Melissa Chen Email & Phone Number

Chicago, Illinois, United States

• Managing VIP Experiences: Tailoring personalized services for VIP guests, ensuring their expectations are exceeded, and curating unique, memorable experiences.• Event Coordination: Organizing and executing private events, including corporate gatherings, celebrations, and high-profile parties, while collaborating with other departments to meet the needs of the clientele.• Team Leadership: Supervising and training a team of hosts, ensuring consistent service standards and fostering a positive work environment.• Guest Relations: Building strong, lasting relationships with repeat customers and high-net-worth individuals to drive customer loyalty and retention.• Operational Efficiency: Overseeing guest check-ins, reservations, and special requests, ensuring smooth front-of-house operations and managing any service challenges.• Collaboration with Management: Working closely with the bar and restaurant managers to ensure effective communication and to enhance guest experiences.

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Developed and implemented comprehensive social media strategies that aligned with overall business objectives, significantly enhancing brand presence and visibility across platforms.Created and curated engaging, high-quality content across various social media platforms, driving user engagement and fostering brand loyalty.Managed a portfolio of high-profile clientele, delivering personalized styling and branding solutions tailored to their unique needs, effectively elevating their public image.Curated and executed activations for key launches, partnering with major leagues for cross-collaborations that broadened brand reach and engagement.Fostered a positive online community by actively engaging with followers, building strong relationships, and enhancing the brand's reputation.Monitored social media performance and tracked key metrics, providing actionable insights that optimized strategies and improved overall results.Partnered with on-premise accounts to curate a successful weekly brunch series, resulting in a 20% increase in spirit sales.Managed and maintained social media profiles across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn, e

Chicago, Illinois

• Fashion Consulting: Offered personalized styling advice to high-profile clients, creating unique shopping experiences.• Client Relationship Management: Maintained a $3M client book, ensuring satisfaction and fostering repeat business.• Sourcing Exclusive Items: Assisted clients in locating rare, sought-after fashion pieces.• Sales Maximization: Delivered exceptional service, meeting personal and store sales goals.• Product Knowledge: Stayed informed on current trends and seasonal collections, ensuring clients had access to the best options.• Client Loyalty: Built strong client relationships, creating a welcoming environment and understanding evolving preferences.• Shoe Brand Ambassador: Led the growth of the men’s shoe department, increasing sales from $2M to $14M over four years.Accomplishments:• Grew a $3M client book, generating repeat business and high-value sales.• Increased men’s shoe department sales from $2M to $14M in four years.• Recognized for exceptional relationship management, resulting in long-term client loyalty.• Consistently exceeded sales goals, supporting Saks’ luxury reputation.• Developed a reputation for personalized service, enhancing client retention.• Inspired the Digital Stylist program, which became a blueprint for expansion across stores.

Chicago, Illinois

Leads the sales floor and drives store results through the selling teamExecutes short and long term strategies to drive store salesDrives store sales and growth by personally selling to customersRole models and coaches best-in-class selling behaviorsDisplays expert product knowledge and helps grow associates’ product knowledge which in turn, enables high performance sellingAssists in the observation and training of new associates, including mentoring and serving as a shadow partnerProcesses customer transactions accurately and efficiently as neededRecovers merchandise to brand standards, while assisting customersDelivering top line sales results and growing the business through business insight to actionLeading the sales floor while assigned to the role of the Customer Sales Lead (CSL)Maintaining a focus on bras as the premier product differentiator, to build loyalty and support our "Best at Bras" cultureCreating emotionally engaging customer experiences, consistent with the brand visionBuilding customer loyalty through current brand strategies, including credit (US only) and customer relationship marketingBuilding and growing high performing teamsLeading change through positivity and a growth mindsetUpholding positive associate relations that lead to engagement in the brand and the teamUnderstanding and leveraging visual merchandising filters to create a compelling store environment that grows salesDriving operating fundamentalsEffectively managing and controlling expensesExecuting store opening and closing proceduresCreating an awareness of, and building capability in, loss preventionReinforcing store strategy to reduce shrinkManaging all activities related to providing a safe work environmentUnderstanding, demonstrating and enforcing Company values

