Latest / The Future of Luxury Podcast with Dr Daniel Langer / The Client Experience Secret Behind One of Rolex’s Most Admired Boutiques

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The Client Experience Secret Behind One of Rolex’s Most Admired Boutiques · The Future of Luxury Podcast with Dr Daniel Langer

0:03
Most brands think they sell luxury. Very
0:06
few actually create desire. This is the
0:09
difference. The future of luxury podcast
0:12
with Dr. Daniel Langanger.
0:19
>> Relax. Breathe easy.
0:24
So, welcome to another episode of the
0:27
future of luxury podcast. And um today
0:30
we are in a very special place um in
0:33
Florence on one of the most historic um
0:38
places even in in the world on
0:39
Ponttovecio.
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And um this place does not only have an
0:44
incredible history, but there are today
0:47
really beautiful stores, a lot of
0:49
jewelry stores. And we are here in a
0:51
very very special place at um Cassetti
0:55
Cassetti Jewelry and Watches. And I have
0:57
the huge pleasure to introduce Maria
1:00
Cassette, Maria Gracia Cassetti um the
1:03
owner of Cassetti Jewelry Watches
1:05
together with her brother Andrea
1:06
Cassetti and also Lorenzo Cassetti. Um
1:11
and you are the third generation um of
1:14
the of the family. And um this is going
1:17
to be a fascinating um discussion. I I
1:19
can already sense it from our our pre-
1:21
discussion because we will talk a lot
1:23
about history. Um as this place has
1:26
hundreds of years of of history. Um but
1:29
we will also talk about the future um
1:31
about watches about jewelry. Um Cassetti
1:35
here, the place in where where we are in
1:37
is um a Rolex boutique and from what I
1:40
understand also one of the top Rolex
1:42
boutiques um in Italy. Um but also you
1:45
have a jewelry collection. So we're
1:47
going to discuss about both of it and um
1:52
Maria um volunteered to be here.
1:54
However, Maria's English is not that
1:57
good. So we will do um a kind of two
2:00
parts. Um in the beginning um Lorenzo is
2:03
going to translate um and then we will
2:06
um continue the conversation after a few
2:09
minutes Lorenzo and I and do this
2:11
completely in English. So um you will
2:13
hear a lot of Italian in the beginning
2:15
um but we will always translate um for
2:17
you and I promise you this is going to
2:18
be a fascinating discussion. So let's
2:21
get started. Um Maria Gracia um how tell
2:26
us a little bit about you your family
2:29
and about the history of this place.
2:44
My name is Cityi. I started in my
2:49
company in this company when I was 17. I
2:53
enjoyed the company when the company was
2:56
just a little workshop because my father
2:59
started in 1926 almost 100 years ago
3:04
uh with this little workshop in just in
3:07
silver in silver plates
3:11
>> in silver and uh because before the
3:15
market was very big now unfortunately is
3:18
uh is not anymore because you know after
3:21
almost 100 Uh yeah, silver is almost uh
3:25
pasted talking about you know the the
3:27
the request and this kind of thing but
3:30
so before it was very strong there was a
3:33
an I do demand on on silver. So our uh
3:37
our main business was silver and I I
3:41
enjoyed um the company when I was 17
3:44
>> in in this business.
4:00
I am the owner with my father. We own
4:04
four shops in Ponteo, one in Flores in
4:09
Virosi,
4:11
very close to Hermes store just opening
4:15
last last year. Then we have one in uh
4:19
in Praau, very big city, very important
4:22
city, very close from to Florence. And
4:25
we have Rolex as well. And then we have
4:29
one the most beautiful shop in Fort
4:31
Marmy, very important with eye jewelry
4:35
and Tudor and Vashelon and other brands.
4:39
>> Mhm. And uh in from when I was 17,
4:44
I just uh work every day without
4:47
stopping having vacation because for me
4:51
working is my life to stay with my
4:54
customers especially with jewelries in
4:56
for Mar in summer in Florence the rest
4:59
of the year because what is my is my
5:03
passion and uh I don't need any rest for
5:07
me the most important thing is to
5:09
in the shop with my customers with
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jewelries and uh
5:38
as I told you. Next year we we are going
5:40
to celebrate 100 years. So we are
5:43
planning
5:45
a big party in a very important place
5:48
but now it's too early to say because we
5:50
are just closing the deal but we are
5:53
going to make a very important party
5:55
because for us is the most important
5:57
step 100 years to celebrate with all our
6:00
family and all all our important
6:04
customers.
