Neiman Marcus Introduces NM Service®

Personal Shopping Assistant app allows mobile, personalized shopping experience

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Mar 01, 2012, 09:00 ET

DALLAS, March 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Neiman Marcus is testing a new iPhone-only app that allows customers to interact directly with their sales associates. The new app, NM Service is being tested in four stores this spring — Austin, TX, Dallas, TX, San Francisco, CA, and Palo Alto, CA.

Developed by Signature, NM Service has two interfaces: one for customers and one for Sales Associates. Ultimately each interface provides a more personal, mobile shopping experience for the Neiman Marcus customer.

The customer downloads the app from iTunes and opts into the service. In-store location sensors are installed at key entry points throughout the store. If a customer with the app loaded passes within range, the sensor automatically prompts NM Service to act.

Once the app is engaged, customers will be alerted as to which of their preferred sales associates are currently in the store, as well as upcoming store events, new product arrivals and sales, and emerging fashion trends.

Customers can also mark favorite products, which will automatically be visible to the customer's sales associates. The app allows customers to easily make appointments or leave messages for associates. In addition, they will be able to scan QR codes on signs throughout the store to unlock the latest trends and product information directly on his or her phone.

From a sales associate's perspective, NM Service allows associates to better serve customer needs. The app provides associates with easy access to informative details such as Neiman Marcus store and neimanmarcus.com purchase history and direct access to a customer's new favorite items. Notifications automatically alert sales associates when their customer arrives in a store and provides a Facebook photograph so the customer can be easily recognized.

"For more than 100 years at Neiman Marcus, our belief in the importance of providing exemplary customer service has been a core corporate value. The NM Service App allows us to take our service philosophy into the digital era. We look forward to using this cutting edge technology to make our Client-Sales Associate relationship even stronger, and further enhancing the Neiman Marcus shopping experience," said Jim Gold, President, Specialty Retail, The Neiman Marcus Group.

NM Service allows Neiman Marcus to deliver a highly personalized shopping experience for our most loyal customers as well as to a newer, more mobile and tech-savvy customer.

"Signature is thrilled to be working with Neiman Marcus. Not only do they set the benchmark for exceptional customer service, but they recognize that the key to a terrific retail experience is personal and differentiated service. By using mobile apps to re-imagine the personal touch, Signature sets a new benchmark for retail customer service," said David Hegarty, CEO of Signature.

The Neiman Marcus Group, Inc. operations include the Specialty Retail Stores segment and the Direct Marketing segment. The Specialty Retail stores segment consists primarily of Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman stores. The Direct Marketing segment conducts both print catalog and online operations under the Neiman Marcus, Horchow and Bergdorf Goodman brand names. Information about the Company can be accessed at www.NeimanMarcusGroup.com.

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SOURCE Neiman Marcus