FROM THE GILDED SAFE and vintage reproductions in the Estate Room to flat screen TVs and iPhone and iPad apps, Lee Michael Berg, owner of Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry in Baton Rouge, holds hands with the past while reaching the other hand to the future. “We’re in the celebration business,” his son Scott said. And the Bergs invite customers, family members and employees to join the party.
Lee Berg, in business with sons Scott, Ryan and Chad, says providing customers an “extraordinary experience” has energized the firm from day one. The company specializes in fine gems, timepieces and giftware.
It all began in 1978, when the first Baton Rouge store opened. Noted for individualized customer attention and concentration to fine detail, the Lee Michaels commitment to quality is evident in the choice of merchandise. The Rolex corner, for example, is the first in Louisiana and one of the first in the U.S.
The store itself is a study in classic, timeless appeal. A white Turkish marble façade greets guests, and the main showroom has 12-foot ceilings with waterfall glass on most showcases. Lines are curved; cherry paneling is warm; chandeliers are oven-formed glass panels painted on the reverse side, backlit with images viewed through the glass. Six flat-screen high-definition televisions with Blu-ray players showcase the work of designers and are inset into the cherry panels, combining technology with welcoming grace.
But it’s the soul of Lee Michaels that has kept customers returning, an attitude that begins with the employees. “We live by the motto that our employees are more important than our customers,” Lee says. “We feel that, if we take care of our employees, they will take care of our customers.” Associates have a stake, a say, in how the business is run. “We don’t rule with an iron fist,” Scott says. “They are our extended family.”
The company has set specific core values to which Scott attributes his success. These include guarding the integrity of the company through ethical business practices while providing superior value in merchandising and service; recognizing the value of contributions by employees and associates; protecting the company’s long-term financial stability through sound money management; and demonstrating good corporate citizenship through community and philanthropic service.
The Bergs sit on boards of organizations such as the United Way, Junior Achievement, the Red Cross Museum, the New Orleans Ballet Association, Jewelers of America, and Jewelers for Children. “We have a long history of giving back,” Lee says.
Scott adds, “Everyone is involved in some way in the community. It’s not just in name — we roll up our sleeves and help.”
Key personnel at Lee Michaels say they “make events extraordinary” by inviting designers to make personal appearances in the store. “Customers want an experience they can’t get anywhere else, and we offer that by bringing the designer to them,” says Amy Graham, advertising manager. In years past, they’ve hosted David Yurman, John Hardy, Ivanka Trump and Konstantino. “We are excited for one this fall with Ippolita,” she says. “It just makes what would have been an ordinary trunk show extraordinary.”
The Bergs say they’re in the business of making memories and marking milestones, assisting customers as they select visual representations of life’s high points. Scott says it’s especially meaningful when, for instance, he has the opportunity to help a young man chose a ring — a young man whose parents bought their rings from his father. “Now I’m helping the son or daughter of that couple … we’re part of their family.” “Our trademark slogan is, ‘Every box has a story,’” Lee says. “What that means to us is every box — whether celebrating an anniversary, Christmas, the birth of a baby —celebrates a change in someone’s life, and we’re honored to help commemorate it.”
The company is moving forward. In the fall of 2011, Lee Michaels implemented iPads in every store, and there’s a Lee Michaels Diamond Buying Guide app that consumers can download. Although technology-savvy younger customers enjoy this feature, it spans the generations. “I was working with a father-son combination, showing rings, and I brought out the app,” Scott recalls. “Father and son were both blown away. The son downloaded the app for his own iPad, and the father felt like he was having a true educational, 21st-century experience.”
Graham says, “We wanted to create a tool that could be used for the associates to help them find an easier way to explain to customers about diamonds’ cut, clarity … it can be hard to talk about those things without a visual. Having the app provides a much more interactive experience. The customer can see the difference and can in turn download the images at home or take it with them to do competitive shopping.” “It gives us an advantage,” Lee says. “It makes us different, makes us relevant, and certainly makes us progressive.”
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Metairie, LA Lee Berg, Scott Berg, Ryan Berg, Chad Berg 1978 Opened featured location: 2011 Area: 5,000 square feet Total number of locations: 8 Employees: 11 full-time, 4 part-time Top 10 brands: Rolex, Patek Philippe, Omega, TAG Heuer, David Yurman, John Hardy, Ippolita, Roberto Coin, Mikimoto, Marco Bicego. Tagline: Every box has a story ONLINE PRESENCE: Alexa Traffic Rank: 953,697 Facebook: 1,881 Likes
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