6:04
>> Yeah. Wonderful. And one maybe Maria one
6:07
question um because you said that you
6:10
since I think the age of 17 basically
6:13
have been working every day and for you
6:15
work is also being very close to the
6:18
customers and this is a topic that I've
6:20
been researching a lot about and also
6:23
publishing a lot about and also in my
6:24
consulting work always focus how
6:27
important customer centricity is and how
6:29
important the customer is. So I would be
6:32
very curious maybe to as long as we have
6:34
you here to um learn from you how maybe
6:39
over the last years and maybe even
6:41
decades the expectations of customers
6:44
have changed because you have different
6:46
customer types probably today than 5
6:48
years ago or 10 years ago. What are you
6:50
observing? What are people expecting
6:53
today that maybe they were not expecting
6:55
five or 10 years ago?
7:06
She said
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when she was a child, little child, her
7:11
passion was uh stones like you know um
7:14
stones and uh she she learned when she
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was very young how to to design and and
7:23
little by little also she found very
7:27
good uh artist and um let's say artisan
7:32
they help us to you know to make very
7:35
important jewelries.
7:38
The her favorite was like like like
7:40
vintage vintage design you know before
7:44
was uh easy to make because was full of
7:47
artisals very good from Florence. So
7:50
everything was was handmade with the
7:53
high eye high quality. So especially in
7:57
1970s it was full of Americans they like
8:00
this kind of objects
8:02
but the problem is that little by little
8:06
uh the artisan disappeared and now it's
8:09
finished almost so it's very hard now to
8:12
make piece like this because to make a
8:15
very important jeweleries you need good
8:19
people to you know to make
8:21
>> but uh she designed a lot during this
8:24
here especially vintage uh vintage and
8:27
very important necklace earrings.
8:31
>> Mhm.
8:32
>> Like this.
8:33
>> Yeah. And is this also the base for your
8:36
jewelry collection that you have today
8:39
in the family?
8:46
>> Now we have now we have to face with the
8:49
several problems. First problem is the
8:51
price of the gold. M
8:52
>> price of the gold is out of control is
8:55
it raised almost three times during
8:58
these years. Second problem is now the
9:01
market is huge with the internet. There
9:03
are many many many offers you know so
9:06
people now they are more care careful
9:08
when they choose the piece before they
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they just trust more you know as now
9:15
they control they are very careful
9:17
because the price is very high. So now
9:20
it's more difficult to to uh you know to
9:24
sell this kind of piece is very
9:26
important. So of course the level of the
9:28
objects and the request and the daily
9:30
daily sales are you know lower level of
9:35
course cheaper and of course and uh also
9:38
because now uh the moment especially in
9:42
Italy is not easy you know so people in
9:44
in jewelry they they spend less than
9:47
before but we have a an an a nice uh we
9:51
have a big range of customers they
9:53
invest
9:55
uh they still invest ing in jewelries is
9:58
is is also a is still a good investment.
10:01
So we have a lot of customers especially
10:04
in form army.
10:05
>> Mhm. you know because for army we still
10:07
have the the most important pieces of
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our collection there because for army is
10:13
the place you know very important for
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luxury brands
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>> you know probably more than I don't want
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to say more than Florence but you know
10:22
is a strategic place where all brands
10:25
are there you know so
10:27
>> we for for our target uh we moved a
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little bit more that kind of object
10:34
there than in Florence is
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>> for this reason.
10:37
>> Wonderful. So then Maria, thank you so
10:40
much. I know that you wanted to to be
10:42
with us in the beginning of the um of
10:45
the discussion and um then um it was was
10:49
so so nice to have you here and then
10:51
Lorenzo, we are going to to continue.
11:13
We we thank you very much to be here
11:15
because uh you are very busy, very
11:17
important guy and just to to dedicate
11:20
your time here for us is a big honor and
11:24
thank you very much and we hope and and
11:26
we hope to see you here.
11:29
>> Wonderful. Thank you so much. Gracias.
11:32
>> I'm Dr. Daniel Langanger and after
11:34
advising many of the world's most iconic
11:37
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>> All right, Lorenzo. So now it's the two
12:51
of us uh continuing and we just started
12:54
to speak about um your jewelry
12:56
collection and um also the changes that
13:00
have been there over time with gold
13:03
prices increasing and and so on. So but
13:06
tell us it maybe a little bit more about
13:09
the role of jewelry the the passion of
13:11
jewelry within the family and how
13:13
important the jewelry collection is for
13:14
you.
13:16
uh let's say that uh our priority was
13:19
was and is still it is the the quality.
13:22
So we focus a lot on the production in
13:26
Florence. Everything must be made in
13:28
Flores with the design of my aunt and
13:32
with all our artisan historical artisan.
13:35
This was our priority. Our priority was
13:38
like this. We used to make uh uh a lot
13:41
of business with Americans especially in
13:44
' 70s, 80s, ' 90s. And uh the problem is
13:50
then little by little especially
13:52
everything changed after 11th September.
13:56
>> Yeah.
13:56
>> Because 11 September 201
13:59
America stopped to come and so even so
14:03
the market little by little changed
14:05
completely.
