Tip Top Tailors is fitting itself with a new ’90s image that focuses on fashion, quality and customer service.
The mid-priced chain of 132 specialty stores is one of seven retail chains owned by Dylex, a formerly troubled company that is now debt-free and showing a profit for the first time in five years.
Earlier this month, Dylex appointed Albert Israel, a veteran of the apparel industry, as president of Tip Top and its integrated manufacturing operations, San Remo Knitwear and Weston Apparel. He takes over July 2.
John Dawkins, vice-president of marketing for Tip Top, says the company is aiming to be Canada’s best menswear store, adding, ‘This is the era of under promise and over delivery.’
For the past year, Tip Top has been re-tooling every aspect of its business, starting with customer service.
‘For a specialty store, customer service is the key point of differentiation versus department stores,’ says Dawkins.
‘Research showed we already had an advantage on service, we’ve just raised the bar in terms of professionalism.’
Dawkins says all customer service programs are being developed with the aim of building lifetime relationships with customers.
One of those programs is Tip Top’s Web site, www.tiptop.ca.
The site was designed by Tip Top’s agency, Padulo Integrated of Toronto, and has been up and running since May 14.
The first products being sold on the site are shirts, which are then shipped in special boxes anywhere in Canada via Purolator Courier for a delivery fee of just $3.99.
Delivery currently takes a maximum of three days, but Dawkins says he’d like to pare that down to 48 hours.
Dawkins predicts the Internet will become an integral part of the company’s business – as a delivery channel, as part of the company’s communications plan and as a customer service tool.
And while retail sales over the Web are relatively small right now – Dawkins says worldwide sales over the Web are just $300 million a year, while the menswear category in Canada alone is worth $4 billion – Dawkins expects Web business to explode in about six months.
He says the Tip Top Web site is enjoying a lot of traffic because of the depth of information it provides, with sections such as ‘essentials,’ ‘what we wear’ and ‘what’s new,’ and links to other sites such as the Wool Bureau.
This fall, Tip Top will also begin using the Internet as a customer service tool in a newly renovated store in Thunder Bay, Ont.
As part of a pilot project, staff will use the Internet to e-mail customers information about new arrivals and relay messages such as confirmation of appointments for fittings and alterations.
Dawkins sees this as a perfect fit with Tip Top’s new integrated customer service program. Last spring, the company started a quarterly in-store newsletter, as a means of positioning Tip Top as a knowledge provider, not just a supplier of clothing.
‘Now we’re doing a electronic version for the Internet,’ says Dawkins.
The emphasis on customer service begins at the employee level with productivity-based job descriptions, customer service training, incentive programs and a program that includes keeping on file wardrobe information about individual clients.
As well, a newly introduced 1-800 number is manned full-time by someone empowered to solve customer problems immediately.
At the same time, Tip Top has started a quality enhancement and control program.
More natural fibres, such as wool and cotton, are being used in its fashions, most of which the company manufactures itself.
Compliance agreements with outside vendors have been set up and all items are quality-checked and rejected if they don’t meet Tip Top’s standards.
The company’s advertising is also being changed to reflect the new Tip Top.
Dawkins says the theme line, ‘The value of looking good,’ says it all.
Over the years, Tip Top has been inconsistent in its use of media with frequent switches between broadcast and print and Dawkins says the company will now concentrate on flyers.
He expects between 14 and 18 different flyers, eight for the fall season alone, will be issued this year.
‘We’re going to stick to it and keep communicating in the same medium with a consistent message over a long period of time,’ says Dawkins.
‘The look and feel has changed and reflects how people live and work in clothes.
‘It’s more relaxed, women and children are integrated into the creative, and [the creative] says come and check us out because we’re doing a lot of exciting things.’
There will also be a new look at store level.
Rather than doing a massive renovation project, Dawkins says the evolution will be ongoing.
Changes have begun already with new point-of-purchase signage featuring large lifestyle graphics, a new look for windows, and ambient touches such as new lighting, brighter ceilings and new music.
The final piece of the pie, and the most visible, is the fashion, which Dawkins feels is now right on the money.
‘Fashion is either right or wrong. You don’t get prizes for being close.
‘We’ve brought in some new designers and I think they’ve made a big difference.
We’ll see in August with the unveiling of the new fall season clothes.’
