Style and Time.
It took more than six years from the time that we talked with Francois Thiebaud, President of Tissot – one of the most successful Swiss watch companies.
Surely our readers have long noted a dramatic change in the image of the brand, the design of its collections and marketing activities of the company.
Too Classic clocks were replaced with bright modern models, and dynamic youth, however, preserving all the features of the traditional Swiss watch brand.
The company today is the official timekeeper of the famous racing MotorGP, the NASCAR racing, the championship and the Fencing World Cup, as well as official partner of the International Cycling Union.
These changes can surely be attributed to bright and motivated President Tissot.
Conversing with Francois Thiebaud, we were prepared for the fact that this is not an ordinary interview.
By asking the question, you can get such a volume response, that he would go far beyond the themes outlined by the question.
But just do not notice so much fun and enthusiasm to our interlocutor says.
And in the end it turns out that all the topics covered and uncovered.
And readers, we hope, will enjoy the upcoming journey to the world of Tissot, along with its president.
Clock.
Style and Time: During our first conversation, you said that the brand Tissot is too conservative, too classic and traditional.
The changes we are seeing today are obvious.
Before us is a brand offering a bright, interesting model of modern design, sometimes with a certain touch of the classics.
Trudeau was it bring about this change? Francois Thiebaud: To be honest, it is not difficult.
If you look at our historical models, you will notice that today they look very modern.
Create hours requires imagination.
And we must always be aware of the world in which you live today.
Our world – the world of computerization.
Computer helps designers create.
They can change the shape and color, add diamonds and immediately see the result.
Just imagine that before the computer to appear in the watch industry, manufacturing hours were long and complex process.
The idea that came to your mind, designers have expounded on paper sketches.
Then made drawings and then created a prototype model.
If the prototype was not fit – for example, too large or small, or even you something did not suit him, I had to redo everything again.
Sometimes we have had to build several prototypes before you achieve the desired result.
It took time and money, of course.
Today, with the advent of the computer has changed the situation dramatically.
The idea emerged from you put into the computer, and here you can play with it as you wish.
Change dials, color, body shape .
.
.
In this case, you have always at hand a three-dimensional model of a clock.
So with the help of a computer, you can create something truly extraordinary.
And it helps to save the time.
However, any technical means – only the tools, assistants Designers.
First of all, any company should be mindful of their individuality, uniqueness.
In Tissot’s got personality.
Over time, Tissot is one of the best innovative companies.
Referring to the XX century.
In those days, the brand Tissot enjoyed great popularity along with such recognized grandees of watchmaking, such as, Omega.
The historical achievements of which we claim are absolutely real evidence in the form of books, historical documents of our products, etc.
In 1953, Tissot has produced the first Model Navigator to display world time -.
.
All 24 time zones.
We were the first watch company to start work with unusual materials – granite, pearl, ceramics.
We have also produced the world’s first plastic mechanical clock 10 years before the Swatch.
This spirit of innovation helps us to use the latest advances in technology, creating with them a more modern clocks are adapted to our rapid time.
I always tell my staff: Remember, Tissot is not our individuality – the individuality of this company.
We are working at full capacity, not forgetting the fact that we are part of the largest watch group in the world – Swatch Group.
Swatch Group has always been famous for its fighting spirit.
However, our company – Tissot, which has a clear directive that we must work just as well as Swatch Group, but try to be better.
There is another very important thing.
We do not work for his own pleasure and for the pleasure of customers.
After all, in the end, they purchase our products.
We try to find out what our customers what they expect from the clock.
It is also necessary to take into account the overall situation and trends in order to better understand their customers.
This is our approach to work.
And, in my opinion, is the best approach of all.
At a press conference held at the Baselworld 2007 trade show, you’ve heard that this year, the Swiss watch industry achieved record growth, measured in tens of percent.
Naturally, all this is very welcome.
But I want to note that Tissot brand to increase its growth by tens of percent over the past 11 years, every year.
And it’s all over the world, not only in emerging markets such as Russia, China and Ukraine.
Ch CiV: Very impressive performance.
FT .
: Do you know what the signs of success? If I see you smile, discovering Tissot and its products, this is a success.
This means that you share with us all the happiness that we are working in the company.
Take a look at my team – they are all happy.
Our international brand and management team is also international.
Representatives of eight nationalities working in our management team: from Sweden, Colombia, China, Poland, Italy, England, France and America.
That is why the Tissot brand is so successful worldwide.
Ch CiV: You are the author so nazyvaemots T-concept.
FT .
: I like the letter T because it begins with my name (laughs), and the name of Tissot.
There is a T and the logo of our company.