14:06
>> Mhm. And especially
14:09
after a while also Asians and Chinese
14:13
start to come especially in the old
14:16
bridge more than for is always question
14:20
of local customers but Florence
14:23
the market changed completely and so
14:26
what does it mean? It means that Asians
14:29
they are they want brains.
14:31
>> Mhm. So we started more to focus more on
14:36
brands like Bulgari, like Cartier,
14:39
talking about jewelries, talking about
14:41
washes. We we were the first dealer of
14:45
Odarp. We started a long time ago like
14:49
30 years ago that the first dealer in in
14:51
Toskani.
14:52
>> Mhm. and uh with the AP then uh we we
14:56
started with the Shopad Chanel this kind
14:58
of brand
15:00
>> because the market request
15:02
change you know less uh demands for uh
15:06
unique things and more demands for uh
15:09
brands.
15:10
>> Yeah.
15:11
>> And uh and let's say the the most
15:15
important step for our family was in
15:17
2009 when we we started the marriage
15:20
with uh with Rolex. Mhm.
15:23
>> And uh because they they wanted to open
15:27
the second boutique in Italy because the
15:29
first was in Milano the year before and
15:32
they choose us because the old dealer of
15:35
Florence, the oldest dealer in Florence,
15:37
he stopped the the relationship with
15:40
Rolex. A lot of families they they ask
15:44
to be to be the dealer and we and they
15:47
choose us probably for the liquid for
15:49
the location because we offer them the
15:51
most unique place in the world.
15:53
>> Mhm. And we started in a very little
15:56
store. Not not this store but previous
15:59
store was uh 20 mters.
16:01
>> So very small.
16:03
>> And we have been staying there for 6
16:05
years. But in one day we we had a big
16:09
chance to to purchase this store.
16:13
>> Mhm.
16:13
>> And we moved uh all the store there here
16:17
in two floor stores. bigger stores of
16:21
course but also still small for the rest
16:24
of the world. This is the smallest
16:26
boutique in the world now
16:27
>> is the biggest in Ponte the smallest in
16:29
the world but was uh you know uh big
16:33
jump of quality and uh and um last month
16:37
we we reopen after a big renovation
16:40
because after 10 years Rolex they they
16:43
make a renovation in boutique. So this
16:45
time was our turn. They they made a very
16:49
big investment because uh once they make
16:51
a renovation a part of a big part of the
16:56
the cost is Rolex cost. So Ro they made
16:58
a very big investment on our family
17:01
>> and uh and they they use a very high
17:04
quality materials and they change
17:07
completely the stores and now we
17:09
reopened one months ago with a new
17:12
design.
17:12
>> Mhm. Yeah. Yeah, it's a wonder it's a
17:14
wonderful boutique. And you told me also
17:16
that there is a quite interesting
17:18
history of of this place um you know um
17:23
going back for hundreds of years uh with
17:25
the Medici family and that there was
17:28
like a secret walkway here. So maybe
17:30
tell us a little bit about about that.
17:32
You can see from the video that there up
17:35
the wall there is the Vasarian corridor
17:38
that is they say a passage that connect
17:42
Palasopi to Palasov that was the the old
17:46
house of Medishi family to the palace to
17:50
the palace of the governator and uh he
17:54
used to to walk in every day from the
17:58
house to to work.
18:01
>> Mhm. And uh like uh 600 years ago uh
18:05
there was a full of bachelor here. They
18:08
used to you know to sell meat and then
18:11
they used to to leave the meats into the
18:15
river. So of course the smell was
18:17
terrible. So one day almost uh 500 years
18:22
ago the prince Kosimo
18:25
he decides to he was tired of this mail
18:28
and he said
18:31
stop it from tomorrow the bachelor over
18:35
only uh jewelries. So he make a new law
18:39
and the day after jewelry arrived. So
18:44
probably without this law we used to
18:46
sell meats. Who knows? So this was very
18:48
important for the history and uh and um
18:52
yeah and this uh everything changed from
18:55
from him
18:56
>> was uh very funny story.
18:58
>> Yeah. And and speaking about uh about
19:01
change and we we kind of tapped into
19:04
that a little bit in in a little bit
19:06
earlier in the conversation. Um and you
19:09
also you just mentioned that um the over
19:11
the last 20 25 years since the beginning
19:15
of the 2000s also your customer base
19:18
changed um with now more Asian Asian
19:21
travelers being here um and and so a
19:25
different composition of of travelers.
19:27
But I can also imagine uh not only from
19:30
different regions but maybe also
19:31
different age groups. Um what do you see
19:34
is the biggest change for example also
19:36
when you when you think about the demand
19:38
of your watches. Um and I could see in
19:41
the store first how how busy it is. So
19:43
lots of people on a Sunday morning here.
