"A good manager knows how to plan ahead,” says Oren Revach, General Manager of Estee Lauder Companies Israel, “in times of calm, and certainly in times of crisis.” Revach, who has headed the Israeli affiliate of the world-famous cosmetics company for the past fifteen years, has managed to stay a step ahead of the pandemic and has successfully led the company through this challenging period. Until the pandemic arrived in Israel, the Israeli affiliate sold products by Estee Lauder, Clinique, MAC Cosmetics, Bobbi Brown, Jo Malone London, and others primarily in physical locations, through large chains such as Super-Pharm and Hamashbir Lazarchan, in addition to its own network of freestanding shops. In mid-March, Revach quickly transitioned to a more substantial online presence.
“When Corona arrived on March 15,” explains Revach, “we moved all of our workers to remote locations, and 1000 workers began to work remotely.” The company purchased Israeli software to help provide service online, and online orders jumped from 500 per day to 12,000. Workers were taught how to work online and explained to customers how to place online orders. Revach increased his customer service department from 20 workers to 80 so that the company could provide rapid responses to customers waiting online.
Revach explains that Estee Lauder Companies’ greatest asset is its employees. “One thing that I learned this year,” says Revach, “is that the health and safety of our workers in a time of crisis is paramount. Workers need to know that there is someone who is leading and preparing the company for all eventualities.” To that end, the company kept in touch with workers throughout the year and arranged special remote events, such as a company-wide Hanukkah candle-lighting ceremony for 1000 workers and their families on Zoom. “In the final analysis,” notes Revach, “it is the employees who are the direct contact with the consumers. They are the ones who deal with the customers.” Revach calls the level of care and concern that Estee Lauder has traditionally offered, both for customers and staff, ‘high-touch service,’ meaning a combination of quality products with outstanding personalized service. “Brands don’t build people,” says Revach. “People build brands.”
Revach notes that the pandemic has influenced the buying habits of people throughout the world. The requirement to wear masks, he explains, caused sales of makeup to fall. On the other hand, sales of skin care products increased because “after you wear a mask all day, you want to apply something to your face at night.” Another category that experienced an increase in sales, says Revach is that of ‘home-styling.’ Before the pandemic, people would attend events and apply perfume before going out. Now that people are spending most of their time at home, Revach explains, they are purchasing decorative candles, scents, fragrances, and sprays for their home. One of Lauder’s companies, Jo Malone London, produces a wide variety of products for the home.
Apart from his responsibilities at Estee Lauder Companies, Revach is promoting a new social network entitled UG – short for ‘United Genesis,’ or ‘You are Good,’ based on peoples’ sharing inspirational stories, stories of good deeds, and miracles that they experienced. In addition to the social network, which is expected to be available later this month, the app will map social organizations in the area where the user lives to enable users to volunteer to do good deeds. “The app is based on technology which knows how to connect people with common interests, and the basis of interest will be gratitude,” says Revach. Unlike Facebook, which has its ‘like’ button, UG will have a ‘thank you’ icon.
A second project that Revach has developed is JAMA, a social app that is a one-stop shop for expectant mothers that brings together a wide range of information for pregnant women. The app connects women in similar stages of pregnancy and provides tips and explanations from the beginning of their pregnancy until their child turns three years old. Women using the app can connect through shared experiences to feel connected to a larger community of users. The app also features dozens of experts who can assist mothers on topics such as sleep counseling, baby nutrition, breastfeeding, and more.
What does Oren Revach wish for the coming year? Regarding Estee Lauder Companies, he says, “We should continue to offer the best to our customers and know to identify and deal with crises in the best way, both to our workers and our clients – and give the best to our customers.” When it comes to the world at large, Revach says, “We should all be healthy. There should be peace throughout the world, and we should learn to be more tolerant and kinder to each other.”
This article was written in cooperation with Estee Lauder