Live customer engagement company, Vee24, has announced that Aurum Holdings is using video chat to provide online concierge service for customers shopping for luxury items with Goldsmiths, Watches of Switzerland, and launching soon with Mappin and Webb. This personal service, available from 8am to 10pm, 7 days a week, covers the full product range at Watches of Switzerland, and selected high value items at Goldsmiths, including engagement rings and luxury watches.
Luxury watches are rarely sold online, with brands preferring to direct customers to experts in the showroom of approved retailers for all purchases. A shift in recent years has seen more customers researching and shopping online, irrespective of the value of the purchase, and an online concierge service is a direct response to this trend.
“Significant numbers of customers are now browsing, researching and shopping for expensive jewellery and luxury watches online and retailers selling luxury goods can no longer rely on foot traffic to the store alone,” explains Mark Buckingham, Head of Ecommerce, Aurum Holdings. “We’re delighted that luxury watch brands can see that our online video chat service offers an exceptional concierge experience for the customer. We can now meet customers online to discuss their requirements ‘face to face’ and co-browse product information and pricing on our website. It’s a huge shift in the way luxury brands view the online channel and early indicators are that our customers are very much valuing this service.”
Customers looking to purchase a luxury watch or engagement ring can now chat directly with an agent using live video, from the comfort of their homes. Agents undergo extensive training, including specific brand training such as the “Cartier Experience,” to ensure that they can help customers with all aspects of their product research and purchase, including pricing, detailed specification, strap options, stock availability, proximity of showrooms and scheduling appointments at locations where they can try the item.
“We already had product information on our websites,” explained Buckingham “However, it was the ability to speak directly with the agent online in a very personal ‘face to face’ video conversation that reassured the luxury brands that we could deliver a showroom conversation experience online.”
Priya Iyer, CEO Vee24, adds, “We’re delighted to be working with Aurum Holdings and their portfolio of luxury watch brands to create the next generation luxury experience by bringing the entire showroom into the living room of their customers. Vee24’s Live Engagement platform is allowing Aurum’s customers to see and talk directly with the agent, co-browse the website and arrange a showroom visit. A growing number of online businesses are harnessing the power of bots, intelligent routing and analytics to create a high touch, concierge experience to help build brand loyalty. And many of our clients are using mobile cameras to enable a virtual walkthrough of the showroom, and second cameras to help with live product viewing.”