The Fondation de la Haute
Horlogerie sent two representatives to Shanghai, Hong Kong, Singapore
and Tokyo. Four markets for the Watch@Tablet® and as many reactions. Read about the highlights of this Asian adventure.
Rana Karam, Project Manager, and Pascal O. Ravessoud,
Development Director, were recently in Asia to present the Foundation’s
Watch@Tablet® and other projects to retailers, journalists and the
Foundation’s partner-brands.
On course for a Watch@Tablet® in Chinese
First stop Shanghai, where the Foundation presented the
advantages of this touchscreen tablet PC for the Chinese market. Its
training content is of particular interest in a country where retailers
want their staff to be better informed, and sales associates are eager
to learn.
Chinese retailers also need content in Mandarin. The Foundation
therefore plans to have the Watch@Tablet® translated before launching
it in this vast, high-potential market.
Price and product come first in Hong Kong
Sales associates in Hong Kong prefer to advise their
customers, many of whom are Chinese, “the old-fashioned way.” Staff are
well-informed about the products, as are customers for whom brand and
price are important considerations. For these reasons, Hong Kong’s
retailers afford less importance to the Watch@Tablet’s® training
content and more to the catalogues they can consult from the
Foundation’s partner-brands which they carry in their stores. This is a
major advantage, particularly as retailers can download new catalogues
and updates onto the Watch@Tablet® via an Internet connexion, thanks to
which stores can provide their customers with up-to-the-minute service.
Training is a priority in Singapore
Singapore is very much a mature market which attracts a
clientele of connoisseurs. Affluent collectors and aficionados, many
from Indonesia, appreciate the choice of prestige models and the
quality service which retailers provide. The three main retailers in
this island republic show a keen interest in the Watch@Tablet®. As
sales teams change on a frequent basis, this touchscreen PC allows
retailers to quickly train new staff so that the most demanding
customers will continue to benefit from expert advice.
Planned distribution in Japan
In Japan, sales take place at stores but also through
gaishos. These are sales associates who visit the homes of customers
who prefer not to frequent stores. Each gaisho has his personal address
book of customers, and one in two sales in Japan is made this way.
The Foundation took due note of Japanese retailers’ request to
indicate prices in the Watch@Tablet®. Another priority for this market
is for content in Japanese. Deliveries are scheduled for early 2010.
Adapting the Watch@Tablet® to the Asian market
Back from Asia, Rana Karam remarked how “with regard to
the tablet PC, Asian countries sometimes have alternative solutions to
Europeans. If retailers wish, they could therefore purchase just the
software. As a specialist in this field, the Foundation provides
quality content.”
The Foundation will also take steps in two other areas:
- translate the Watch@Tablet® into Chinese and Japanese;
- develop single-brand versions for stores that carry only one brand.
“In an ageing industry, the Watch@Tablet® is something
of a revolution! The Foundation, which is a veritable institution, is
embarking on an innovative venture. The Watch@Tablet® was given the
reception we were hoping for, particularly in Japan and Singapore.
Chinese retailers are also delighted at this opportunity to train their
sales staff at a lower cost,” concluded Pascal O. Ravessoud.
Ceci est l’extrait d’un article publié sur “Dernières news – HH Magazine – Fondation de la Haute Horlogerie”
Lire cet article en intégralité sur ce site.
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