We spoke to Tomiya Corporation, a Girard-Perregaux retailer in Okayama and Hiroshima prefectures, about the strengths of local watch specialty stores and why you should visit them.

Tomiya Corporation operates watch specialty stores mainly in the Chugoku region. This time, we interviewed staff working at three stores operated by the company: the TOMIYA Time Art Store, the TOMIYA Kurashiki Store, and the TOMIYA Hiroshima Store. They have undergone Girard-Perregaux ambassador training and are in charge of selling the brand at each store. What surprised us during our interviews was not only the way they approached the Girard-Perregaux brand, but also the unique hospitality and way they interact with customers at each store.

Tomiya Corporation, based in Okayama City

　Founded in 1932, Tomiya Corporation is based in Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture. They sell a wide range of products, including watches, jewelry, eyewear, and lifestyle goods, but are particularly well-known in the Chugoku region for their selection of luxury brands. Currently, they have expanded their sales channels to include Hiroshima Prefecture, Fukuoka Prefecture, and Tokyo, with each store having its own unique concept and management style.

　This time, we interviewed staff from Tomiya Corporation's three stores, the TOMIYA Time Art Store, TOMIYA Kurashiki Store, and TOMIYA Hiroshima Store, which handle Girard-Perregaux. These three staff members received training as Girard-Perregaux ambassadors and are responsible for selling the brand at their respective stores. This training was sponsored by Girard-Perregaux, and the three staff members recently toured the brand's headquarters in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. While many brands offer workshop tours for their employees, it's rare for a company to invite in-store sales staff to the headquarters. After witnessing the brand's high-end watchmaking process, which combines modern technology such as CAD with traditional handcrafted techniques, the three staff members discussed the strengths and appeal of their respective stores and their approach to Girard-Perregaux.

"TOMIYA Time Art Store" located in the Omotemachi shopping arcade in the center of Okayama City

　The TOMIYA Time Art store, located in the bustling center of Okayama City, will begin selling Girard-Perregaux from November 2023.

　We interviewed salesperson Akihiro Oka. Oka, who had previously worked in restaurants and other establishments, joined Tomiya Corporation in 15. Previously, he was in charge of Tag Heuer and Hublot at the store, but when Girard-Perregaux began selling at the Time Art store and a dedicated corner was set up, he was assigned by the company to be in charge of Girard-Perregaux.

　We asked Oka-san what he values ​​most when it comes to his work.

"When I meet customers for the first time, the first thing I do is try to make them laugh. I don't get too hung up on selling watches, but I also enjoy talking to customers. Of course, we set sales targets as a store, and it's important to aim for those targets. But if I focused solely on sales, I wouldn't be able to enjoy serving customers. It's a 50/50 balance."

　Oka-san says he enjoys customer service and wants to continue working on-site. This is Oka-san's first time working in the watch industry, and we asked him how he approaches watches as a product and the brand he is in charge of, Girard-Perregaux.

"When I changed jobs (to Tomiya Corporation), I thought I'd jump into a field I wasn't familiar with. I've always liked tinkering with cars and machines, and I was also interested in watches. There was a lot of technical discussion, which was difficult, but I learned by operating the watches, and if I didn't understand something, I would look it up and solve the problem. That's how I learned my knowledge. Now that I'm in charge of Girard-Perregaux, I do feel pressure to be the most knowledgeable person (at the store)."

　It is no easy task to acquire such in-depth knowledge of watches, but through the training at Girard-Perregaux, I sensed a desire to deepen his learning even further.

"Girard-Perregaux's training is quite niche (laughs). It's so niche that some of the knowledge isn't even used when actually serving customers. However, the staff member at the headquarters who guided us on our tour of the workshop told us, 'Customers who are interested in Girard-Perregaux are people who truly love watches. The reason these people come to a watch shop is to get some information, or to confirm something and be convinced.' We live in an age where you can find information by searching online, but in this climate, I want to provide customers with the knowledge that only our front-line staff can provide."

　The Time Art store is located in the arcade of Omotemachi Shopping Street, which also has a total of 10 other affiliated stores. This is a rare format for an authorized watch retailer, but we spoke to Oka-san about the unique appeal of this location.

"Because our sales floor space is not large, we allocate different brands to each store. As a result, we don't have the characteristics of a multi-store that sells all of our brands in one place. However, the stores are close to each other both physically and psychologically, so customers as well as staff can easily come and go. Because we're inside an arcade, we're not affected by the weather."

　Although they are affiliated stores, it is unique that customers can move between stores to enjoy a variety of brands. This is probably due to the characteristics of the company Tomiya Corporation. So, what aspects of Tomiya Corporation do you think are its strengths as a company?

"It's a shop with a very open atmosphere. Of course, it's a job, so there are tough aspects, but I feel like the environment is such that we can all work together towards our goals and share in the success of our achievements."

　The Time Art store will focus on selling Girard-Perregaux, with a dedicated section and dedicated staff. On Saturday, December 2, 2023, the store will also host an event focused on Girard-Perregaux. At the event, Masamasa Hirota, editor-in-chief of Chronos Japan and webChronos, explained the Laureato and the new Neo Constant Escapement. Participants enjoyed learning about Girard-Perregaux watchmaking through a Q&A session that followed.

TOMIYA Kurashiki Store: Offering unique hospitality

　The TOMIYA Kurashiki store was the only Tomiya Corporation store selling Girard-Perregaux until the Time Art store and the TOMIYA Hiroshima store began handling the brand. The person we interviewed at the TOMIYA Kurashiki store was Ms. Riko Takeuchi.

