Episode Details

Brian sits down at eTail West 2019 with Ingrid Milman, eCommerce Strategist for Ann Inc (Ann Taylor | LOFT | Lou & Grey). Ingrid talks about customer expectations in the digital age, clienteling as a culture, and how to lace kindness into a brand culture from top to bottom - from employee interaction to customer experience.

Show Notes:

Main Takeaways:

• Brian interviews Ingrid Milman the Director of E-Commerce and Digital Marketing at Ann Inc. at eTail West 2019.

• Ann Inc really does have a brand offering for every type of woman.

• Brian wants Ann to bring their retail expertise to men's clothing

• Will consumers begin to treat physical products like digital options?

From UX Design to Customer Experience: Ingrid Joins Ann Inc:

• Director of Digital Marketing & E-Commerce at ANN INC., Ingrid Millman, actually started her career as a UX designer at Goldman Sachs.

• After finding out that she didn't enjoy financial services, Ingrid spent a year in Spain studying art history, after which she moved back to the U.S and took a job with Este Lauder Companies as an e-commerce product manager, transitioning from data and UX design to a client facing position.

• At Estée Lauder Companies Inc for six years Ingrid worked on several big-brand partnerships, like the first partnership between MAC and Rihanna, which is ridiculously cool.

• Eventually moving on to Ann Inc. a company that Ingrid says is unique in that they serve women at every stage of life.

A Brand For Every Stage of Life: Fit, Fabric, and Finances:

• Ingrid explains that Ann has built out relevant brands for women of all ages, and budgets.

• Ann Taylor which is marketed towards women who are their 30's and 40's and are already established in their careers (Ann Taylor also has a fabulous shoe selection).

• Loft is a younger, more casual, but still appropriate for work brand, which can also be transitioned to evening wear.

• And Lou and Grey, which is Ann Taylor's younger millennial sister brand is highly focused on fit, fabric (everything is super soft), and comfort.

• Ann Inc. also has Loft Outlets and Ann Taylor Factory Stores for more budget-conscious customers.

• Brian wants Ann to apply their retail expertise and selection to men's clothing.

It's The Year of Clientelling: How Ann Inc. Brands Are Stepping Up

• Ingrid says that going forward brands are going to have to be incredibly customer-centric, centering their offerings around solving problems that customers have as opposed to focusing only on color pallets and mannequin outfitting.

• Brian loves this and points out that too many brands are focusing on color schemes as opposed to figuring out how to solve their customer's problems.

• Also, as Future Commerce pointed out in our prediction episode: It is, in fact, the year of "clienteling."

• So how does Ann Inc. hone in on clientelling? Well, one way is through their customer servic