Why luxury goods are no longer recruiting… and what this reveals
The leading luxury houses are struggling to fill their boutique positions.
The latest report by the Comité Colbert in partnership with MAD confirms that luxury retail is going through an unprecedented HR crisis.
Boutique professions: a new strategic weakness
93% of brands surveyed say they are having difficulty recruiting store managers.
And even sales functions, which are supposed to be the brands’ showcase, are being deserted. The paradox is striking: these are the roles that embody the DNA of the major brands, in direct contact with customers.
Why the crisis? According to the report, the explosion in demands placed on store personnel plays a key role. Today, a salesperson is no longer content to simply advise. They must :
- master digital tools,
- personalize the customer experience,
- find out more about our CSR commitments,
- and sometimes embody a form of brand storytelling.
Changing professions, but still little recognized
To respond to this complexity, new roles are emerging: Clienteling Specialist, Client Experience Manager, trainers, after-sales service craftsmen. Retail is becoming a hybrid ecosystem, on the borderline between digital and human.
But this transformation is slow. While 77% of companies plan to introduceartificial intelligence into talent management within the next three years, only 13% are using it today. And turnover remains high, due to a lack of concrete recognition in the field.
Towards an upgrade of the frontline?
Some houses are starting to move. 25% have already implemented targeted actions to retain female talent. Mentoring, skills repositories, internal mobility… the levers are multiplying.
But the report is clear: without better career visibility, the crisis is likely to take root.
Also read: Accor focuses on prestige: the move upmarket is gathering pace