　Takeuchi joined Tomiya Corporation as a new graduate in 13. Originally interested in bridal-related careers, she learned that the company also sold jewelry during her research. Furthermore, during a store tour that also served as an orientation session, she found the staff friendly with each other and felt that the atmosphere suited her, so she decided to join the company. Due to these circumstances, she was primarily in charge of jewelry sales at Tomiya Corporation, but in 21 she was transferred to the TOMIYA Kurashiki store. After she began selling watches, she volunteered to become an ambassador because "Girard-Perregaux is my favorite."

　I asked Takeuchi what it was about Girard-Perregaux that attracted him.

　"I like the design. I was initially drawn to the 'Vintage 1945'. I also like the simple design."

　Takeuchi-san is a fan of Girard-Perregaux and was put in charge of this project. Like Oka-san, he also visited a workshop in Switzerland as part of his training as a Girard-Perregaux ambassador. He spoke with great enthusiasm about his experience at the workshop.

　"There was a lot of hands-on training. When disassembling and reassembling the movement, it was quite difficult to remove the parts. What I felt (from the workshop tour) was that Girard-Perregaux has a great passion for watchmaking."

　In addition to training organized by the brand, study sessions are also held continuously in stores.

　I also asked Takeuchi about his approach to watches and Girard-Perregaux.

"Until now, the TOMIYA Kurashiki store (within the Tomiya Corporation) has exclusively sold Girard-Perregaux, but the TOMIYA Time Art store and the TOMIYA Hiroshima store have also started to carry the brand. Of course, we will continue to focus on selling the brand at our store as well."

　What does Takeuchi, who loves and sells Girard-Perregaux, pay attention to when doing his job?

　"Before I go to work, I make sure I'm in the right mindset for work. I also make sure I clearly define my goals and tasks for the day and then get to work."

　At the same time, he also talked about the difficulties and joys of working.

　"Because it's a sales job, it's tough when you don't make a sale. But it's really satisfying when you achieve your goal. Also, although it may be commonplace in customer service, it makes me happy when customers are happy and come to see me. The other day, a customer I was in charge of in my first year at the company came to see me for the first time in 10 years and even made a purchase. He told me all the things we talked about back then and his memories of when he bought something."

　We also asked Takeuchi about the unique charms of the Kurashiki store.

　"Kurashiki is a tourist destination, so some people drop by on their way there. I also think that the fact that there is a parking lot is a big advantage. I think it's because it's Kurashiki that we see so many people coming from not only neighboring prefectures, but also Kansai and Kyushu."

　Takeuchi-san spoke about his work with great enthusiasm and enthusiasm. He said that the good atmosphere was what made him decide to join the company, but we ended by asking him about Tomiya Corporation's strengths.

　"Even after joining the company, I feel that the staff members are still friendly with each other. There is still a good atmosphere among the staff members. I also like the fact that the staff members are close to the president and feel comfortable expressing their opinions. Sometimes, something I casually say at a drinking party is adopted."

　The TOMIYA Kurashiki store is unusual for a luxury watch retailer in that it has a kids' space. The idea to have this space inside the store came from Seiichiro Furuichi, president of Tomiya Corporation.

　Takeuchi is not only interested in selling in-store, but is also keen to attract customers through digital means such as updating his website and using social media. He seems to have a clear idea of ​​what he wants to do because he "loves what he does."

TOMIYA Hiroshima store maintains close communication with customers

　Our final interview was with Takashi Sasahara, the manager of the Tomiya Hiroshima store in Hiroshima City, a bustling area filled with various shops and restaurants. After working in the bridal jewelry industry, Sasahara joined Tomiya Corporation in 19.

　Sasahara places great importance on communication with customers in his work, and in addition to the customer's "purchase experience," he is careful to place importance on the "memories" and "feelings" they have at the time of and after their purchase.

"Maybe it's because I come from a bridal jewelry background, but I don't want my customers to just buy a watch and be done with it; I want them to cherish the memories of their purchase and the experience they have afterwards. For example, watches and jewelry aren't necessities, are they? Sometimes people can't understand why someone would spend such a large amount of money on a watch. But I think what's fun about watches is the drama that unfolds when you buy one - you give it as a gift because you want it to be worn all the time, or you want to leave it to your child. And I want to be a part of that story myself. That's the kind of customer service I want to provide."

　As expected, Sasahara enjoys talking about his work, and he spoke enthusiastically about his visit to a Swiss workshop as an ambassador for Girard-Perregaux.

"What I felt strongly during my tour of the workshop was that I wanted to own a Girard-Perregaux (laughs). I was shown CAD blueprints and models of complications, and I was able to see the craftsmen actually assembling the movements and finishing the parts. I was once again amazed by Girard-Perregaux's attitude (towards watchmaking)."

　Mr. Sasahara is the store manager, and is in charge of educating and training employees. When asked how he would like his store's employees to develop, he gave a typical answer.

"We have a lot of veterans in our store, so they're free to do what they want. I might have the most freedom, though. It's nice to see that everyone seems to enjoy serving customers. As a salesperson, there are times when you have to be mindful of the numbers, but I want them to find value in their work that goes beyond just the numbers."

　Sasahara also shared various stories about the watch market in Hiroshima.

"Hiroshima has many long-established watch shops, so I think it's a place where customers can easily gather. Many people come from neighboring prefectures just to visit our watch shop. Of course, we compete with other shops, but we feel a stronger desire to work together to establish a watch culture in Hiroshima and grow (the watch market)."

　What does Tomiya Corporation mean to you, Sasahara?

　"Tomiya Corporation loves festivals, has a close relationship with its customers, and I think many customers and salespeople enjoy working with watches. I want more and more customers to know about Tomiya Corporation."