In retail, we have to be very close to our customers if we want to increase sales, because there's no point in just showing our product. Rarely will a customer come to us and return if we don't work to make it happen.
In Barcelona, there are several businesses that do a great job with their customer service. The leaders behind these businesses know well that the new consumer seeks to know everything possible about the brand, interact with it, and have a very personalized experience at the time of purchase. And above all, to feel unique, now that the customer is more unfaithful than ever; if you don't give them what they're looking for, they'll quickly go elsewhere.
As retailers, our goal is for customers to not only be buyers but also our fans. It's not an easy task, as we'll have to connect very well with them and get to know them, but if we succeed, it's the best way to build loyalty so they always return.
One of the businesses in Barcelona that works very well on its closeness to the customer is the fashion brand Brownie, created by a married couple with the desire to offer a high-quality feminine product with a Mediterranean essence. They currently have stores in several locations in Barcelona, such as L'Illa Diagonal, Rambla Catalunya, Santaló, or Mandri street.
The brand provides excellent customer service, and what I like most about its retail is the freshness, the ever-present smile of the people who work in the store, who know how to recommend things to help you find what you're looking for. At the point of sale, there is very good information about each product, and the waiting time to be served is very quick.
Another business in Barcelona that works very well in this regard is Santa Eulalia, a luxury multi-brand store for men and women located on Paseo de Gràcia, a good example of a family business that has managed to reinvent itself over its 180 years. Luis Sans, from the fourth generation, is currently at the helm.
In retail, over time, businesses transform. When they are very old, sometimes they have nothing to do with what they once were, among other things, because the initial essence and core have been diluted. It is precisely that core that allows them to be long-lived, and it is something they have managed to work on very well through good service, paying attention to details, and permanently rolling out the red carpet for their customers.
Its atelier of bespoke tailoring and shirtmaking is one of the oldest in our country and gives it a lot of prestige. The team is a good trend hunter, knows how to continuously renew the product offering, carrying out collaborations and alliances with major brands, providing a lot of value to the client. This is the attribute in retail for which the client will take action to go to the establishment.
The restaurant Vía Veneto on Ganduxer street also deserves a prominent place on the list for the exceptional care of details and the adaptation it has towards its clients, not the other way around. They are the center of everything and strive to make them feel unique. Over half a century, the Monje family has managed to update itself without losing that core I spoke of that gives it so much personality and invites people to visit it.
The future of retail lies in human contact, which is why it is very important that the merchant always hires staff who are passionate about the project and share its values to create proximity with those who visit us.
One of the best places to enjoy this, where more emphasis is placed on the essence of fresh produce and the best gastronomic recommendations, are the city markets. It's curious how at some of their stalls, time seems not to exist. These are places where one can still enjoy a conversation about the product, and share recommendations, without looking at the clock. In Barcelona, we have no less than 40 markets to enjoy these moments.