New Normal: ‘Virtual try-ons and video selling will redefine shoppers experience’ : Amanpreet Ahluwalia

Can you share some details about initiatives by Zoya towards maintaining social distancing in its new Bangalore boutique?

Zoya is a luxury boutique from the House of Tata and the focus on hygiene in our stores has always been the best in the industry. As the safety and peace of mind of our customers are paramount for us, we have also crafted a meticulous protocol of #SafetyinEighty steps that is being implemented at all Zoya boutiques as we re-open and welcome back customers. This detailed protocol addresses over 80 safety checkpoints and includes an hourly cleaning of the boutique as well as sanitization after each customer visit, stringent application of social distancing norms and minimum staff in stores to ensure that everyone who walks into the boutique can do so with comfort and ease. A highly specialized jewellery sanitization process ensures that customers can view our handcrafted jewellery pieces without worrying about their safety. Also, home visits and appointment-based selling have always been the norm at Zoya, which we will probably do more of now. Along with the above, a training and sensitization program has also been implemented for our retail teams to make the Zoya experience even more considerate.

With the current lockdown, how are you handling challenges like labour constraints, supply chain disruption etc?  

Things were disrupted of course, but are now returning to normal. Our Delhi store is open and we have launched a beautiful new store in Bangalore last week in Bangalore’s luxury hub on Vittal Mallya Road. We hope our Mumbai boutique will open next month. Our manufacturing centres, factory and offices have all resumed operations, in keeping with guidelines shared by the government and WHO on social distancing etc. Some adjustments were made in terms of supply schedule, but we hope to be on track soon, with an increased focus on home visits, appointment-based selling and also using digital for visual try-on, etc.  

Has the current situation forced you to take a harder look at biz continuity? Does it help you prepare better you for the future? Can you share some measures you have taken towards ensuring continuity in your business?

Moving forward, digitization is the only way to cope with the new normal and we will have to keep innovating and pushing our boundaries with the way business is done. As mentioned, home selling was already a norm at Zoya, now digital engagement tools like virtual try-ons and video selling will become more important as we offer the same service to customers virtually. We are also looking to strongly engage our community of women on our social media platforms through relevant content and promotions. Zoya has always believed in delivering an unparalleled retail experience for its customers and we are expecting the share of one-on-one sales through home shopping to rise this year. The lockdown has shown us many new ways of working and creating efficiencies also, and we are reflecting on these learnings to enhance our ability to serve customers more effectively in the new normal.  However, we also are seeing trends abroad of 'revenge buying' and we hope the same is repeated in India for a few days after the lockdown opens.

Technology obviously is inevitable in biz continuity plans. How do you leverage it for your business?

As a luxury brand, Zoya builds huge brand advocacy through its digital strategy and it is very crucial to make the virtual experience as seamless and tailored as the offline ambiance and experience of the boutique. We have a two-fold strategy to leverage technology and build our brand. Storytelling and driving engagement are the two most important pillars to build an everlasting relationship with our customers. Storytelling communicates Zoya’s philosophy, inspiration, design and craftsmanship- everything that brand stands for. Secondly, driving engagement across all platforms through carefully curated content that is relevant, impactful and meaningful to our customers is also a constant endeavour. Brand stories are shared consistently across channels such as our main website, micro-sites, and social media accounts, creating a seamless experiential pathway for customers. Zoya is renowned for being highly personalized and it is our goal to recreate the exclusivity and responsiveness of the offline experience on our online platforms.

Talking about consumer sentiment, do you foresee a change in the consumer's approach to luxury especially diamond jewellery in the future?

It’s too early to predict market sentiment post-Covid and we have very recently opened our new boutique in Bangalore and reopened the boutique in Delhi while the Mumbai stores are still shut. But it is possible that consumers will not focus on large consumption and now shift to more products at lower price points. Digital engagement tools will take a front seat and we will have to drive engagement through relevant and impactful content across all our platforms to interact and create awareness among the customers. Zoya has always delivered a personalized experience for its customers and we are expecting the share of one-on-one sales through home shopping to increase this year.