Inside L'Occitane's Omni-Channel Global Expansion

By Erin Harris, Editor-In-Chief, Cell & Gene
Follow Me On Twitter @ErinHarris_1

July 2014 Integrated Solutions For Retailers

A new omni-channel retail management system helps L’Occitane reach the holy grail of retail — a 360-degree view of the customer.

L’Occitane emerged from humble beginnings: The chic skincare and cosmetics brand got its start nearly 40 years ago with Oliver Baussan’s small truck and an old soap factory in the Provence region of southeastern France. Today, L’Occitane operates more than 2,500 stores in 100 countries in Asia, North and South America, and Europe. The brand’s global presence is a testament to the retailer’s omni-channel operations and commitment to retail technology. With shops all over the world, L’Occitane wanted to provide its customers with a unified customer experience regardless of how (and where) they choose to shop the brand. In order to keep pace with today’s “anywhere, any channel” customer, L’Occitane had to provide its store managers and associates with a new retail management solution that provides one view of the customer. Etienne de Verdelhan, VP process optimization and CIO at L’Occitane Group, explains that customer relationship management (CRM), omni-channel integration, inventory visibility, optimized replenishment, and in-store mobility were paramount to achieving the goal.