Customer Experience and Luxury Brands: A Deep Dive with Werner Dirks

In 2019, I bought my first luxury watch. My pride, excitement, and expectations plunged into disappointment after I entered the store. Sometimes it is hard to pinpoint what is missing and we all have been there as clients: we feel what we want is not what we get. I was just one of many customers the sales advisor served that day.

As marketers and Customer Experience professionals in the luxury environment, we can't afford this. Few people could be more knowledgeable in luxury customer experience than Werner Dirks, former Global Client Product Experience and General Manager at La Prairie. 

Werner met me at ‘La Terrasse’ in Zurich. We sat in the restaurant’s garden. Although red parasols covered most of the patio, the warm midday sun sprinkled some tables, the perfect ambience for sharing viewpoints on how customer experience has and continues to evolve in the luxury world. 

High expectations

Customer Experience is much more than the product itself; it is a journey filled with touchpoints along the way. Expectations are so high today that companies must have their customers ‘dive’ into their brand: ‘Brands are increasingly adding immersive experiences. For example, invitation-only lounges where top clients engage with the brand in a private setting. Luxury watch brands invite their top clients to experience the behind-the-scenes and see how they create their timepieces. La Prairie engages clients with Global Art initiatives and provides them with luxury beauty treatments. Fashion brands are opening cafés or restaurants,’ Werner explained—an exciting yet challenging evolution. 

The key lies with the client interaction. If the customer-facing staff fails to create a welcoming atmosphere, doesn’t ask the right questions or listens, it’s not just average champagne leaving a foul taste in the client’s mouth. ‘I often see a disconnection where the client is expected to comply with the brand strategy and not the other way around. We need better trained and motivated staff to communicate with the consumer on eye level,’ said Werner. I couldn’t agree more. Team members, empowered and supported by well-designed training, embody the brand’s DNA. They connect with clients and understand their expectations. These staff members are unique assets and form a competitive advantage.

An ever-evolving world

Looking back, it’s intriguing that customer focus used to be the norm, not the exception. Werner explained: ‘I remember growing up in the South of Germany, employees greeted clients and filled up the car at gas stations. At the grocery store, somebody would carry the purchases to the car, and there was a strong focus on service and the client. With the decline of specialised shops, service became secondary with the brands being in the centre.’ It’s puzzling how we moved away from customer-centricity just to return to it.

I was curious to learn about Werner’s perspective on the future. ‘Clients will become even sharper and look for experiences beyond the product. At the same time, clients will be more concerned about the product's origin and components, the conditions under which they are produced, and their sustainability.’ Clients will be searching for meaningful experiences—experiences they can identify and connect with on a deeper level. Sustainability and well-being will be even more critical. ‘With mental and physical wellbeing becoming more meaningful, luxury clients travel to luxury destinations that offer programs to maintain or improve their lives,’ concludes Werner. 

The customer experience can only be as good as the people creating it. Part of a luxury brand’s priorities should be to support its staff with tailored training programs. Empowered team members will be the brand’s tailwind down the road.

The key: Feeling special

Actress and writer Maya Angelou said: ‘People will never forget how you made them feel’. When we leave a luxury boutique, we want to feel understood, inspired and connected to the brand and its human representatives. That day in 2019, I didn't buy the watch. I got it later at another boutique where I felt welcomed, they answered all my questions, and I enjoyed a delicious glass of champagne to celebrate.

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About Werner Dirks:

Werner Dirks has 20 years as a business leader in the luxury industry. He has worked in Germany, the US, France and Switzerland. Most recently, he was heading the Global Client Product Experience initiative of La Prairie in Switzerland after seven years as General Manager. During his tenure, he established, among other collaborations, the Global Partnership with Art Basel, the prestigious art fair, a successful platform to engage with clients. Today, he offers his expertise as a board member and advisor to start-ups, focusing on client experience and go-to-market strategy.