While the role of the Client Advisor has always been essential in the luxury sector, both its scope and impact have never been greater. In this article, we aim to highlight the importance of considering the entire customer journey to envision the Client Advisor’s role in a broader and longitudinal manner, expanding the view beyond the transactional moment of purchase.
A broad vision of the Customer Path :
The purchase experience is only one part of the customer journey—a central part, certainly, but one that:
- follows an inspiration and research phase across multiple touchpoints,
- precedes an equally complex post-purchase phase, during which contacts may be inbound or outbound.
Recent studies conducted by IFOP for major luxury Maisons have shown that both pre-purchase and post-purchase experiences are just as important in shaping overall shopper experience quality. More importantly, in some categories, the pre-purchase phase (inspiration, browsing, and research) contributes more to brand loyalty, while in others, the post-purchase experience plays a greater role in fostering brand attachment than the purchase itself.
Before the Purchase – inspiration, browsing, and purchase validation:
Omnichannel was yesterday. Even among digital shoppers, only 10% of online buyers had no interaction with other brand touchpoints before or during their purchase (such as stores, personal shoppers, or relational channels like “live conferences” or “webchat”).
Funnel sequences related to the pre-purchase phase have grown significantly more complex in recent years: on average, shoppers engage with 5 different touchpoints, with an average of 7 total interactions -numbers that have been steadily rising over the past five years, even for repeat purchases in the beauty category. These high interaction frequencies are not endured but embraced by shoppers, reflecting an evolution in research and inspiration practices: the funnel is becoming more circular than linear.
Analysis of this part of the customer path has shown that some of the most influential drivers on key CX metrics (delightful experience, loyalty, and brand attachment) are relational and omnichannel.
While some browsing steps of the path are self-directed, the most impactful steps, especially those driving purchase conversion typically involve a relationship with a Client Advisor, no matter the purchase channel or the region.
One final topic bridges the pre-purchase and purchase phases: booking in-store appointments. Once reserved mainly for Watches and Jewelry Maisons, this option expanded significantly post-COVID. However, it can also be a major pain point, especially for loyal clients, pointing again to the value of a Client Advisor as intermediary.
After the Purchase: Questions, Clienteling, and Inspiration
The client experience doesn’t end at the moment of purchase. For example, around 25% of shoppers contact the brand with questions within six months of their purchase; in some categories, over 60% of clients are subscribed to the brand’s newsletter after buying. Again, these are not passive behaviors, but active choices made by shoppers.
Among the most impactful drivers of loyalty and brand preference, the involvement of the Client Advisor is a common and powerful thread. Contact initiated by the Client Advisor is perceived as a sign of care and is highly expected : informal conversations, tailored recommendations, and event invitations help build a sense of intimacy that extends the purchase experience and brings the brand to life.
For the most engaged clients, the challenge lies in becoming part of their life moments and building a story with the brand. Long-time loyal jewelry clients often have a history not just with the brand, but with the Client Advisors with whom they’ve developed a long-term relationship.
Inspiring and surprising becomes the final brick in the clienteling experience : keeping the Client Advisor informed of new items aligned with a shopper’s preferences, while also opening the relationship to shared tastes and inspiration. From this perspective, the most advanced Maisons in clienteling treat their boutiques as experiential places, merging product and category scenography with exhibitions or artistic events. The boutique is no longer just a place of transaction or information, it has become a space where shoppers come to be inspired, to engage, and to live a meaningful experience.
The goal is to create a loop: the final stage of the funnel gives rise to a new cycle.
Conclusion
Reassessing the role of the Client Advisor throughout the customer journey means recognizing its strategic significance far beyond the transaction. While crucial to conversion, the Client Advisor also acts as a powerful relational lever—upstream through inspiration and support, and downstream through follow-up, personalized advice, and loyalty-building.
It’s no longer just about assisting with the sale; it’s about actively shaping and enriching the brand experience in an ongoing, inspiring relationship.