19:46
Um, but also when I came when I walked
19:49
up here to the beautiful room in which
19:50
we're in right now, I could overhear
19:52
that there was a customer looking for I
19:55
think a 60 or $70,000 watch. So, how how
19:58
are how are the changes that you're
20:00
seeing right now in the in the customers
20:04
also how educated the customers are? Are
20:06
they looking more for special pieces
20:08
today than they looked 10 years or 15
20:11
years ago? So, tell us a little bit
20:12
about that. uh let's say that uh like
20:16
before covid was completely uh another
20:20
word even demands was was less you know
20:23
was a different work we used to
20:26
>> to meet to work with a lot of big group
20:30
of Chinese every day and our job except
20:34
the job with locals that is still very
20:37
important we let's say that our our job
20:41
was half with Americans and half with
20:44
Chinese with especially with a lot of
20:47
groups with tour guide and work like
20:49
this. The fact is then after co
20:53
everything changed because you know uh
20:57
many people they they started to they
21:00
were looking for something to invest
21:03
>> you know to to to take money from the
21:07
bank and find a way secure without any
21:10
risk to invest the money. Rolex was the
21:14
you know the the brand especially
21:18
the part where many many customers they
21:20
they they you know they they they invest
21:24
their money. The problem is uh so this
21:27
in numbers before co let's say that
21:31
Rolex they don't say how many watches
21:33
they produce but normally uh we can
21:36
imagine around more than 1 million
21:38
1,200,000 watches.
21:40
>> Mhm. Before co the demands was like 300
21:44
400,000. So this it means that everybody
21:47
had used to have it watches in the
21:49
window for sale without any problems.
21:52
>> After this uh the the covid a lot of
21:56
speculations as I told you so in numbers
22:00
the request was around 7 millions.
22:03
This I'm talking about 2000 end of 2020
22:09
2021 let's see so
22:13
immediately uh we started to have
22:16
waiting list for all for for object for
22:18
all uh the watches many people they they
22:23
buy and resale and this is was terrible
22:25
because you know normally we uh our our
22:29
mission especially talk about washes is
22:31
to to you know to to buy watch to keep
22:36
you know one day you're going to give to
22:38
your son.
22:39
>> Yeah.
22:39
>> And a lot of emotions you know also us
22:42
we normally we we try to give an
22:44
experience.
22:45
>> Yeah.
22:45
>> You know
22:46
>> and for 2 years this experience was lost
22:49
because for 2 years more or less there
22:52
was this problem. So also parallel
22:54
market like secondary market prices rise
22:58
up a lot. So for two years was crazy
23:01
like this. We I remember that we have
23:04
been staying long time without selling
23:06
any watch to tourists
23:08
>> because especially Italians they they
23:10
they started to ask all kind of watches.
23:13
So for us was terrible to stay in a
23:16
place like this with 12 millions people
23:19
that passing through the bridge every
23:21
year
23:22
>> without selling anything to tourists. So
23:24
it was very frustrating for us you know.
23:26
Well, one day
23:28
more or less 2023, the bubble of the
23:32
speculations exploded.
23:34
>> Mhm.
23:35
>> And uh and finally, little by little, we
23:40
started to to work like before
23:43
>> because after 2 years now in 2025, I can
23:47
say that uh we are very close like
23:49
before co
23:51
>> this is what what does it means? It
23:53
means that of course we have watches
23:56
that you cannot jump in and buy right
23:58
now.
23:59
>> Yeah.
24:00
>> But uh thanks to God we are talking
24:02
about a brand that the collection is
24:04
huge. So you know there are many
24:07
different models that if you come in the
24:10
right moment you know and you pass
24:13
through the bridge and you come you jump
24:16
in you come in you you can buy I mean
24:18
>> so like before.
24:20
>> Mhm. So this it means that uh that uh
24:23
now we are coming back on the old time
24:26
like we are normally you know used to
24:29
used to do it and uh and because our our
24:34
mission our goal is to you come here
24:38
like a family.
24:39
>> Mhm.
24:39
>> This is what makes us different because
24:41
you you see you come here no filter.
24:44
>> Yeah.
24:45
>> No doorman no security nothing.
24:48
Everything is very open, very simple.
24:50
>> Yeah.
24:51
>> And this is what uh make make the
24:53
difference in the luxury shop because
24:55
sometimes in boutique like usuh you come
25:00
you come in you have to make a
25:02
appointment you have to you know you
25:04
feel the pressure of the brands here we
25:06
try to to you come you come in caset
25:09
stores talk about roles but in all our
25:13
different stores and you feel like a
25:15
family. Mhm.
25:16
>> This is very important from my aunt,
25:18
from my father.
25:20
>> We study all different things. We we
25:22
made I can show you later.
25:24
>> A special box that we are the only one
25:27
in the world like an additional box with
25:29
the Ponte Veio uh let's say symbol green
25:34
additional to the standard one of course
25:37
only here you know.
