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A Walk On The Line Side...With SHISEIDO

Shiseido invited Beauty Fashion magazine out branching at nine stores in the Boston area to cover the brand’s new and innovative installations. Led by Shiseido’s Rita Mangan, Senior Vice President, Sales, Education and Retail Strategies, the store tour included Macy’s in downtown Boston, Braintree and Burlington, Bloomingdale’s in Chestnut Hill, Sephora doors in Boston Prudential Center and Burlington, Lord & Taylor in South Shore and Burlington and Nordstrom in Burlington.

“A successful business depends on the people,” Ms. Mangan noted. “At Shiseido, we are confident about the terrific quality of our products. It is then my job to make sure we have the best people in place to represent the brand and teach the customers about those products. At this point in time, I can truly say we have an award-winning team around the country in both sales and education.”
She explains that Shiseido’s strategy of training and education is adapted to each retailer. “With department and specialty store partners where we have brand-assigned Beauty Consultants, we conduct training schools to reinforce the importance of one-on-one consultations with customers.” In Sephora, she added, “we work with Sephora as a team partner to educate their Cast Members in line with their respective store’s training standards and philosophy.” 

Ms. Mangan’s Shiseido team on the store tour included John Berardi, Regional Sales Executive; Michelle Tu, Account Executive; Kelly Gahler, Account Executive; Sylvia Kam-Ng, Account Coordinator and Wendy Beauregard, Training Executive.

August 21
Noon: Macy’s/South Shore Plaza
Braintree, MA

“This store location is really conducive to inviting customers in for a consultation and facial service. We do Master Classes at this counter to teach customers all about skincare and makeup application,” Ms. Mangan informed. “We have a fabulous team servicing the customers, a good traffic flow at the installation as well as a warm and friendly environment to engage the customers.”

Ms. Beauregard shares that clients who come to the counter are taken through the Consultation Book by a Beauty Consultant who will analyze their skin. “With this information, we can then help them learn about their skin type and specific concerns so our Beauty Consultants can recommend proper skincare. The Consultation Book is continuously updated with all of the new products and information.”

When she comes to a Shiseido counter with the brand’s Account Coordinators, Ms. Beauregard makes sure all of the Beauty Consultants are comfortable with the Consultation Book and know how to navigate through the different concerns.

Ms. Mangan maintains that the Consultation Book, which will eventually go to iPad Consultation, “helps our Beauty Consultants to guide the customer through the process. It’s a way for them to listen to the customer in order to give them the products that will give good results and make them happy.”

“Tiffany [Trinh], Fang [Liang] and Cyndi [Jacobs] have a very strong following, and customers come in specifically for one of these three Beauty Consultants,” stated Macy’s David Mainville, Operations Manager. “They take care of their clients in-store as well as have great allegiance within the community outside the store.”

“Tiffany and her team bring great service to the customers,” affirmed Macy’s Christina Mendoza, Assistant Store Manager, “and that’s why their counter is so successful in this store. They all help one another and have an outstanding work ethic. Tiffany, as the Counter Manager, brings so much energy to the team, and they complement each other really well.”

Ms. Trinh has been with Shiseido for almost 12 years and believes that “teamwork is very important. We look upon our customers as friends and care about them. Shiseido is like family to me. I learn a lot from my supervisors who serve as mentors to me. My loyalty is to this company—I would never go anywhere else.”

Ms. Liang, a 6-year veteran at Shiseido, “loves and has faith in Shiseido’s products. Shiseido helps us to learn about any new products, so we can educate our customers on how to use them properly.”

Macy’s Greg Walton, Human Resources Manager, describes the Shiseido team as “three great women who have inner passion for what they do every day. It’s the business they drive that helps make the customers come to Macy’s.”

12:30 PM: Lord & Taylor/South Shore Plaza

“Shiseido has a prime location in this store by the down escalator, so Tess [Ong] has the opportunity to reach out to customers before they go to other departments,” noted Mr. Berardi. Ms. Ong agreed, adding, “I love this location in the store. We have a work station where we do facial services and makeup application.”

