<\/p>\n
\n\tElyse Walker may have been in business for 27 years, but she\u2019s been working in retail since she was 14, at her mom\u2019s store putting shoes on women\u2019s feet. To this day, her heart lies on the shop floor, specifically the dressing room, where she\u2019s able to provide customers with what she considers a true luxury experience.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI don\u2019t think luxury has anything to do with price point. I think true luxury is someone that you\u2019re working with telling you \u2018You know what, I don\u2019t think you need that. I think we can do better.\u2019 To me, that\u2019s true luxury,\u201d said Walker at WWD\u2019s 2026 Women in Power event on Monday in New York City.<\/p>\n
\n\tCustomer relations has been central to the veteran merchant\u2019s philosophy on building a viable retail business, along with the relationships she nurtures with her employees \u2014 some of whom have been with the company for 22 years.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cWhat\u2019s our most valuable asset? It\u2019s not a sweater or jewelry, but it\u2019s our people,\u201d said Walker.<\/p>\n
\n\tAfter the tragic Pacific Palisades fire destroyed the town\u2019s homes and businesses along with Walker\u2019s stores, the Women in Power honoree went into survival mode, assessing the situation and mobilizing, relocating the Pacific Palisades staff to different stores, renting houses, as well as buying bicycles for them to commute. Walker never let one person go from her Pacific Palisades team.<\/p>\n
\n\tThat\u2019s a testament to her leadership, composure and ability to manage multiple moving parts during a time of crisis. Faced with the loss of not one but two stores, she prioritized people over profits, ensuring her team had both jobs and support as they navigated the aftermath of the disaster.<\/p>\n
\n\tBeyond her compassion, Walker has good instincts. Although educated as a mathematician, the retailer believes that \u201cintuition always beats the numbers,\u201d adding that \u201cinstinct and authenticity will outbeat any reporting\u201d when it comes to which styles to buy, how many and which one of her eight stores (nine by the end of the year) to stock it in.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI think you shouldn\u2019t take on a trend if you don\u2019t feel it. If it\u2019s not authentic and it\u2019s not organic, it\u2019s not going to translate in your business,\u201d advised Walker. She, on the other hand, has an advantage in that she has multiple stores and can test out a trend at a larger one before introducing it to the rest.<\/p>\n
\n\tAfter nearly three decades in business, Walker said the most meaningful compliment she hears is that mothers, daughters and granddaughters can all find something they love in her store. For Walker, success isn\u2019t about chasing fleeting trends but about creating a place that resonates across generations and where customers want to return time and time again. That enduring appeal, she believes, is what allows the store to remain a vital part of the neighborhood and its community.<\/p>\n
#Elyse #Walker #Customer #Retention #Relationships #Rebuilding<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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