Waitwhile helps Louis Vuitton create luxury check-in experiences across locations worldwide

The Challenge

As Louis Vuitton saw increasing growth and higher foot traffic in their retail stores, they were faced with the challenge of meeting high customer expectations and managing long lines in a systematic way that could be replicated across all their global locations

No longer satisfied with pen and paper, the team needed a tool that would let customers check in with a mobile device.

The Solution

A forward-thinking early adopter, Louis Vuitton began using Waitwhile in 2017. As a world-renowned name, they needed to have consistent customer experiences and messaging that would fit their luxury image and could be replicated across all locations. Louis Vuitton was able to tailor Waitwhile’s flexible platform to fit their needs and ensure brand consistency by making it so that all accounts were being managed on a corporate level before being pushed out to individual retail stores.

To make customers feel like VIPs, the luxury house customized their check-in experience, choosing to have a live host register guests upon arrival rather than asking customers to check themselves in.

Before the pandemic, Louis Vuitton mainly relied on the Waitlist feature and used Waitwhile during peak holiday season in November and December and for special events like Valentines or Mothers Day. But with the onset of COVID-19, they had to change their approach. Once retail businesses were able to open under COVID-19 restrictions, all Louis Vuitton locations began using Waitwhile year round. They implemented additional Waitwhile features that allowed for easier queue management, customer messaging, curbside pickup, and in-store capacity management.

As the world moves towards a post-pandemic reality, Louis Vuitton has continued to use Waitwhile to manage lines, limit the number of customers in their stores, and communicate with guests before, during, and after their visit using SMS on mobile devices. In addition, they’ve implemented the appointment-booking feature, allowing guests to book their visits in advance and have a VIP shopping experience. With the help of Waitwhile, Louis Vuitton has been able to tailor their overall customer experience and preserve the uniqueness of their luxury brand image.

Charles Johnson

Global Project Manager, Louis Vuitton

The Result

Louis Vuitton has found success using Waitwhile on both a corporate and a customer level. On a corporate level, they’ve been able to get a better understanding of their customer experience with help from Waitwhile’s analytics. The feature has allowed them to get visibility on customer wait times, see wait averages for each store, and take steps to decrease them. Individual stores have been able to view their own analytics, monitor performance, and make improvements as needed.

Waitwhile’s recently upgraded version gives the luxury house even more visibility, allowing them to monitor their store locations in real time. Perhaps most importantly, Louis Vuitton has been able to meet and exceed customer expectations while keeping up with technological advances. Their customers have come to rely on being able to use their smartphones to communicate with staff and avoid having to wait in long physical lines.