She appreciates the support Shiseido gives her that makes her feel “part of the family. They listen to me, and I couldn’t ask for a nicer Account Executive than Michelle [Tu].”

Lord & Taylor’s Maureen Lynch, Cosmetics Department Manager, maintains that “Tess has a wonderful following with her customers. She and her team always have a product in their hands and ask customers to have a seat. Tess has a very good rate, once she gets the customer in the chair, to follow up with skincare and color. Once that client has experienced Shiseido, we really believe we have a new loyal customer.”

Ms. Tu reported that Ms. Ong has had double-digit increases every month since February 2012. Ms. Lynch said, “The Beauty Advisors are the backbone of the stores and drive the sales. We coach them to suggest to customers that they visit the fashion department to find a beautiful dress to go with their cosmetics purchases. Or, if they are in the dress department, we encourage them to buy new makeup to complement it.”

She recognized the success of the special events held at the Shiseido counter and the relationship she has established with Ms. Tu. “I couldn’t ask for a better partner.”

Ms. Tu believes the relationship with the store management is a crucial partnership between the vendor and the retailer. “If there is a major event [to organize], we meet the Store Manager to negotiate the space. They will always give us a prime location because we have proved ourselves by delivering results.”

“We have a great relationship with the retailers,” Ms. Mangan declared. “Having been on both sides of the business, I treat it as a partnership. We are in this together trying to accomplish the same thing—more sales and happy customers. I think that the retailers are happy to have Shiseido in their stores because of the highly advanced products we offer the consumer.

There is value defined in many ways—the quality of the product, the service the customer experiences and the educational message the customer receives about the products.” 

 

3:00 PM: Bloomingdale’s/Mall at Chestnut Hill
Chestnut Hill, MA

Ms. Beauregard began her career at Shiseido fifteen years ago as a Shiseido Beauty Consultant. “I then became a Training Executive and now work on developing Shiseido Beauty Consultants by educating and coaching them on products and services. We break down the technology so they can understand and interpret it for the customer. I teach color theory, makeup application and role play to encourage them to interact enthusiastically with customers.”

After a customer purchases products, Ms. Beauregard coaches Beauty Consultants to follow up three days later to make sure the client understands correct usage. “If there is a question, the customer is invited to come in and receive further explanation.”
Mr. Berardi, who has been with Shiseido for 23 years, looks for Beauty Consultant candidates who are not easily intimidated and are strong communicators. “You also need to have a good sense of humor. We are not solving the world deficit; we are selling lipstick. If you can’t have fun selling, it’s not going to work.”

When recruiting, he often finds someone who does not come from the beauty business. “Alla Shupletsova was a high school principal in Russia before coming to the United States. She is now our Counter Manager.”

“I talk to my customers the way I talked to my students,” Ms. Shupletsova explained. “I care about them, and I check to see how they do their homework [with our products]. The most important thing is to love your job and to love people. I call my customers to ask how they are feeling and to let them know I care.”

Ms. Mangan sees her role as having education and sales linked together so that it is seamless. “In order to be successful in sales, we have to educate the customer about our state-of-the-art technology. We pride ourselves on our skincare products first and foremost. According to NPD, Shiseido skincare ranks #5 in the United States, and we are not in as broad a distribution as the top three, so we are very proud of this statistic.”

She reminded us that Shiseido is also ranked #1 in sun protection by NPD. Not developing new products just for the sake of newness, Ms. Mangan noted that Shiseido’s research and development team will even reformulate a star product if they find an ingredient that makes it perform even better.

 

4:00 PM: Sephora/Prudential Center
Boston, MA

“At Sephora it’s all about relationships,” Mr. Berardi disclosed. “They really drive their own business, and we must build relationships with key personnel that fall in love with our brand. By doing that, we become one of the bigger brands as well.”

“We work very closely with Sephora to make sure the products are merchandised in the right format,” Ms. Mangan said. “Sephora has different locations around the store and a Skincare IQ area where we have five of our products. They have a Beauty-To-Go section, and we created some products, including a limited-edition suncare item, for that spot.”

