The 1916 Company Creates Timeless Customer Experiences with a Unified, Automated System

Every interaction matters when you're selling timepieces worth $50,000 to $100,000. The business of acquiring and selling in-demand watches and jewelry deserves white-glove service at every touchpoint. Discerning collectors expect seamless, personalized experiences worthy of their investment.

But The 1916 Company had eight disconnected systems across ecommerce, sales, inventory, and finance. These fragmented systems prevented sales associates from delivering the seamless, high-touch customer experience every time.

Without visibility into real-time inventory, associates couldn't see what was available across locations. They had to navigate three separate systems — customer management, inventory, and sales — to complete a single transaction. This "swivel-chair" experience required duplicate manual data entry and significant effort to match information across platforms, undermining the premium experience the company's discerning clientele expected.

If a client wanted to purchase a specific item that wasn't in the store, associates had to make multiple calls and check several systems to locate inventory. Deals could take days to finalize as information moved slowly, sometimes requiring overnight processing just to confirm a sale.

Sales Cloud delivers a complete view of every client

Sales Cloud transforms how The 1916 Company serves its discerning clientele by centralizing every touchpoint into a single, comprehensive profile. Whether a client first discovers a rare Audemars Piguet online or schedules an appointment at the New York City boutique, associates instantly access their complete journey—past purchases, service history, preferences, and ongoing conversations—all in one place.

With this complete view, every interaction becomes genuinely personal. When a client inquires about a specific vintage Omega, associates can immediately see they previously purchased a similar model, know their preferred complications, and reference their last service appointment. It helps create the VIP experience that luxury clients expect.

Using Salesforce Flows and Lightning Web Components, the platform streamlines every interaction. Information auto-populates based on client profiles, inventory searches span all global locations instantly, and associates never lose focus on the conversation. When a desired piece isn't available locally, associates can locate it worldwide and arrange transfers without interrupting the consultation.

The system's real-time capabilities ensure no detail is missed. As associates build deals, they see live inventory status, pricing approvals, and transfer availability—turning what once required multiple systems and delays into seamless, immediate service that matches the caliber of timepieces being sold.

Automated workflows power smooth retail operations

Einstein Activity Capture automatically tracks email correspondence, freeing client advisors from manual data entry. Advisors often exchange several messages in a short time with clients who are passionate about rare, precious, or in-demand items.

"Our clients are collectors building relationships with advisors who love watches as much as they do," says Ian Swain, Vice President of Enterprise Technology at The 1916 Company. "Not having to manually log every interaction into Salesforce because it's happening automatically is a huge win."

Sophisticated controls for high-value inventory

The platform also enables sophisticated inventory controls essential for luxury retail. Using Sales Cloud's permission structure and sharing rules, The 1916 Company can control which associates can sell certain high-value pieces and from which locations, ensuring brand relationships and inventory policies are respected while maintaining security around pieces worth hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Brand partnerships often require exclusive selling arrangements, too. Certain boutiques can only sell specific premium brands while that same inventory remains invisible to other locations. Sales Cloud's store configuration records create a scalable architecture that prevents associates from adding restricted items to deals. This automatically alerts them when pieces can only be sold from authorized locations.

Real-time luxury experiences drive measurable results

The company consolidated eight disconnected systems into a unified Salesforce Platform, achieving a 63% improvement in order closing speed. What once took multiple systems and manual handoffs now happens seamlessly in real time. Associates can commit inventory, process payments, and finalize sales on the spot, dramatically improving the customer experience.  

With Salesforce, The 1916 Company powers 70% of its point-of-sale and service center operations through automated workflows. The suite of tools handles everything from special orders to repairs, with structured data flowing seamlessly between departments. When clients bring in their high-value timepieces for service, associates can create work orders, take photos, and track the entire process within the Salesforce system.

The unified platform also enables sophisticated business processes unique to luxury retail. When discerning clients and collectors want to trade in their previously purchased watches, associates can quickly pull up the purchase history and initiate a buyback process.

Salesforce delivers a true 360-degree view of The 1916 Company's high-end clients, essential for its multitouch, consultative sales process.

The unified platform empowers client advisors to track potential clients, understand client preferences from online and in-store interactions, and personalize recommendations based on purchase history stored within Sales Cloud.
Commerce Cloud acts as a digital entry point for e-commerce customers while Tableau transforms holistic data into actionable insights. MuleSoft serves as the integration heart, seamlessly connecting its mobile app, website, and inventory systems.

This integration across sales, commerce, and analytics positions The 1916 Company to eliminate data silos and deliver unparalleled, personalized experiences at scale. As the company expands, Salesforce provides the foundation to maintain high-touch service standards while growing the business.