January 25, 2024

An Interview with Helen Pilinis from Bobbi Brown

In the world of beauty services, where making people feel their best is at the core, customer service excellence becomes an unmistakably essential ingredient to the sauce. Following The Essence of Luxury Masterclass – MBL x Bobbi Brown, we had the opportunity to sit down with Helen Pilinis, Regional Artistry, Consumer Experience & Education Manager of EMEA for the globally renowned Bobbi Brown. 

In this exclusive interview, Helen shares with us the inspiring strategies that drive Bobbi Brown’s dedication to exceptional customer service. She also gives us insights into the unique challenges presented in the beauty industry, and how Bobbi Brown navigates those areas with finesse. As a seasoned leader of the EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa) Regions, Helen unveils her approach to managing cultural intricacies within her team and their diverse clientele.

This interview also explores Helen’s plans to integrate MBL’s masterclass concepts into the daily practices of her teams, and finally reflects on the transformative potential of Customer Service Excellence training for brands across the beauty industry.

Join us for an insightful glimpse into the world of Bobbi Brown’s artistry in luxury beauty and the impact of excellent customer service.

1. Can you share the top three strategies Bobbi Brown follows in order to ensure a commitment to excellent Customer Service?

  • 360 Training (e-learning, in-store, in-classroom)

– To create consistency with rituals and gestures
– To evolve service offerings and sharpen the service experience
– To develop an emotional connection and establish loyalty
– To execute exceptional Artistry led events

  • Artistry & Service Certification (two different certifications, one for artistry & one for experience to make sure all the above are at the expected level)
  • Capturing data, clienteling with a luxury personalised approach

 

2. In the context of luxury services, what are the biggest challenges that the beauty industry faces, and how does Bobbi Brown respond to that?

Biggest challenge right now is traffic in stores . This is why long-term consumer relationships are important, so we can create traffic through our VIPs. For BB, the minute we have consumers visiting our counters, our Artists are providing teaching services that build the connection. 

Welcoming, Approachable, Personalised Artistry is what we stand for.

 

3. As a Consumer Experience and Education Manager in the areas of Europe, Middle East, and Africa, how do you handle the cultural intricacies of your team and their respective clients?

For us at BB, the consumer is at the centre of everything we do, personalising every service and experience so depending on local relevance we are customising what is needed (based on the feedback the markets are sharing).

Welcoming, Approachable, Personalised Artistry is what we stand for.

4. How do you foresee integrating the concepts and methodologies learned during the Marked By Luxury masterclass into the daily practices of your team?

We would like to see our brand in the top five luxury brands owing healthy glow so enhancing the luxury approach is crucial, and we believe that it is important for our teams to understand through a different perspective what defines luxury, why it is key and how we can offer it.

5. Reflecting on the training, how do you think a Luxury Service Excellence Training could bring a positive change to brands and businesses in the beauty industry?

In this evolving retail environment and with so many new brands launching everyday, the consumer experience and relationship built is one of the most important factors of success and loyalty. 
This is what we need to train our teams in: creating a unique, detailed and personalised experience.

In Conclusion

Helen’s reflections leave us with a compelling motivation to share this experience – seeing the transformative ripple effect that Luxury Service Excellence Training could bring to brands and businesses in the beauty industry.

In this dance of consistently striving for brilliant connections with consumers, performing an artistry service that aligns with Bobbi Brown’s values, and providing high quality luxury products , MBL’s training helped encourage new standards that resonate beyond lipsticks and eyeshadow palettes, into the hearts of global clientele.

Diving into the details of what defines luxury from a truly luxury expert gave a different perspective to our team on why creating a unique, memorable and personalised experience is key. This is what will build long term consumer relationships and further grow the brand.  Thank you Marked by Luxury Team, you definitely wowed us!
Helen Pillinis
Helen Pillinis Regional EMEA Consumer Experience & Education Manager at Bobbi Brown