According to Ms. Tu, Shiseido’s location in Sephora was in the back of the store, but due to Shiseido’s strong performance, “they moved us to a great location right near the entrance.” Mr. Berardi added that there is always traffic in this Sephora. “You can come here at 9 AM or 9 PM and it’s busy. They offer great customer service and do a lot of follow-up with clients.”

“In general, there are three types of customers,” Ms. Mangan explained. “The first is a customer who knows what they want and are in and out of the store.  The second are customers who come in to browse, and we let them know we are there and ready to help if they want assistance. The third customer has all the time in the world and wants to sit down for a full consultation. There is an art of recognizing a customer’s [intent] when they enter the store.”

“Our company devotes much time and energy into educating our Cast Members, so they can use that information to help our clients,” reports Sephora’s Andrea Sandoval-O’Neill, Personal Beauty Advisor. “We have one of the most highly elevated skincare teams here at Sephora.  They bring to it their passion for people, as well as continuing education. Our Cast Members are involved in community outreach as well.”

“Shiseido is a top luxury brand. It is at the forefront of research and identifying new ingredients,” affirmed Ms. Sandoval-O’Neill. “It has effective products that deliver a luxury feel.”

August 22
9:00 AM: Macy’s/Downtown Boston

Macy’s Craig Davis, Vice President, Store Manager, believes the secret to success in cosmetics is all about talent and personality. “When you have the right group of people at the counter, business is amazing. It’s being able to connect with the customer and find out what they are looking for, what are their needs and then applying the products that suit those needs.”

“The Cosmetics Department builds [customer] loyalty,” Mr. Davis asserted. “It evolves from the connection between the customer and the Beauty Consultant. If we gain the customer from a cosmetic perspective, she will continue to shop with us throughout the balance of the store.”

Macy’s has initiated the Magic Selling program which, Mr. Davis explains, “goes back to the basics of retail, the relationship between the customer and the Sales Associate. We want the customer to be happy with their experience, happy with their purchases and that they found everything they needed. [We want to know if] they had someone who helped and inspired them to make those purchases.”

“We have top space and location here at Macy’s/Downtown Boston. We are situated so we catch customers on many different cross aisles, and we can quickly invite the customer to the counter for consultation and service,” Ms. Mangan explained.

She maintains that the new Shiseido installation at Macy’s “exemplifies what the brand is about globally. We have several consultation centers set up throughout the installation. We have a private consultation area where our customer can experience a facial service. We have bold, updated red and white graphics that really give us a strong brand image on the floor.”

“What I really love about this counter,” she continued, “is that it is the result of our partnership with our team in this store. They have many customers with different ethnicities and different needs shopping in this store. So we worked with the team on traffic flow, consultation areas and the amount of glass showcases.”

“The new Shiseido [space] gives a greater call to the counter,” Macy’s David Furlano, Cosmetics Department Manager affirmed. “The staff already has a history of what they deliver to the community. Having this stronger presentation really makes the customer more at ease as they come into this energized environment.”

Mr. Furlano reports that the counter “has really grown, and that growth has come from the loyalty of its stream of customers. The loyalty is profound at this counter. There are customers who will even wait in line until their Beauty Consultant is available to help them.”

“I have worked with Shiseido’s Macy’s downtown Boston team for four years,” shared Shiseido’s Kelly Gahler, Account Executive, “and I am very passionate about them. I am constantly amazed at the way they are able to execute events and how they welcome their customers with full attention.”

According to Ms. Gahler, the team builds their clientele with great attention to detail. “They treat every customer as a friend and build a special bond that keeps the customers coming back.” The team has also initiated a “Please bring a friend program.” If they bring five friends to the counter, the Beauty Consultants will conduct a class on skincare. “We try to reach out and network to corporate offices and educational institutions in the area to identify new clients.”

Shiseido’s Sylvia Kam-Ng, Account Coordinator, shares that the Beauty Consultants treat their customers in the spirit of Omotenashi where they are welcomed as guests. “It’s not just about service. We get to know the customers and build a relationship. The Beauty Consultants call their customers to ask how they are and inquire about their families.”

Counter Manager Mary Lok, who has been with Shiseido for eight years, loves the new counter because it is more open, yet offers privacy with the special area for facial services. “People like to play with the makeup, foundation and the new Shiseido Makeup Lacquer Rouge and Radiant Lifting Foundation SPF 17.”

