Why Is HR Such A Challenge For Luxury Brands In China?

Richemont Recently Opened “Retail Academy” In Shanghai

Though it’s the world’s second-largest luxury market, and one that continues to entice premium brands to expand inland while opening lavish flagships in Beijing and Shanghai, China’s high-end sector lags far behind Europe, Japan and North America in one major aspect: customer service. With a dearth of seasoned local talent — and a historical, cultural and societal dismissal of the service industry — virtually every major brand has found HR one of the most challenging parts of doing business in China. In response to these difficulties, we’ve recently seen some luxury groups take matters into their own hands, with Richemont opening its own “retail academy” in Shanghai this March.

This week, the series “Thoughtful China” takes a look at the particular HR difficulties facing brands operating in China’s luxury industry, and what they can do to avoid the usual customer service pitfalls:

Business / Business & Finance / Investment / Marketing & Branding / Services / Trending Topics / Video
by Jing Daily
Tag: customer service,HR,human resources,luxury expansion... , More
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In case you missed them the first time around, here are some of Jing Daily’s top posts for the week of May 13-17.
At the recent Bespoke Luxury Summit in Sydney on May 16, Jing Daily sat down with China luxury experts Regina Lam and Lisa Chang to hear their thoughts on how far luxury brands have come in China, and how far they have to go.
Carolina Herrera plans to open its first China boutique in Shanghai this fall, which may be a smart move for the brand despite slowing retail growth.
LVMH menswear subsidiary Berluti has opened its first store in China carrying its entire product offering in Shanghai as part of a twenty-store global expansion for 2013.
A recent article in "China Daily" states that a Saudi princess's purchase of a gown from a Chinese high-end label signals a rise in the popularity of Chinese design.