25:39
>> Then we make a book. My father made a
25:41
book of Ponteveo. Then we customize the
25:44
shopping bag all different things to
25:46
give you an experience. This is very
25:48
important because especially after COVID
25:51
many people they get frustrated because
25:52
they come inside nothing to buy the you
25:56
know the employees are very rude
25:59
>> because also sometimes they don't have
26:01
anything to sell and they are
26:02
frustrating as well but it doesn't
26:04
matter. I mean even I can tell you that
26:06
even once I don't have anything to sell
26:09
I spend my time to talk to people
26:11
>> to spend because sometimes a customer it
26:13
needs just 10 minutes to share you know
26:17
>> even the situation and then
26:20
>> if I don't have anything here I bring
26:22
him in another store maybe can buy
26:24
another brand you never know
26:25
>> so for us welcome is the most important
26:28
thing anyway but uh now thanks to God we
26:32
are we are in a better situation
26:34
And uh but who comes here first has to
26:37
enjoy the experience to come in our
26:40
stores.
26:41
>> This is what everybody says our
26:42
customers says that nobody is like us.
26:46
>> Yeah. This is also for the for our
26:49
unicity to be the the smallest boutique
26:51
in the world because from one hand is a
26:54
negative thing but from the other the
26:56
other hand you feel the the warm of uh
27:00
of us you know is uh because sometimes
27:03
when when you come inside a huge store
27:06
you you feel too small you feel like a
27:09
numbers
27:10
>> here you come here you are a person with
27:12
a name with a name
27:14
>> it's a very it's a very It's a very
27:17
intimate It's a very intimate uh um it's
27:20
a very intimate setting. Uh this I could
27:23
feel from um from from you know being
27:26
here and coming up. So
27:29
I'm Dr. Daniel Langanger. I advise some
27:32
of the most iconic luxury brands in the
27:34
world and I'm also the executive
27:36
professor of luxury strategy at
27:37
Pepperdine University and I teach luxury
27:40
at NYU. The luxury industry is changing
27:44
faster than ever before. dramatically
27:46
shifting consumer expectations, the rise
27:48
of Gen Z and AI are redefining what
27:52
luxury means today. And this means
27:55
companies must operate in a radically
27:58
different way. This moment demands
28:00
action and this is why we created EC
28:04
intelligence. It redefineses luxury
28:06
training for top management, marketing,
28:08
sales teams, and clientcentric roles. is
28:11
an innovative digital learning solution
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that equips your teams with the
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strategic capabilities needed for the
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next era of luxury. Our platform
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delivers real world insights and tools
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your teams can apply immediately. The
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world's leading brands trust us to
28:29
prepare their teams for this
28:31
transformation. And this is your moment
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to futureproof your organization.
28:38
And uh how do you manage to to um uh to
28:44
deliver this consistently? Do you how do
28:47
you train the staff? Do you how do you
28:50
how do you make the the values this kind
28:52
of family values and that um clear to
28:55
also your your staff?
28:57
>> Uh we have to say that we are lucky. We
28:59
are lucky here in in Boutique of Fr. But
29:02
I can say the same for all the new
29:05
stores. mainly they are quite historical
29:08
stuff. Of course, we opened for example
29:11
the boutique of JJ of Yutra
29:14
last year. So we we we we have a new
29:17
staff
29:18
>> but mainly like 70 80% of our stuff is
29:22
historical
29:23
>> for us
29:25
every when I when I told you about the
29:28
family
29:29
>> of course it's customers but first is
29:31
for our employees you know so for us
29:34
it's very hard that somebody go away
29:38
from our family normally we we had many
29:42
many employees they started like uh you
29:45
know like the guy that clean the door
29:48
and then after a long career he retired
29:52
like a director many times you know it's
29:55
very this is our policy we try
29:58
>> it's not easy especially now to find
30:01
people they you know they want to stay
30:03
because sometimes people they they like
30:05
also to move it's not easy to find the
30:08
people that they are like like us
30:11
>> you know because it's like a marriage
30:13
you know But uh I can say that normally
30:18
everybody starts with us and and ends
30:21
with us
30:23
>> and uh and once you you breathe
30:27
>> the our uh you know our way you know is
30:31
easy to
30:33
let's say that our selection is also
30:35
like this to find people they are
30:37
empathic people that uh they want to you
30:40
know to to make a long relationship with
30:44
Because we normally we invest a lot of
30:46
money to do stuff to do training with
30:49
brands you know things like this we
30:52
spend a lot of time so we want people
30:54
that they want to stay
30:56
>> this the most but once we found it we
30:58
found them
31:00
>> we
31:01
I can say that almost all yeah they
31:04
started their ends with us
31:06
>> because this is our policy like a family
31:09
also especially with employees not only
31:11
with customers. Yeah. And you mentioned
31:14
also training on the brands and on and I
31:17
can imagine also when you have a new
31:19
model that comes out, a new watch model
31:21
is al also important to um to understand
31:25
basically the um you know the
31:27
differences. And I remember a
31:29
conversation that I had with a very good
31:31
friend of mine in um also in the watch
31:33
industry who who told me that there's
31:36
different types of customers. So some
31:38
customers want to know everything about
31:39
the movement. Other customers want to
31:42
know everything about the design and so
31:44
on. Um and also with with so many
31:47
different models I can imagine this is
31:49
also not not that easy to um to do that.