Noon: Macy’s/Burlington Mall
Burlington, MA

“The Shiseido counter has the most loyal customers in the Beauty Department,” Macy’s Jose Padilla reported. Mr. Padilla, the Cosmetics Department Manager, said the customers love the Beauty Consultants and the experience they have at the Shiseido counter, so they always come back. “It says a lot about the team and how well connected they are with the customers. We are very proud of the Shiseido Beauty Consultants.”

“Shiseido is one of our best vendors in building long-term relationships that keep customers coming back,” explained Macy’s Timothy J. Sevigny District Merchant, Cosmetics & Fragrance, New England North. “It fosters great synergy among the vendor, the retailer and the customer. Shiseido’s philosophy of service complements everything we believe in at Macy’s.”

“For us at Macy’s, it comes down to making sure we are always positively reinforcing the great performances of the Beauty Consultants,” Mr. Sevigny affirmed. “I walk into all of my stores every day, believing this is going to be my best day. I talk to the Beauty Consultants about what they do that is awesome. People want to do even more if you keep rewarding them for what they have done.”

Macy’s Store Manager, Julie Emery, considers the Cosmetics and Fragrance Department as being a very important part of the store’s total business. “We have extended the Shiseido caseline in order to give it a better presence on the beauty floor and a better experience for our customers. Shiseido’s Beauty Consultants have more space and chairs to offer services to their customers such as facials and color consultations.”

The Shiseido team at the counter has impressive longevity. Counter Manager Nadia Savitskaya has been with Shiseido for eight years. “It was my first job and I stayed with them because they have the best products and have wonderful people to work with.”
Maria Ward, who has been with Shiseido for five years, believes Shiseido has “an amazing team of executives, and I love to work with them. I am proud of all of the services we offer at our counter.”

12:30 PM: Sephora/Burlington Mall

According to Sephora’s Michelle Baillargeon, Store Director, this was the retailer’s first store in the Boston market. She reports that skincare is vital to their product mix. “We expanded skincare over five years ago, and are trending really well with it. It is Shiseido’s focus, because they are all about great skincare. Shiseido’s presence is great because it helps bring more diversity to our clientele.”

12:45 PM: Lord & Taylor/Burlington Mall

Shiseido’s Beauty Consultants make every customer feel special,” declared Lord & Taylor’s Cosmetics Department Manager, Wallace Clark. “They make it happen with complimentary facials and a team at-counter that is dedicated to the products. They sit customers down and spend time engaging and developing a relationship with them.”  

Shiseido’s Beth Vozzella, Counter Manager, comments that she makes every customer feel special. “I treat them with utmost respect, and it shows in the loyalty of my customers.”

Ms. Mangan commented that shopping today must be regarded as a 360-degree experience. “People can shop in the store, online, on their mobile phone and on TV.

But it’s important that we give the same message in each of the channels where we are distributed. Customers go on the Internet to learn about a product, but they like to actually try it, so sampling is an important marketing tool. The customer wants to educate themselves in more than one way before they make a purchase.”

“We have been spending so much effort on our sales and education,” she noted, “that we wanted to make sure we were doing everything right. So we initiated the Mystery Shopper program. Our goal is to observe our Beauty Consultants doing things well and rewarding them and to find where we need to give them more training.” She reports that “the results of the program have been a positive reflection that we are executing our strategy in a good manner and moving forward where improvement is needed.”

1:15 PM: Nordstrom

Cheryl Isabelle-Alper, Shiseido’s Counter Manager, started with the brand in 1993 and worked for five years before moving on. “But I decided to come home because your first love is your greatest love.” Ms. Isabelle-Alper offers hands-on services every day for her customers such as facial treatments, which are the cornerstone of the brand. She has an area at her installation where she can easily set up services for customers.

“I make sure we have a breadth of products in the Cosmetics and Fragrance Department,” affirmed Nordstrom’s Store Manager, Cindy Gelb, “and by having Shiseido, any customer that comes into our door is going to be able to find something that suits them.”

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