Zoi Pytharouli, Marketing & Communication Director of Notos Department Stores Division, explains how the historical brand follows an innovation highway focusing on an omni-channel strategy.
You recently became Marketing & Communication Director at Notos Department Stores, one of the largest and longest-running department store chains in Greece in fashion and beauty. What challenge do you face with a traditional shopping destination like Notos?
I take particular pride in joining a team and a company that runs one of the most historical retail multi-store businesses in Greece. Becoming a member of the Notos Department Stores Division at Notos Com Holdings S.A., I have realized that, along with a fully capable team around me, the key milestones we need to build on are our history while taking advantage of our credentials to move into a new era:
- Build a distinctive shopping destination based on an already well-established portfolio and clientele but at the same time set new trends in fashion and beauty, represented by new, upcoming brands with high awareness and affinity penetration to new generations.
- Elevate customer experience and paths online/offline to further enhance brand proximity.
- Make the Omni-channel strategy, in terms of flawless cross-channel service, developments, assortment, and synergies, the core of our business efforts.
The historic flagship department store is located in the heart of Athens, on the corner of Stadiou and Aiolou. In the shop window, passersby can scan QR codes, upgrading the shopping experience from a physical to a digital one. What type of consumer are you aiming at with this type of dual strategy?
Building on Omni-channel recruitment, retention, and conversion are two of our primary business focuses. Beyond a specialized product strategy, key contributors to the acceleration of the omni-strategy will be UX developments aiming at enhancing traffic across our business channels. Notos’ existing or potential new customer, no matter their demographics, will be communicated across all potential brand touchpoints, either at physical stores or notos.gr. QR codes in the physical shop windows of Athens and Thessaloniki trigger exactly this business point of view – we give the customer passing by our store in Athens or Thessaloniki the chance to scan and explore our collection exposed in the windows. Therefore, at any time convenient for them, they would be able to look online, shop, or return to the store to try on or see more collections.
QR codes in the physical shop windows of Athens and Thessaloniki give the chance to a customer passing by to scan and explore our collection.
What does the shopping experience have in store for visitors shopping at Notos, and how would you like it to take shape over the next few years?
Experience is a mix of products, convenience, and service. These are the pillars we aim to keep always relevant, updated, and accelerated in the period to come. In terms of assortment, our focus will be on a portfolio consisting of established brands in fashion, beauty, and home, but with additions from upcoming brands representing new trends in the main businesses we commercialize. Service and well-trained teams, willing to help our customers, can advise them based on their personal style, making the customers’ visit smooth and pleasant. That had always been, and will continue to be, our priority. Customer in-store shopping paths will be further refreshed to contribute to a flawless, easy-to-go-around customer journey.
As infrastructure projects along the entire coastal front of Athens have begun to take shape aimed at boosting the capital’s tourism product and extending the tourist season to 12 months, do you believe that the landscape of distinctive shopping destinations in the capital will be affected?
On the contrary… Any infrastructure taking place in Athens, center or coastal, will further enhance our capital’s image as a destination to be visited all year long! They will create visiting triggers on an annual basis that both shopping destinations in the city center or in the coastal part will benefit from. New hotel openings, new experiential projects, and occasions, along with a really well-organized effort on behalf of all involved stakeholders to communicate Athens and its distinctive districts, will accelerate tourism growth, which is our country’s USP, resulting in commercial growth which we count on and are waiting for.
As a lover of the southern suburbs, what would you suggest to a work colleague visiting Greece to see and visit on the Athenian Riviera?
I will not refer by name, but our coast starting from Faliro till Sounio offers a great variety of choices in terms of well-organized all-day beach projects and hotel experiential venues where you can spend the whole day! Traditional tavernas with our distinctive cuisine, bar restaurants with Mediterranean or international choices, and world-class cocktails are one-of-a-kind in our Athenian Riviera. My favorite area is Vouliagmeni, so every choice close to Lemos area is highly recommended!
Where would you recommend a visitor to Notos go after shopping at either of the department stores in the center of Athens or Piraeus to gain the most from their experience in these two important parts of the capital?
A day well spent would be a day where she/he can feel the vibes of our high street life in Athens. Walk in the historic center, definitely Plaka, going towards Aeropagitou and Makriyianni streets, where a lot of cultural, food, and drink ‘gems’ are to be found. Then head to the Voulis & Mitropoleos area but also towards Voukourestiou for even more shopping (and many more…).
Piraeus in my mind is so much connected emotionally to escapes; it can create such good memories! I can be a tourist in Piraeus, wandering and losing myself in unexpected nice places that maybe I cannot recall the next time I am around. I miss Mikrolimano and Kastella’s view – therefore, a day well spent for me would be exactly there!