31:52
So how do you how do you um train um for
31:55
these things and maybe tell us a little
31:57
bit about these differences of different
32:00
customer types, different different
32:02
interests that they have in um in
32:06
watches. Let's say that uh normally all
32:09
our brands they they have different way
32:11
of training. There are some brands they
32:14
send the guy to that make the training
32:17
inside the store. But the most important
32:19
brands like Cartier, like Tudor that in
32:22
the same family of Rolex, Rolex,
32:25
Basheron, you normally you have the
32:28
privilege to to make to Omega to make
32:31
the training inside the house or in the
32:35
let's say in the in the factory in
32:38
Italy, but sometimes
32:41
in Switzerland. M so you can you imagine
32:44
you go there you can see how they make
32:47
Vashon Constanten or how they make Omega
32:50
or JJ sometime I can say that this year
32:54
we have the privilege to send 10
32:57
customers of Jerger Le to see how they
33:01
make a watch and this is the kind of
33:02
experience that is priceless you know
33:05
>> because it's a way to to love more the
33:07
brands if you see how the quality you
33:10
touch the quality you see the technique
33:12
missions they make a movement. I mean
33:14
something unbelievable and priceless.
33:17
>> Mhm.
33:18
>> I can say that um you you touch an
33:21
important um um a key part of our job
33:25
and uh two uh it's question of
33:29
experience most of the time. I can say I
33:32
started with Rolex almost 20 years ago.
33:35
>> Yeah. So I saw all the changement and I
33:39
can say that before was uh was um I saw
33:43
many changement this is the moment to be
33:46
empathic.
33:47
>> Yeah.
33:48
>> And very important to see
33:51
>> who is in front of you because uh
33:54
>> I have this the the tools to see if
33:57
somebody in front of me want to know
33:59
something more of the movement if
34:01
somebody want to talk about something
34:03
else. I mean we have to to be also
34:05
psychologist also talk about roles but
34:08
can you imagine for a basher constant
34:11
that normally we can sell watches for
34:13
100,000 €200,000 JJ the same I mean this
34:18
is a for all brands we have uh we have
34:22
to see we have to change we have to be
34:24
like
34:26
come
34:27
>> to change it depends who who is in front
34:30
of you for Rolex I I think that the most
34:34
important thing as I told you many times
34:36
is to be empathic to this is the most
34:39
important thing because of course I
34:40
heard many times the the sentence is
34:44
easy to sell a Rolex you don't need to
34:46
explain most of the time you don't need
34:48
to you know the customer already know
34:51
everything you just question to find the
34:54
watch is true for one way for the other
34:56
way you have to consider that especially
34:59
here we have normally daily 300 entrance
35:03
every day without any filters.
35:05
>> Yeah.
35:06
>> 90% of people ask me same watches that I
35:08
don't have.
35:09
>> So my So what what can I say? What can I
35:12
do?
35:14
>> I have to try to to be kind.
35:17
>> Mhm.
35:18
>> Maybe to make a joke also to to make
35:20
some like to make more more easy more
35:24
life situation. If I'm depressed,
35:26
>> the customer is angry and I'm depressed
35:29
because I don't have the watch, you
35:30
know, everything is over. We start to
35:32
cry. I mean so we have we have to to be
35:35
>> concentrated from 10 to 7 and uh four
35:40
maybe also 100 times it's not easy
35:43
>> especially two years ago that I didn't
35:44
have anything
35:46
>> now it's better because thanks to God we
35:48
are we are selling every day something
35:51
especially to Americans Chinese is
35:53
almost uh uh over uh they are coming
35:57
back but groups like before is is
36:00
finished So mainly we deal with
36:03
Americans.
36:04
>> M
36:04
>> and uh yeah and um when I don't sell
36:09
because I don't have the pieces I have
36:11
to spend my time in the same way in the
36:15
same way. And trust me it's not easy to
36:17
do this thing at 10:00 in the morning
36:20
and at 7:00 after 9 hours you know in
36:24
the same way. Yeah,
36:26
>> because if I make a mistake and I miss
36:29
something,
36:31
customer complain to Rolex, customer
36:33
leave a bad review and anyway customer
36:35
is not uh happy. Yeah,
36:37
>> I saw many many clients they they give
36:40
me a nag just for 10 minutes chat
36:43
>> you know even without buying they give
36:45
me five stars just for a a quick chat
36:48
because our colleagues sometimes uh they
36:52
are very rude or I can also understand
36:55
yeah
36:56
>> because no watches but uh our our job is
37:01
this one sell but also spend our time to
37:04
give an experience even if you don't
37:06
have the watch.
