The last five years have been a challenging time for John Lewis. Under the chairmanship of Dame Sharon White, the Partnership had to navigate the challenges of Brexit, Covid, and a cost-of-living crisis. During White’s tenure as chairman, she took the business from a pre-tax loss of £517 million ($688 million) in the year ending January 2021 to a pre-tax profit of £126 million ($168 million) before stepping down in February 2025. And with a new leadership team in place, the return of ‘Never Knowingly Undersold’ and a newfound confidence, the business is once again thriving.
A cornerstone of that recovery is an absolute commitment to customer service. This forms one of the four key drivers to growth in the refreshed Plan.
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John Lewis Partnership rank on the Fortune 500 Europe
Once the preserve of the rich and famous, thanks to John Lewis, having your own stylist is now accessible to everyone.
It started out as an informal chat with one of the Partners earlier this year; I was bemoaning the fact that I felt my dress style had become sadly predictable; the bottom line was that I badly needed a makeover.
With that, the idea was borne: how would I like to have a personal styling session, courtesy of the Partnership? More of that later.
Personal styling is not the only such service offered; the homeware and furnishing department offers similar services, as does the nursery department. All have proven to be very popular.
Katie Papakonstantinou, Director of Services and Hospitality at John Lewis, said: “Personal styling is one of the many services and experiences that we offer in-store, helping us provide customers the best shopping experience possible. It’s hugely popular, with our team helping over 2,000 customers a week find the perfect outfit.
She continued, “Whether it’s a booked appointment or a quick impromptu chat at our styling studios, our team is always on hand to offer expert, friendly, impartial advice to help customers find the right styles, shapes, and products to match their needs.”
“Personal styling is one of the many services and experiences that we offer in-store, helping us provide customers the best shopping experience possible…”
Katie Papakonstantinou
And the success of the service can be judged by the fact that it has contributed to an increase of six points in the business’s net promoter score.
And what of my experience?
On arrival at their Oxford Street menswear department, the ever-affable Mark Lewis (no relation) greeted me with a beaming smile. I wondered what I’d let myself in for; however, I shouldn’t have worried.
Mark has styled hundreds of people, including Ed Miliband, Dermot O’Leary, and John Lewis CEO Nish Kankiwala, so I was in safe hands.
My curiosity was piqued when he led me to The Speak Easy, an innocuous-looking display that hid a surprise.
And the success of the service can be judged by the fact that it has contributed to an increase of six points in the business’s net promoter score.
On opening the door, a large hidden dressing room was revealed. Prior to the appointment, I was asked a number of questions regarding my size, preferences, and what kind of outfit I was looking for, thus fully briefing Mark, who had already picked out numerous outfits for me to try.
And this was where the service differed markedly from a curated online experience. This was the creation of a new look, using new (for me) fabrics, styles, fits, and colours. It was a multi-sensory experience where I needed to feel and touch the fabric, try on, and experiment, something that online could never replicate.
Appointments are normally two hours, and the time flew by as Mark moved seamlessly from jackets to trousers to shirts, mixing and matching as we went until the dressing room was awash with outfits of various sizes and colours. He constantly probed and gently took me out of my comfort zone, suggesting different styles whilst not scaring me with something too outrageous. The result was that I was trying some unfamiliar brands, which otherwise I doubt I would have considered.
Mark Lewis (L) and Andrew Busby (R):
At the end of the appointment, the big reveal! We had arrived at my new look, ready for its first outing on stage the following week at a retail conference. And I have to say that I was and am thoroughly delighted with it.
As an experience, it was second to none, and I cannot speak highly enough of Mark. You are truly made to feel like a VIP. And of course, unlike online, there’s no staging (purchasing solely for social media posts then returning) or bracketing, as this was done in real time, where unwanted garments were returned straight to the shop floor, hence eliminating returns as we know them.
The service is free, and you are under no obligation to purchase anything, although I suspect that most people do.
