Adyen has announced it is supporting LVMH with the unification of payment systems across nearly 50 of the group's Maisons worldwide.
The financial technology platform's solutions are being implemented in over 1,000 LVMH stores across Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Americas. The initiative spans multiple luxury categories, including fashion and leather goods, watches and jewellery, hospitality, beauty, and department stores.
Integrated systems
LVMH's strategy aims to increase synergies across its Maisons by rolling out the most effective initiatives group-wide, while retaining each brand's distinct identity and high standards. The company selected Adyen in 2020 to act as its global payments partner, with the goal of harmonising in-store and online payment infrastructures and providing what it describes as a seamless customer experience.
According to Adyen, the deployment has created a number of operational benefits. These include frictionless in-store payments enabled by mobile devices and Tap to Pay technology, reductions in manual data entry, automated reconciliation and end-of-day processes, and the adoption of a single partner for all payment channels, regions, and methods. Each store has also benefited from specialised support tailored to their operational needs.
Staff and customer focus
Sales advisors across the LVMH network have reportedly been able to spend more time focusing on customer service, with payment processes becoming less time-consuming and prone to errors.
"This project is part of our broader ambition to deliver a flawless customer experience, reflecting the quality of our products and the craftsmanship of our Maisons," says Arnaud Bodzon, Group Payment Director, LVMH. "This applies not only to end customers but also to the sales advisors using the solutions. They can now focus fully on their core role - advising and supporting our clients - without having to worry about payment processing."
The harmonisation of LVMH's payment systems is viewed as supporting both operational efficiency and an elevated customer journey in luxury retail environments.
Collaboration goals
Ethan Tandowsky, Chief Financial Officer at Adyen, stated that the joint project represents an alignment in customer experience values between the technology provider and the global luxury group.
"Our partnership with LVMH reflects a shared vision: creating meaningful and effortless experiences for customers in the world of high-end retail," commented Ethan Tandowsky, CFO at Adyen. "Beyond facilitating payments, we're working together to elevate every touchpoint across LVMH's Maisons to make sure shoppers have an experience which matches the luxury goods they are purchasing. I cannot wait to see what we can achieve together with LVMH in this next chapter."
Adyen reports that its ongoing support is designed to enable efficient integrations throughout the LVMH group, supporting the company's requirements at the level of each individual boutique. Project managers from both companies are working to expand the unification to further Maisons within the LVMH portfolio.
Implementation feedback
Arnaud Bodzon also highlighted the importance of adaptation and support in a group integration of this scale. He said:
"Hands-on support is a key success factor when managing integration projects in a group like LVMH. Adyen's expertise has enabled them to meet and adapt to our specific needs."
LVMH's approach, according to Bodzon, is to sustain the unique appeal and premium offering of each Maison, while benefiting from the group-wide efficiencies and enhancements provided by modern financial technology solutions.
The payment unification project continues to be rolled out across further Maisons, with both companies indicating they will continue to focus on delivering an experience that is described as elegant, efficient, and global for customers and staff alike.
