When was the last time while shopping you were excited about sharing your email or phone number with your sales associate? Think about it. We all know the answer. Never. Registering with a brand is that somewhat bothersome step we get asked every time. We don't like it. It is hard to find excitement and value; maybe a tiny one-off discount immediately followed by a tempest of marketing emails.

What's worse in all of this is that we have become numb, to the point that it has become vastly accepted to share our info while shopping online and offline. Isn't this crazy? 

Luxury brands - which know how to play with our emotions and make us dream and feel special - have in place similar solutions, all unimaginative and rather boring. It feels that they also became numb and shortsighted. They all lack to offer, in this particular moment, something more meaningful and valuable for us to be interested in. "Can you write down your info on this piece of paper? Can you type your information on this tablet?" The focus on getting some fancy technology or device in place, and grab as much data as possible. The goal is to start hunting us, the client, on all channels for new attention.

There must be a better way than this. This thought put us in motion.

A Challenging Mission 

We looked carefully at the luxury market. We experienced, first-hand , the same pain in several luxury brands worldwide; it became instantly apparent where to focus our attention. We found our mission. To improve any retailer's ability to provide a better, personalized in-store and online shopping experience - simpler, richer, and centered on human connection.

We felt we could bring as co-founders our combined understanding and background in luxury and digital and rethink, transform, and redefine what digital tools and experiences mean in luxury.

Starting up between Florence & San Francisco

We found ourselves, about an year ago, orchestrating people and ideas across the two most important areas and regions we could imagine. In the magnificence of Florence, I, Marcello, close and connected to all the most prestigious luxury fashion houses. And I, Roberto, in the cool air of San Francisco surrounded by start-ups, new business models, and tech. A tremendous magical and energizing fusion between two magical territories we both love.

Both Italians, we decided to bring to the table our 20+ year each of experience and venture in to a cross-continent cross-culture software company and commit on developing innovative solutions for the luxury retail market. I, Roberto, have previously served as director of digital innovation at Nike and recently founded a digital design agency called Awake here in California. I, Marcello, was the innovative solutions director at Gucci before becoming mobile apps product director at Kering.

During the last year, in semi lockdown for the pandemic and with the virus continuously disrupting our plans, we gathered a great team of talented creatives and skillful makers and gave shape to ALPHA.

What is ALPHA?

ALPHA is our first product. that introduce a new way to build meaningful relationship between Brands products and clients. We call it CONNECTED CLIENTELING.

It is a duo of Apps; one for the store — in the hands of client advisor and sales associates—  and one for us, the clients. The solution unlocks incredible value on both sides.

ALPHA for clients is an exclusive invite to a red-carpet of new exciting brand shopping experiences and services. With an easy and straightforward registration, conveniently from their phone, Clients can connect with their favorite Client Advisors by simply scanning their QR code. And here is where the fun begins.

With ALPHA, the clients can reach out with styling requests and see their feed populated by ideas and proposal that fits their style, to then instantly jump into a chat rooms to further discuss size, colors, alternatives, and availability. ALPHA intelligently builds a crisp picture of their style and personality at every like, dislike, comments, etc.

On the other side ALPHA give the store a whole new set of clienteling tools in the hands of sales associates and personal shoppers: A super-easy way to register and connect with clients in-store; An intelligent dashboard to craft daily outreaches that feel personal and bespoke; A client book that carries a cross-brands always up-to-date profiles full of information about their client’s likes, dislikes, styles, and personalities; and dedicated chat rooms for inspiring one-on-one conversation about product and looks powered with service to book appointment or simply buy the suggestion in one click.

The benefits are clear and measurable on both sides: greater client satisfaction by being inspired, getting attention, getting true style advise, being recognized and receiving bespoke delightful experience, better customer lifetime value and sales for the stores.

Who needs ALPHA?

We designed ALPHA for any retailer , large or small, global or local boutique. If you values the relationship with your clients and want to provide a great, delightful brand experience that is far better than everybody else, ALPHA is for you.

ALPHA can dramatically improve the quality of your sales and client relationship. The duo APPS can significantly boost the sales and increase your client satisfaction.

The solution is not only for fashion luxury. Beauty, jewellery, and other specialty products can get benefit from it.

What to do if you want to try it

ALPHA is available on Apple Store, here

Discover more on www.meetalpha.it

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/company/meetalpha