, customers are forming their first impressions of the brand. E-commerce businesses can express empathy by: Making social media meaning