37:07
>> Yeah,
37:08
>> this is a casi policy.
37:09
>> Yeah, I think this is wonderful what you
37:11
said, you know, when the focus on um
37:14
empathy
37:16
um and I I think this is uh um it's it's
37:19
really important especially as as you
37:21
said nowadays. So Lorenza, I think that
37:24
the point that you made about empathy um
37:26
I I was just listening so fascinated
37:28
because this is something that um is
37:31
very close to my heart and I wanted to
37:33
actually actually ask you the question
37:35
what luxury is for you and but from what
37:38
I could understand from the conversation
37:40
my guess is it goes really into this
37:43
idea of the customer service the empathy
37:46
the the what you can do for the
37:49
customers. Would that be correct? Yeah.
37:52
Uh we believe a lot uh as I told you
37:55
many times, sorry, but this is the key
37:56
of our uh uh policy style is uh the the
38:02
experience.
38:04
Of course, everything starts from uh
38:06
from the location.
38:07
>> Yeah.
38:08
>> Because uh once you come inside uh for
38:11
the first time and you see our window,
38:14
our several windows
38:16
uh let's say is priceless. Erh
38:20
all our guest especially Americans they
38:24
they are more emotionals than Asians
38:26
normally Asians everything is focused on
38:28
the purchase Americans they they they
38:32
they also want to share uh this is why
38:35
we love Americans since a long time
38:37
because it's easy to to make a
38:40
relationship with them because uh is
38:43
always question of coming back so is you
38:46
know they always uh if you uh if you if
38:51
you have the right behave
38:53
>> uh it's very easy to to connect with
38:56
them.
38:56
>> Yeah.
38:57
>> And uh also because they they they love
39:00
beautiful things. They love when they
39:02
see my stores that is full of history
39:06
and to also the view when they start to
39:09
to see my history also of my family
39:13
through the book that we give also the
39:15
box and uh you know they they always are
39:21
speechless and they and they always send
39:25
me friends or once they come back they
39:28
we always say
39:30
>> it doesn't matter to purchase again just
39:32
question of a quick coffee to say hello
39:36
and so we have several cast all all
39:38
around the the the year during the year
39:41
the same year also
39:42
>> they come back just to say hello they
39:44
they send me a lot of friends
39:46
>> and this is uh you know the most
39:48
important thing for us
39:50
>> because normally with the locals is very
39:53
easy to make a relationship with uh you
39:56
know tourists less but with Americans
39:59
historically we have a bigger
40:00
relationship ship
40:02
>> especially now honestly
40:04
>> and and so this is what is a luxury for
40:06
us of course uh everything everything
40:09
starts from brands and um and especially
40:14
important brands like I told you
40:16
Basheron like JJ like Rolex Cartier
40:20
Tudor Omega
40:23
>> but we have to make the plus
40:26
>> because when you buy
40:29
Cartiier You buy a Rolex, you buy Omega,
40:32
the watch is the same all around the
40:34
world. We have to make the plus.
40:36
>> Yeah.
40:36
>> So this is also this is the complete
40:39
walls of luxury for us. Of course,
40:41
everything starts from beautiful things,
40:43
>> but you have to add location, the
40:47
family, empathy, you know, these kind of
40:50
things to make the final experience. and
40:54
and this is the target to you know to
40:56
have royal customers that they will make
41:00
a long relationship with you.
41:01
>> Yeah.
41:02
>> This these our targets since the
41:04
beginning of our uh uh journey.
41:07
>> M
41:09
>> Yeah. Yeah. I love that. I think this
41:11
this is really where where the also the
41:13
the future of luxury is is going. Um
41:16
what would you say because also the the
41:18
our podcast is is called the future of
41:20
luxury. Um what for you where where do
41:24
you see the market heading? Where do you
41:26
see the um the uh the future of this
41:30
this business?
41:32
>> You are talking about uh
41:35
brands in general?
41:36
>> Um if you take luxury as as as a whole
41:39
also customers as a whole um will it be
41:41
more empathetic even more in that
41:44
direction that you mentioned? What are
41:46
what are you the big trends that you're
41:48
seeing? I think yes because let's say
41:50
that we have now we have a particular
41:51
moments where demands in general is less
41:56
if you forget about Rolex but in general
41:58
so before was much more easy to sell in
42:01
general now I I'm seeing many brands
42:04
they they used to have maybe more
42:06
request sometimes also waiting list and
42:09
now they are focus more on empathy
42:14
>> I don't want to make to to to do to to
42:16
give you names but you can easily
42:19
understand that we heard that they
42:21
change policy and they are trying to do
42:24
the same like us. Mhm.
