Communication agencies serving the watchmaking industry

The omnichannel challenge

Its image may be a conservative one, yet the watchmaking industry is investing more and more in digital communication, driven in particular by a wish to speak the language of younger generations. Today, a brand's website has become an extended shop window, the place where the customer journey begins.

The physical boutique, however, remains an essential venue for experience and communication: buying a luxury timepiece is still a landmark occasion for a clientele that is often international. So how do you make that experience phygital?

The goal now is to offer omnichannel experiences and to break down the wall between boutiques and websites, in order to build a high-quality customer relationship.

5 ideas for bringing phygital into watchmaking

Here are the best application ideas to run on your in-store screens or across your boutique network: communication that gives your products visibility and shows your customers how professional you are.

1. The "Plug & Play" watch

For some it is simply a matter of symmetry, for others it goes back to the introduction of GMT as the universal reference time. To be done with the 10:10 setting for good, why not offer a representation of a watch in perpetual motion?

You supply high-definition images to your specialist agency and you get a faithful HTML5 representation of your watch, always showing the exact time: that is the principle behind the "Plug & Play" watch.

To convey just how intricate your timepieces are, you can also invite customers to operate the various complications on an interactive display. From there, you are free to embed that representation across all your digital tools: website, window display screen, interactive kiosk and more.

2. The exploded view

While an automatic watch contains around 130 parts on average, the most complex movements can hold several hundred. The absolute record? The Vacheron Constantin reference 57260 and its... 28,226 components!

Because development time, technical skill and precision all come at a significant cost, the exploded view is a way of showcasing the work of your master watchmakers.

Exploded views sit naturally on the product pages of your website, but they also give your in-store sales advisors a remarkable extra communication tool.

3. The interactive configurator

A configurator solves many of the problems physical points of sale run into, while delivering an optimal customer experience. An example? Take a catalogue so varied that the boutique cannot display every available variant, or one that offers personalisation options available only to order.

Another example: the launch of a new model available for pre-order, or a limited-edition watch that cannot always be shown in person. Not to mention the customer torn between half the models on display in the boutique — quite rightly, but occasionally a logistics and security headache when it comes to trying them on.

Beyond a simple configurator, you can also take the advice one step further with a genuine buying guide. Depending on the customer's profile or budget, the digital display can suggest a selection of suitable products.

4. The immersive video

Look after your communication with digital signage on a large screen. To immerse the customer in your world, to speak about your values and about the exacting standards that go into making your watches, embedding video in your digital displays lets you show your workshops and the creative process. Perfect for showcasing your expertise and the artisanal processes your reputation is built on.

5. The interactive user manual

Treating yourself to a beautiful luxury watch and getting nothing but a paper leaflet? Unthinkable! Today, brands increasingly offer their customers digital user manuals, which turn out to be far more intuitive and enjoyable.

Whether it is understanding how to set the watch or how to use each complication, the manual keeps conveying a luxury image right to the very end.

They can be made available on your website as after-sales support, or on your in-store digital displays, so that your sales advisors build up their skills and are ready for any question.

Touchify, a tool for communication agencies and watchmaking houses

Watchmaking houses increasingly turn to specialist communication agencies that support professionals in the sector across their projects: consulting, press relations, websites, search engine optimisation and, on top of that, the integration of innovative digital experiences.

That is how Touchify teams up with these communication agencies to support watchmaking professionals in their point-of-sale digitalisation needs, offering digital signage solutions and tools for creating interactive experiences.