Case Study: Scaling 1:1 Clienteling at Zimmermann
1. Background & Objectives
Zimmermann sought to harness its elevated in-store experience by layering on data-driven, high-touch outreach—moving beyond broad CRM sends to true 1:1 clienteling. The initiative aimed to:
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Drive repeat purchase among single-order and lapsed clients by inviting them into stores for private styling.
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Prove incrementality of a “store + CRM” channel versus BAU email.
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Build a repeatable framework for global rollout across all regions. Clienteling Testing.
2. Pilot Design & Approach
A. Segmentation & Store Alignment
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Target cohorts:
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Last-season purchasers who didn’t return (single-order or inactive 12–24 months).
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Store-opt-in clients who hadn’t shopped since Resort ’24.
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Store onboarding: Shared outreach lists with each participating store so Client Advisors (CAs) could anticipate inbound bookings and avoid duplicate contacts. Clienteling Testing - C…
B. Multiphase Rollout
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US West Coast Trial (Dec 3):
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Audience: 1,357 clients of San Diego & Hamptons–area stores.
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Tactic: Zendesk‐powered “A 1:1 styling session just for you” email from local store manager.
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Phone follow-up for non-responders. Clienteling Testing - C…
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Sydney & Melbourne (Oct 15):
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1,000 clients invited to Paddington pop-up appointments.
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Personalisation based on each client’s most-transacted store. Clienteling Testing - C…
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EU Rollout (Nov 5):
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800 clients across FR, IT, ES, UK.
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Added structured phone script for no-reply follow-up.
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3. Key Metrics & Early Results
Learnings:
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Hooks matter: “New collection” angle outperformed generic invites—stronger value exchange needed.
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Segment refinement: Single-order clients yielded low uptake; focusing on already repeat buyers may increase impact.
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Store feedback loop: Retailers requested deeper product hooks (e.g. “I know you love dresses—come see our new printed midi”).
4. Enabling Framework & Tools
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Comms Prioritisation Map: Ensured clienteling messages sat above BAU but below critical transactional triggers (e.g. abandoned cart), capping total weekly sends at three Comms Prioritisation Ma….
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Zendesk for Outreach: Leveraged existing ticketing for personalized store emails and follow-ups.
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A/B & Pre-Post Analysis: 50/50 splits and control holdouts measured lift in orders and revenue—essential for incremental ROI proof Business Cases - FY25.
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CRM Automations Roadmap: Planned to automate key lifecycle moments (CA assignment, VIP elevation) once tooling matured, freeing CAs to focus on high-value outreach CRM.
5. Roadmap to Scale
| Phase | Actions | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Optimize Pilots | Refine messaging hooks, broaden segments to repeat buyers | Q3 FY25 |
| 2. Tooling & Training | Integrate clienteling triggers into CRM platform; train global CAs | Q4 FY25 |
| 3. Automated Outreach | Launch “CA Assigned” and “CA Re-assigned” triggered emails globally | Q1 FY26 |
| 4. Continuous Testing | Layer in product recommendations, SMS invitations, A/B new hooks | Ongoing |
Resourcing Needs: dedicated headcount to own clienteling channel, enhanced CRM-retail alignment processes, and tooling upgrades for global scalability.
6. Conclusions & Impact
By tightly integrating data-driven CRM with bespoke store outreach, Zimmermann has:
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Proven incremental sales from clienteling vs. BAU CRM.
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Built a test-and-learn engine that refines messaging, segments and channels.
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Set a clear path to automate personalized outreach at scale—turning every store into a high-impact touchpoint.
This replicable framework positions Zimmermann to drive meaningful repeat growth through truly personalized, 1:1 luxury service.