The main characteristic features of the Tissot – technology and trend – also begin with T.
We can imagine the whole of T-wave and play a bit with it.
But above all, T refers to the word time (time), and the time for different people differently.
For example, to create a child, a man need only seconds.
A woman should be as much as nine months to make a baby and give it life.
Before us is the magic, the mystery of life, we still do not know its clues.
And no computer is able to calculate and reproduce it.
That is my perception of the physical life.
Unfortunately, people are not able to live 1000 years, a maximum of 100.
And at best.
But suppose that we live 100 years.
The first twenty are kind of clueless.
All want to grow and grow, because we – the children.
At the age of 80 years, the time comes to retreat from active life.
80 -20 – is only 60 years old.
What is 60 years? Only three times on 20.
Realizing this, you begin to appreciate life, you start to really breathe.
A person needs to breathe, but often we do not think about it.
And try to cover the nose and mouth at the same time, and you can not think about anything else, just for a breath of air.
It’s the same with life.
No need to complicate your life to the limit, it is best to enjoy every moment, every place in which you find yourself.
And in this, I think, the key to success – to enjoy their lives.
Ch CiV: Today, many Swiss watch brands seeking to enter the higher price segment.
Will you follow the general trend? FT .
: No, we do not want to do that.
Of course, we adapt to modern realities.
Use more expensive materials such as gold or titanium, are very popular today.
But the brand Tissot has the ability to save the democratic price due to the number of products.
I really believe that if you will not let a lot, you do not have the opportunity to develop the technology to develop new machines and equipment.
Production of limited series is akin to crafts – manual labor prevails mainly.
The same situation is in the automotive industry.
One produces a thousand cars, and the other – a million.
Which of these two options would prefer the majority of people? Sure enough, the second because it is more reliable and verified.
So that means the number of quality for us – we have an opportunity to control every step of our production line.
It should be remembered that the Tissot – it is part of Swatch Group, which is a kind of pyramid.
At the bottom it is Swatch, and at the very top – Breguet.
Tissot is located just in the middle.
According to the number of products we are second only to Swatch.
However, since Swatch is not a traditional brand, we can say that the Tissot and his 2.
5 million.
Hours per year ranked first in the industry among the classic brands.
At the same time we are leaders not only in the big countries of the world, but also in the small ones like Switzerland.
One may ask how we can do it in an environment of such a huge number of brands? Why is only one Swiss Tissot at 502 points of sale? All because the Swiss are smart people, they are well versed in the watch industry.
And understand that buying a Tissot watch, they get a great product with excellent quality at a good price.
And most importantly – our company has managed to create a name for yourself and maintain it for 154 years.
This means that buying a Tissot watch, clients receive full service which is available all over the world No matter where they purchased – in the United States, Russia, and Ukraine.
This is our strength.
Many companies of those who are today saying that they offer genuine mechanical watch, a true masterpiece of precision mechanics.
All this may be true.
But what will make their clients in five or ten years, when problems arise.
And will there be when these new companies is unknown.
We are quite clear that such grants watch industry as Breguet, Patek Phillippe, Omega, and in 10 years will not leave their customers alone with technical problems.
Their time-tested sales service.
About the newly formed companies, it is impossible to say anything for sure.
And here, paying $ 100 000, the client will remain with the problem alone.
In my opinion, it’s not fair.
Mainly in the modern work with the client is the organization of an international network of service centers.
And Tissot understands this very clearly.
Wherever we sell our watches, organized service centers, in which our customers can address any problem, ranging from maintenance and repair to very difficult.
This is one of the components of our global success.
Ch CiV: Many companies and individual stores tend to sell Tissot.
But your company does not work with everyone.
How is the selection? FT .
: We have to approach the issue very carefully selection.
To sell our watches, you must be a professional.
In Switzerland, we can easily control.
Here almost all the professionals who know what a clock.
If you go outside of Switzerland, the picture is far less joyful.
In order to sell the clock, you need to be familiar with your product.
It should also be sure that the staff who work in your store will be able to provide the buyer with a decent level of service.
They need to be taught.
Especially those offering technically sophisticated products, such as, T-Touch.
Staff should be able to help the customer in any situation.
Thus was born the client’s trust in the store, eventually developing into loyalty to a particular point of sale.
He comes back to you again and again.
And this is the best estimate of the team.
Ch CiV: Thank you very much.
***
Helpful links
Thank you for reading our content. MWR staff appreciated you spending time here. We can keep in touch!
English 
Italian 
Spanish 
Arabic 
Catalan 
German 
Danish 
French 
Japanese 
Chinese 
Russian