In response to the spread of COVID-19 infections, Primo Japan’s original brand, I-PRIMO, has launched the new “At-Home Ring Selection” service through our Online Salon. Until now, the official I-PRIMO brand website was used to sell bridal rings online, but this new Online Salon is our first attempt to offer a platform from which our sales staff can actually make suggestions remotely while talking with customers over the internet. This service not only prevents the spread of COVID-19 infections, but also allows us to serve who are unable to travel long distances to visit our stores, while creating an online environment in which we can provide remote services to meet the diverse needs of our customers.
Sae Yoshida is a sales trainer who has dealt with numerous customers since the Online Salon was introduced. Ms. Yoshida, who becomes a trusted resource for her customers while providing in-person customer service in the store, gave us her views on the enjoyable and more difficult aspects of the Online Salon.
“One of the fun things about the Online Salon is being able to meet customers all over the country through the internet. While people continue to refrain from going out due to COVID-19, and communication also becomes more limited, we’ve had sales staff in Sapporo connecting with customers in Okinawa. Because we are making suggestions not only about ring details but also in relation to a customer’s lifestyle, we have a chance to discover regional characteristics from different areas, which not something we would normally know about. That’s really fun, and the conversations are lively, too. Also, because they are at home, customers seem more relaxed while they tell us their stories. After all, there are some people who are nervous about shopping in stores, so I think it’s beneficial for customers if doing remote consultations puts them more at ease.”
“On the other hand, one thing that makes customers feel anxious is whether or not they can understand all the details about rings, and of course trying on rings to check that they fit comfortably is not something they can do on a remote consultation. That’s unavoidable because of the distance, but I feel that is one point where Primo Japan’s strength in customer service really shines. Keeping the worries that our customers have in mind, we pay close attention to the angle and distance between the camera and the ring so that the brilliance of diamonds and the curve of platinum can be seen through the camera. We also pay attention to our choice of words so that customers can easily understand details about the rings, such as fit and texture or finish, that are more difficult to understand without actually touching the rings. Whether it’s at a physical store or in our Online Salon, customers are still making a once-in-a-lifetime purchase, so it’s important for us to connect with customers and their needs as much as possible.”
We expect the number of consultations to further expand from the introduction of this new style of online customer service. We will continue to provide services to many customers as we continuously develop our customer service offering and system tools in the Online Salon.