LONDON, 2017-Oct-24 — /EPR Retail News/ — Today (20 October 2017), John Lewis has revealed details of a new ‘concierge style’ shopping experience which the retailer will trial at its new service-led shop in Oxford which opens its doors next Tuesday. The initiative forms part of John Lewis’s plans to reinvent the department store.
The new Oxford shop has one fifth of its floorspace dedicated to services and experiences and will offer 21 different services from travel advice to eye tests and children’s car seat fitting advice. Brand new services will include a free personal styling service for men, free technology training workshops to help customers get the most out of their purchases and learn about the very latest technology, and John Lewis’s first express Nail and Brow bar.
At the heart of the three-floor, 120,000 sq ft shop will be an Experience Desk managed by John Lewis’s first ever Brand Experience Manager where customers will be offered a ‘concierge style’ service to help them plan their day. Service Partners at the Desk will be able to tell them everything the store offers, book them into one of the exclusive events happening that day such as a pop-up barbers shop, or a make-up masterclass, help them choose the best Partner for their styling or home design appointment, or book them a table at the Scandinavian rooftop restaurant KuPP. Customers will also be able to buy one of five newly created Gift Experience packages including a Beauty Experience or the creation of a bespoke one with assistance from a Partner.
For the first time John Lewis will also be trialling new ‘hotel style’ tours to show customers around the new shop.
The 322 Partners recruited to work at the new shop have been given bespoke ‘theatre training’ by The Oxford Playhouse to teach them the art of outstanding service. They have been taught voice and body language skills used by actors to help them confidently deliver great customer service in their own authentic way.
The Partners will also be trialling a new uniform, created by its in-house fashion team, who have selected key items from John Lewis’s own brand range Kin. The uniform which will be updated each season has been chosen to make Partners stand out and showcase the retailer’s successful own-brand fashion.
Paula Nickolds, Managing Director at John Lewis said: ‘As part of our plans to differentiate the John Lewis brand and to reinvent the department store for the 21st century, our shops continue to be a place where customers come and experience our brand – the physical manifestation of what we stand for.
‘More than a route to selling things, our Oxford shop is a place that aims to inspire and delight our customers and is entirely focused on customer experience with Partners and finishing details at the heart of that.’
Julie Blake, Head of Branch John Lewis Oxford, who has been a Partner for 33 years said; ‘I was thrilled to be asked to run John Lewis’s 49th shop and help shape the future of this and other shops.
‘My team and I cannot wait to welcome customers into the shop and tell them about all it has to offer; from pampering to fashion advice, dinner at our fantastic new rooftop Scandinavian restaurant, and workshops on and demonstrations on the very latest tech products.’
Full list of services which will be offered at John Lewis Oxford:
- Bra fitting service
- Bureau de Change
- Carpet and flooring estimates and fitting
- Children’s car seat fitting
- Children’s shoe fitting service
- Christmas sacks and bauble personalisation
- Computer support and set up
- Eyebrow and nail treatments
- Eye tests and glasses made on site
- Gift List
- Home design service
- Home appliance installation and disposal
- Kuoni Travel service
- Light installation
- Made to measure curtains and blinds including fitting
- Nursery advice service
- Personalised stationery
- Personal styling for women
- Personal styling for men
- Smarthome product advice
- Tech training sessions on the latest tech products
- Three different places eat and drink.
John Lewis has invested approximately £18 million in building the 120,000 sq ft shop which is the anchor tenant at the new Westgate development which also opens on Tuesday 24 October.
The shop will stock over 55,000 products and more than one thousand different brands.
John Lewis – John Lewis operates 48 John Lewis shops across the UK (34 department stores, 12 John Lewis at home and shops at St Pancras International and Heathrow Terminal 2) as well as johnlewis.com. John Lewis, ‘Best In-Store Experience 2017’, ‘Best Furniture Retailer 2017,’ ‘Best Homewares Retailer 2017’1, stocks around 350,000 separate lines in its department stores and johnlewis.com across fashion, home and technology. Johnlewis.com is consistently ranked one of the top online shopping destinations in the UK. John Lewis Insurance offers a range of comprehensive insurance products – home, car, wedding and event, travel and pet insurance and life cover – delivering the values of expertise, trust and customer service expected from the John Lewis brand.
1Verdict Consumer Satisfaction Awards 2017
You can follow John Lewis on the following social media channels:
www.johnlewis.com/twitter
www.johnlewis.com/facebook
www.johnlewis.com/youtube.
Enquiries
For further information please contact:
Mandy Pursey
Communications Manager, Corporate
Email: mandy.pursey@johnlewis.co.uk
Telephone: 07813 696637
SOURCE: John Lewis Partnership