42:27
>> It's very nice that um Rolex for example
42:30
in when when they they are still on the
42:33
top but after COVID during 2020 even if
42:38
they they had a crazy demand
42:41
>> they they said
42:44
they they were the first to say
42:47
>> be careful to be kind with customers
42:51
>> because now we are in the top
42:53
>> one day everything can change
42:55
>> so it's very important important to be
42:57
very welcome or to give to offer coffee,
43:01
water, to spend time as we normally used
43:05
to to do it, you know, for us is normal
43:08
but not for everybody. So Rolex they
43:10
they gave the big the big the big
43:12
example
43:14
>> with this behave also to you know to
43:17
think about about the future because
43:19
it's easy if things are doing well
43:22
if you are not careful you can have a
43:25
toxic behave. So it's very important to
43:28
to see the future if something in
43:30
change. It's very important to be kind
43:32
to be empathic because one day when
43:35
things go bad
43:37
>> customer can remember in the past if you
43:40
were rude or not welcome.
43:42
>> Yeah. So is but it's very very beautiful
43:46
to see brand like Rolex they could
43:50
easily have a different behave
43:52
>> to
43:53
>> that Rolex is the first to do the the
43:56
the best example.
43:57
>> Yeah. you know. Yeah.
43:58
>> And they they were very connected with
44:00
us because for us was a normality to do
44:02
like this
44:04
>> from the beginning to to now. For us is
44:06
our attitude from me that I'm the owner,
44:09
my aunt, my father, but also the first
44:12
and the last of our employees.
44:14
>> Without this attitude, you cannot work
44:16
in our family. Of course.
44:18
>> Yeah. because you know uh is enough to
44:21
have one week ring in the you know in in
44:25
in the in the in the group to destroy
44:28
everything you know so we are lucky
44:31
because we are very happy about our our
44:33
staff
44:34
>> and I can say that uh we we didn't push
44:38
so much because uh we we search people
44:41
like this
44:43
>> because if you don't have this quality
44:45
it's difficult that you
44:47
>> learn this quality So it's very
44:48
important to find right people with the
44:50
right attitude with the right with the
44:53
right empathies
44:55
because otherwise it's something that
44:57
you cannot uh learn.
44:58
>> Yeah. Wonderful. Maybe my last question
45:01
is is there anything we missed so far?
45:04
Anything in the you know what you still
45:06
want to share with with our listeners
45:09
that you think uh is is important for
45:11
them to know?
45:13
>> Uh yeah I
45:20
We we said, did we say about the party
45:22
of the 100 years? Yeah, we said.
45:24
>> Mhm.
45:31
>> I don't I don't think so.
45:33
>> Okay. Wonderful. So, um Lorenzo, how how
45:36
can um how can people that listen to
45:39
this find you? So, um we spoke already
45:42
about Ponte Veio. um tell tell them
45:45
again where the stores are and how they
45:47
can get in touch with you.
45:48
>> I think is the the easiest u uh the
45:52
easiest place to find because uh
45:54
consider also that many people they they
45:57
they don't expect to find us they don't
46:00
expect to find watches at all but they
46:02
don't expect to find
46:04
my little store in the middle of uh the
46:07
one of the most iconic place in the
46:09
world. So most of the time is enough to
46:13
come in Ponte. Ponte you cannot miss
46:16
once you visit Florence. You make a
46:18
picture and then you turn your head on
46:21
the left, you find my store and you you
46:24
just jump in and you find me. I mean you
46:26
cannot miss at all in any ways. You are
46:29
coming through the to the beach. You
46:32
will find the big crown and we are in
46:34
the middle. Of course you can find me
46:36
through the Rolic website. the Google
46:40
map, etc., etc. But the easiest way is
46:43
just to find in Ponteo, and we are in
46:46
the middle with a new uh renovated
46:49
boutique.
46:50
>> Mhm.
46:51
>> And the most uh the smallest boutique in
46:53
the world, but
46:55
as uh uh old Rolex um CEO
47:01
and uh the most important director say,
47:03
the most beautiful and unique boutique
47:05
in the world.
47:06
>> Wonderful. Thank you so much. And I can
47:08
just uh I can just confirm this. It's a
47:10
it's a wonderful store. It's one is of
47:12
course you know you cannot beat
47:14
Florence. Um a wonderful wonderful
47:16
place. So thank you so much for the time
47:18
today for the opportunity to speak to
47:20
you and to experience this myself.
47:22
>> Thank you very much.
47:25
>> Thank you.
47:30
>> If this changed how you think, share it
47:32
with someone who needs to hear it.
47:34
Bookmark this show. New episodes
47:36
regularly. The future of luxury with Dr.
47:39
Daniel Langanger.
47:44
Relax. Breathe easy.