Opening A New Door After Working for UGG and Studying Abroad M・A DTC Merchandising Coordinator
Deckers’ Culture of Fostering Mutual Support and Encouraging Dreams
While working as a UGG store staff member for 18 months, I became more and more eager to go abroad to directly engage with social issues and learn about them as I interacted with customers and communicated with coworkers. In the end, I decided to study in Germany, a country known for its advanced approaches to environmental problems and labor issues. When I revealed my aspiration to my boss and coworkers, they respected my decision and wished me good luck in Germany while voicing hopes for a possible future reunion. Deckers has a generous culture that encourages individuals’ quests for their dreams and welcomes back employees who return after leaving the company in such quest. My 18 months in Germany exposed me to diverse values and social circumstances and expanded my perspective. After returning to Japan, I joined Deckers once again as I was convinced that I belong at UGG. Still eager to deepen my learning, I am now studying sociology at a four-year correspondence college. I can do that precisely because of the favorable workplace environment and the support that I receive from my coworkers.
From Store-Level Focus to Brand-Wide Viewpoint: A Broadened Perspective Opened Eyes to a New World
After joining Deckers once again, as a team leader, I began to engage in a broad range of operations, including staff training and sales management. Previously, I was absorbed in immediate concerns, such as how we might direct customers’ attention to the appeal of products and convince them to make purchases, and how many sales we might ring up each day. After becoming a team leader, I was given the responsibility for writing weekly and monthly reports. Moreover, as I began to attend managers’ meetings, I developed the habit of adopting a broad perspective and considering what actions I should take from the viewpoint of contributing to the overall sales of the UGG brand. Sometimes, I found that a product that appeared, based on my gut feeling, to be a good seller was actually not selling so well according to hard data. In such cases, I thought about how customers might feel about that product and figured out the right words to correct possible misconceptions and to better express the appealing points that were difficult to convey. As customers’ response and the change in sales figures that followed made the results of the effort visible, I began to find delight in the very task of implementing the PDCA cycle. Around that time, the company invited applications for the DTC (direct-to-consumer) merchandising associate post for UGG. Although I had no experience in relevant work, I applied for that post with the conviction that I was second to none when it came to knowledge about UGG products. I expressed my aspirations, and as a result, I gained the opportunity to enter a new stage of my career: working at the headquarters office. That experience reassured me that Deckers is a company that gives all of us equal opportunities.
Everyone Working Together for Brand Development—Commitment to Keep Moving Forward as a UGG Staff Member
When I began to engage in the DTC operation, I had no relevant experience, but my coworkers accepted me warmly. They have carefully taught me about the work, starting with its basic concept, and always given me the right advice and feedback. I have been able to gradually acquire skills from scratch precisely because of the support that I have received from my coworkers.
I perform my day-to-day work mainly through team collaboration. For the moment, our team’s main responsibility is for the e-commerce site. We keep track of sales trends and results, analyze the current situation, and propose actions to take. Using our proposals as a starting point, we work with other teams to figure out and implement the best solution. My proposals may prove successful in some cases but
fail in others. I am still growing up. In the future, I would like to acquire the ability to analyze and understand the trends regarding the entire DTC operation and to develop insight into the future, rather than merely looking at the past and the present. By acquiring a buyer’s skills as well, I aim to contribute to the brand from a broader perspective. I have come thus far with the ideal vision of my own future in mind. Sometimes, I may become at a loss as to which path to take, but I am confident that I can take a step forward at critical moments in my career. I am resolved to keep on believing in myself and growing together with my team.
※ This article is based on the interview at the time, and the titles and job descriptions may differ from the present.
My favorite pair of shoes
Tasman is a popular model that, together with the Classic Boots model, represents the UGG brand. In addition to being unbelievably comfortable, this model features the unique “Tasman Blade” stitch that embodies the brand DNA. The Tasman shoes provide versatility of use, from daily routines to special occasions.
Read M.A.’s interview from her time as a UGG Team Lead.
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