MANILA, Philippines – In our modern society, there are many experiences and things we take for granted in our hectic, daily lives that were birthed from the advancement of quiet pioneers in New York City history.
Did you know?
- In 1894, the first motion picture was shown by Thomas Edison on Broadway. This paved the way not only for an industry that serves to educate and entertain, but also a way to preserve memories.
Similarly, it is unknown to many consumers that Kiehl’s, the 167-year-old skincare purveyor, holds a unique position as an early pioneer in customer service — which has not only been studied by the Harvard Business School, but also has inspired the service models seen in some of today’s Fortune 500 companies. In today’s consumer culture, when purchasing skincare products, 76.8% of female consumers wish they had access to more expert advice and more samples.[1] Kiehl’s has been quietly answering that wish for over 90 years.
KIEHL’S HAS BEEN SAMPLING SINCE ITS DAYS AS AN OLD-WORLD PHARMACY
“Customers made pilgrimages from around the world to the original Kiehl’s [flagship] location in New York’s East Village, where samples were handed out liberally to any customer.” Harvard Business Review, 2005
Irving Morse, a founding family member of the Kiehl’s Apothecary during the early 1900’s, valued the personal relationships he had with his customers and encouraged them to experiment with his hand-made remedies before choosing those best-suited for their needs. Kiehl’s “Try before you buy” policy became the pharmacy’s motto – and this principle of personalized customer service plus customized sampling, established by Morse, has remained a Kiehl’s tradition ever since. Kiehl’s sampling practice
[1] The survey, conducted by VeraQuest Inc, sampled 2,110 U.S. adults aged 18 years and older online within the United States between December 11th and December 14th. Results were weighted as needed to reflect the total U.S. adult population aged 18 years and older. Respondents for this survey were randomly selected from an online panel to be generally representative of the age, sex, region, race/ethnicity, income and education strata of the U.S., based on U.S. Census proportions. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the U.S. adult population. The estimated sampling error for the sample of 2,110 respondents is +/- 1.8% at a 90% confidence level. These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
has not only inspired similar programs in today’s beauty industry, but has inspired the creation of modern sampling “beauty box” companies.
“At Kiehl’s, we focus on the quality of our ingredients and the efficacy of our formulations. We are so confident in our formulas that we want you to ‘Try Before You Buy’,” shares Cheryl Vitali, Worldwide General Manager of Kiehl’s Since 1851. “In 2015, we provided over 106 million samples to customers. We are certain that we have a formula to solve each customer’s unique skin care needs and our customers appreciate that there is no risk. They can try the product and ensure it is right for them before making a purchase.”
KIEHL’S WANTS YOU TO BE 100% SATISFIED
There are no conventional sales people at Kiehl’s. Visit any Kiehl’s store in the world and you’ll find interesting, educated, friendly people in white lab coats ready to help you. But don’t call them sales people. These individuals are Kiehl’s Customer Service Representatives (affectionately referred to as KCRs) – and the only similarity to a traditional sales person is their ability to process a transaction upon checkout.
“When we are educating our KCR’s, one of the first things we teach them is the Kiehl’s approach to service, for which our motto is, ‘We’d always rather make a friend than push a sale’. Those were our founding family’s exact words to every employee – and we maintain that philosophy today”states Cammie Cannella, Vice President of Global Education and Customer Experience. “Our KCRs tell us that they love coming to work because, instead of selling, they get to be educators and problem solvers.”
THE KIEHL’S WAY:
A PROMISE TO EVERY CUSTOMER IN EVERY KIEHL’S STORE, ALL OVER THE WORLD
The fundamentals and traditions of service that Kiehl’s pioneered more than 90 years ago are as follows:
Listen to your customers. The introduction of new products and new store locations is based primarily on customer suggestions and requests.
Personalize consultations. Whenever a customer visits a Kiehl’s store or counter anywhere in the world, they can always expect to receive a personalized consultation complete with appropriate product and sample recommendations.
“Try Before You Buy” sampling philosophy. Kiehl’s believes that by getting formulas into customer’s hands, they will appreciate the fine quality, and at the very least they will leave having had a unique and memorable experience.
Simple, informative packaging. Kiehl’s has always believed that the package doesn’t make you beautiful; it’s only the quality of ingredients that can truly help your skin and hair. Therefore, Kiehl’s has always been dedicated to sourcing the highest-quality ingredients coupled with the latest scientific advancements.
GIVE KIEHL’S 5 MINUTES TO CHANGE YOUR SKIN
Customers can visit all Kiehl’s Since 1851 stores nationwide to receive a free consultation with our KCR’s. Each consultation takes only five minutes and will provide you with a personalized, plan tailored for your skin care needs, as well as 5 free samples so you can begin your skin care immediately!
Although sampling and the 28 day healthy skin guarantee has always been deeply embedded in the brand’s heritage, the Let Us Change Your Skin campaign was first launched in the Philippines last year to tremendous success among consumers. Many took to social media and personal blogs to share personal results from the 28-day skincare treatment.
Kiehl’s Philippines Let Us Change Your Skin consultations are available at all Kiehl’s Since 1851 stores nationwide. For more information, visit Kiehl’s Philippines on Instagram @kiehlsphilippines.
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About Kiehl’s Since 1851
We are dedicated to providing the most efficacious and personalized skincare solutions to everyone, everywhere; it’s part of our “Healthy Skin Guarantee.” Come visit our stores to get a complimentary personalized Skincare Consultation care of our expert Kiehl’s Customer Representatives. True to our spirit of service, we are proud to offer you samples of our finest formulas so you can “Try Before You Buy.”
For more information, please contact:
Danise Flores | Media Relations | Centaur Marketing
pr@centaurmarketing.co | +63 917 651 5984