Chicago

• Build lasting relationships with clients by contacting them to follow up on purchases, suggest new merchandise, and remind them of upcoming events. • Execute sales strategies to contribute to store sales by exceeding individual goal by 56%. • Recommend, select, and help locate and obtain merchandise based on client needs and desires. • Embraced brand direction by providing product knowledge and fashion direction with clients on a daily basis. • Provide high level of service to each and every client

• Promote and upsell extensions of business: Lids loyalty program and Embroidery• Manage team of 5 through use of company training programs• Maintain strong product knowledge for use in selling, merchandising, and giving feedback as requested.• Prepare store schedules and provide for proper store coverage at all times, within the guidelines for wage control set by the company.• Provide exceptional customer service to produce sales gains.

Chicago

• Responsible for in house operations of stores up to $5M in clothing, shoes and accessories boutique• Established productivity goals and motivated staff to exceed sales and clientele targets • Build lasting relationships with clients by contacting them to follow up on purchases, suggest new merchandise, and remind them of upcoming events. • Contribute to making store sales plan and goals. • Execute sales strategies to increase store sales and profit. • Recruit, hired, trained, and molded new staff on company culture and lifestyle to accommodate demographic at various locations• Prepared and analyzed market specific trend, buying, and competitor reports to increase sales• Designed, implemented and scheduled innovative visual merchandising standards and displays• Controlled business variables through establishing a proactive clientele program and creative print and word-of-mouth promotional materials • Consistent track record of success and performance in a leadership position. • Managed locations with an ownership/entrepreneur mentality

• Recruited, hired and trained new staff • Conduct orientation, training, and manage sales associates and the sales floor. • Monitor inventory, sales, and loss prevention. • Maintain and exceed sales, inventory, and store level goals. • Displaying both merchandise and product, as well as marketing materials and advertising campaigns, in compliance with the company’s regulations. • Execute merchandise transfers, returns and/or damages, and returns-to-vendor (RTV's). Order supplies and inventory. • Communicate with the buying and allocation departments about trends, product/style issues, and competitive product/stores. • Understand and communicate company policies with sales associates. • Support advancement of sales associates within the company. • Managed Stratford, Woodfield, Orland Park and Bolingbrook locations.

Greater Chicago Area

Promotion: Bacardi, Grey Goose, CazadoresPromote brand products and create consumer awareness through sampling at different venues. Building and sustaining business relationships with key accounts for multiple brands. Organizeand execute sampling events. Survey competitive activity, inform senior managers and act upon information when necessary. Promote specialty cocktails and promotions for the account.

1415 N. Ashland

• Served customers by providing merchandise• Completed store operational requirements by scheduling and assigning employees• Maintaining store staff by recruiting, selecting, orienting and training employees• Maintains store staff job results by coaching, counseling, and disciplining employees, planning, monitoring and appraising job results• Ordering/buying appropriate merchandise to meet clients needs – attended Magic Trade show • Maintain visual standards and appearance of store. • Plan and organize in-store events and meet & greets.

• Assists Store Manager in creating, promoting, and overseeing a fun profitable store• Oversee well-trained and developed team• Shortage control, safety, and mall involvement • Maintain a friendly, professional behavior at all times• Follow daily opening and closing procedures, • Hiring, training, and mentoring sales associates, • Make sure the store runs smoothly when the SM is not present. • Head Cashier at State and Michigan locations. ASM at North Riverside location.

• Assisted as Co-Manager/temp SM to exceed the store’s goals• Follow daily opening and closing procedures • Hiring, training and mentoring Fashion Consultants • Comply with policies and procedures at all times• Ensure the 2 – floor store runs smoothly when SM is not present • Maintain a high level of energy and enthusiasm at all times • Coordinated company’s first fashion shows in each grand opening, managed Chicago, Yorktown and Woodfield mall locations.

Handle fast pace high volume service, manage locations when Leads/Supervisors are not present, operate and handle cash register, follow daily opening and closing procedures, developed better customer service skills, trained new interns, entertained guests, embrace company culture.