Kitson Exposed

Fashion enthusiasts, Courtney and I, discuss Kitson Boutique through a critical lens.

It Can't Happen to Us

The phrase has become the most frequently used defensive mechanism used by managers to deny the risk of a crisis affecting them. However, companies who choose to ignore history are destined to repeat it.

Crises are inevitably. With that said, it is better to learn from them, than to deny them all together. Our textbook Crisis Management in the New Strategy Landscape talks about crises as both negative situations and opportunities for organizational learning. Important questions to ask: What crisis warning signs were missed? How can communication networks improve so the company can respond better during the next crisis?

In a previous blog I talked about Kitson Boutique’s crisis with US Weekly, and the magazine’s lack of publicity of the company. Thankfully the crisis did not tarnish Kitson’s image, yet it can be used as a learning experience for the company. Changes in the crisis management plan should be made to ensure the stability and safety of Kitson in the future. For instance, Kitson could reestablish the company’s objectives, redesign their strategies, recognize the presence of interdependence in all departments within the company or build resilience through redundancy.

Nevertheless, learning from previous mistakes is a an important part of crisis communications. If a company learns from a crisis than its crisis management plan has been successful.

Peace, Love & Fashion!!!

Using Social Media When a Crisis Occurs

The internet and social media have added new dimensions to the recently outdated practice of crisis management. Events are now reported on Twitter and Facebook, before the main stream media ever gets a word. The internet even allows bloggers the opportunity to give companies feedback. Social media is surpassing old fashioned methods of crisis communication.

Before a crisis strikes, social media can be a useful way to identify warning signs that a crisis is on the rise. The crisis management team is responsible for crisis scanning of social media relevant to their industry. This could be as simple as setting Google Alerts, running regular searches and analyzing blog mentions of their company and products. Developing Facebook pages and setting up a Twitter account are great ways to monitor company fans.

Surprisingly few companies have modified their crisis communication plans to account for the remarkable changes brought on by the internet. Kitson is no exception. I conducted a social media scan myself and found that company did not have a twitter account or a blog. Although the company had created a fan page on Facebook back in 2007, the page has not been updated in quite some time. Opening a Twitter account is a simple and should be a necessary social media tactic for all companies and organizations. Kitson’s owner, Fraser Ross could easily tweet about the company’s upcoming events, new products and celebrity clientele.

As a company that is so heavily impacted by the media, it would be extremely beneficial for Kitson to create a blog. A blog can add a feature of interactivity, as customers and stakeholders can post comments and give feedback, as well as ask the company questions. Also, blogs can be effective means for providing updated information about a crisis. Podcasts and videos are also a helpful way to reach target audiences, especially in times of crisis. The JetBlue apology on YouTube is a perfect example of how social media was succeful in resolving a crisis.

Observing social media should extend into the crisis response and post-crisis phases in order to check the progress of your crisis management efforts. Kitson should include these social media techniques in their crisis communication plan. It will force the company to keep up with constantly changing technology of the time and hopefully prevent future crises from occuring.

Peace, love & fashion!!!

Survival of the Fashionista

Robertson Boulevard is a street located in Los Angeles which passes through the incorporated cities of West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, and Culver City. Unlike any other street, Robertson Boulevard is considered the “Mecca” for many celebrity shoppers. With a variety of unique boutiques, designer clothing and jewelry stores such as Agnes B, Curve, Lisa Kline, Beach Bunny Swimwear, Erica Courtney and Kitson Boutique, there is no wonder why it has become a haven for paparazzi.

According to Apparelnews.net, 1969, Odd Molly and Armani Exchange recently debuted on “Glitzy St” this past week. With so many high-end retailers located on Robertson Boulevard, how does Kitson compete?

First and foremost, Kitson needs to establish a business or competitive level strategy. Our textbook, Crisis Management in the New Strategy Landscape by William Crandall, John Parnell and John Spillan, states that a business strategy “focuses on who the company should serve, what needs should be satisfied, and how a business should develop core competencies and be positioned to satisfy customer needs.”

So I created a business strategy for Kitson. The first step is to serve the consumer, which in Kitson’s case, is a small niche of upper class divas with a lot of dough. This particular niche has expensive taste. Therefore, their needs consist of designer labels, original merchandise and an atmosphere where they can be treated like royalty. Kitson positions itself to satisfy these needs by selling high-end labels like Juicy Couture, Marc Jacobs and Michael Kors online and at the boutique.

Next Kitson must determine whether the business should compete primarily by minimizing its costs relative to those of its competitors or through differentiation, which is distinguishing them self by offering unique and/or unusual products. Since the prices at Kitson are only fit for a queen, the company would take the second option and differentiate itself from the pack. Kitson already does this very well. Unlike its competitors on Glitzy St, the company does not specialize in one particular label. Although they do sell products made by the company, Kitson also offers a very diverse selection of clothing, jewelry and accessory lines, which makes them unique. Additionally, since the company’s products sell at high costs, it makes Kitson a magnet for celebrities, because seriously… what kind of star would want to wear average clothing?

Now let’s not forget that each business strategy has its own crisis-related vulnerabilities. Particularly in businesses emphasizing on differentiation, the constant threat of shifts in consumer tastes can pose a major problem for the company. Therefore, Kitson cannot just keep up with the Joneses; they must constantly survey the industry. This means doing focus groups, in order to know what’s hot and what’s not. Also, Kitson executives should attend fashion weeks in NYC and Europe, and constantly launch new product lines. The fashion industry is tough and it all comes down to survival of the fashionista.

Peace, love & fashion!!