Service in a luxury business is always paramount. It starts with the first content, continues through the sale process, and sustains itself for the client’s lifetime!
At the luxury service level, how you treat clients is key. Sure, your client service needs to be top-notch. But so does your sales process. Not only that, what you do after the sale is all-important.
When you’re selling luxury, it’s attention to the things. That’s because how you do the little things is how you do the big things!
Remember, at the luxury level, you’re selling to the top tier of your market – the creme de la creme. They want – and expect – results. But they also expect a white-glove service during the entire ride!
Yes, it’s a commitment on your part to provide that. And yes, you need a team that’s committed to the same standards as you. After all, what you’re seeking to create is a lifetime legacy relationship with all your clients.
And so, in this article, I’m going to share with you the 5 Laws of Providing a Luxury Service:
The Laws
Law #1 - Focus on the Whole Customer Experience
Put yourself in your client’s shoes. They want your help to achieve their dreams. That goes without saying. But when you’re offering up a luxury service package of $100k… $200k… and more, they need to feel special.
There are many ways to do that…
One way is to make it clear they’re in an exclusive group. They’re so special that they get to participate in your offer.
Not only that, keep reminding them that they’re in a rare and exclusive place. Sure, you can be overt about that. But it’s much better to do it sensitively. The best luxury brands have many ways to do this.
For example, Maserati Australia invites its clients to musical performances not available to the public.
“One that springs to mind is through our partnership with the Australian Chamber Orchestra,” says Glen Sealey, COO of Maserati Australia. “When international musicians visit to play with the orchestra, we invite our clients to sit in on rehearsals.”
Such a lovely touch.
The key thing to remember is selling at the luxury level is about the entire experience. Right from the very first moment someone interacts with your brand and every moment after that.
That includes even stages of your process that you may not feel is all that critical. One good example is your onboarding process.
How pleasurable is it for your client? How easy? Is it fun, even?
With your onboarding process, think of ways to surprise and delight your clients. Make it so delightful that they actually tell others about it!
Law #2 - Think About How You Can Surprise and Delight Your Client
I’ve mentioned surprise and delight a few times in this article. So, at this point, let’s get more specific…
For every business, the magic is going to be different. That’s because it depends on the circumstance, niche, philosophy of the visionary, and so on.
I don’t have a set of criteria for you to follow in order to get the service right. But I’ll draw from one of our clients, Bliss Champions, as an example.
Bliss Champion founders, Eric Lochtefeld & Patrick Combs, are masters of surprising and delighting their clients.
The company uses a private jet to charter clients to Bliss Island. Part of the Hawaiian archipelago, the island can only host up to 16 guests.
But the delights don’t stop there…
There’s a private chef on hand preparing exquisite meals. Bliss Champions’ clients also get to choose from a host of adventures and experiences on the island. And yes, each and every guest enjoys a roomy oceanfront suite with a private lanai!
It’s not exactly a hospitality company, though. Eric and Patrick offer consulting services to uber-successful CEOs. And the goal is to help them reconnect with their business and life.
And it all happens within a private tropical hideaway to immortalize the experience.
Law #3 - Deeply Understand Your Ideal Client
What does it mean to deeply understand your ideal client?
The answer comes down to two things.
For one, deeply understand him or her at such a level that you’re literally able to read their mind.
Second, get clear within yourself what your brand is about and how you want to present it.
At the luxury level, it’s about the entire experience for your client. As I mentioned earlier in this article, it’s from the first touch, then through your sales process and every experience beyond that…
… for the entire client’s lifetime journey!
It’s a tall order and not for everyone. Now you know why I call my business Iconic Influencers!
As you may know, most businesses don’t worry about the after-sales service. But when you’re selling $100k plus luxury service packages, in many ways your work begins after the sale!
What you’re building is a brand people want to participate in. You want your clients to become the evangelists and ambassadors of your brand over the long haul.
So, how do you create those ambassadors? How do you give back? And how do you extend that euphoria way into the future?
Map out your client’s journey and then know it better than the back of your hand. Show your team and then workshop it so they know it better than the back of their hand.
Remember: you’re the visionary and leader of your brand. YOU are the icon. It’s your responsibility to impart your vision and passion to your clients and team.
If you feel your passion, they’ll feel it. If you share your vision for them, they’ll feel it.
Law #4 - Gifting to Delight Your Client
Gifting is one of the easiest ways to surprise and delight your clients. It’s actually my favorite way of adding a bit of magic dust to the service I’m providing.
The gifts may be grand gestures, such as private jet flights to Hawaiian hideaways. Or they may be small touches such as a handwritten note.
Whatever you choose, you need to make sure the gifts are:
- Meaningful and personalized.
- Thoughtful and appropriate
- Connects your client further to your brand
- Most important, unexpected.
It’s about the human-to-human touch that’s all too rare nowadays in the age of social media. So avoid offering the same gift to every client. If you do, you’ll run the risk of making your client feel like a number.
My best advice is to choose your gift on a case by case basis, customised for each client. That means a gift that’s unique and relevant to each person.
Law #5 - Create Experiences for the Client
Hospitality and car brands do this very well. The same goes for Visa and Amex at the very top end of the market. They’re all exceptionally good at creating a luxury feel for their biggest spending clients.
Over the years American Express Centurion members have enjoyed such perks as:
- Vintage 2008 Dom Pérignon
- Tiffany & Co. crystal ice bucket
- A Sofia Cashmere travel set, which includes a cashmere blanket
- Tiffany & Co. crystal decanter and glassware
And while these are exquisite gifts to receive, often the most memorable delights are experiences.
In 2018, in partnership with Four Seasons Hawaii, Centurion members received:
- A private dinner for two at the Four Seasons Maui
- A private oyster farm tour at the Four Seasons Hualalai
- Sunset sailing on a catamaran at the Four Seasons Lana’i
- A complimentary night at up to two of the four Four Seasons properties in Hawaii
And more…
This is why luxury marketing is a totally different way to market your brand. All the conventional techniques that most businesses use in their marketing, do NOT apply to luxury.
It’s a change of paradigm… and frankly, most people can’t grasp it. But if you can, it’ll be one of the most rewarding experiences for you as the visionary. With the pricing of your service – and the limited number of clients you can work with – it means you’re able to connect with people deeper than ever before.
I know for me, personally, it’s such an enriching experience that I couldn’t imagine doing things differently.
Abide by the Laws
Invite people to come and do things with you. Get them to participate in limited opportunities and make them truly exclusive.
Your clients should always know they’ve been carefully selected to join a tiny, private community of like-minded people.
And the beauty is that with each new client, this experience is going to be slightly different. After all, you’re hand-crafting experiences and guiding clients on their own terms.
Lastly, it’s okay to get inspiration from what other luxury brands are doing. But we’re also here to help and assist you in your quest to create truly life-changing experiences.
Watch our latest Masterclass to learn more.
