Victoria looked at her thoughtfully.
"That's a very good point."
She turned to Alexander.
"I'd like Emily included in the employee advisory group we're establishing."
Alexander nodded.
"Consider it done."
Emily stared at her.
"Thank you, ma'am."
"Don't thank me yet. I expect you to tell me the truth even when it's uncomfortable."
"I will."
Victoria continued toward the rear of the boutique.
As they passed the entrance, a woman in her seventies entered the store.
She wore a simple beige cardigan, dark trousers, and comfortable black shoes. Her gray hair was tied into a loose bun.
She carried a small leather purse that had clearly been used for many years.
The woman approached a display of scarves.
A young male sales associate glanced at her, then returned to his phone.
Victoria noticed.
She stopped.
"Good morning."
The elderly woman looked up.
"Good morning, dear."
"Are you looking for something in particular?"
The woman smiled.
"I was hoping to find a gift for my granddaughter. She's graduating next month."
"That's wonderful. Do you have a color in mind?"
"She loves green."
Victoria looked toward Emily.
"Would you help her find something?"
"Absolutely."
The elderly woman followed Emily toward the scarf display.
Victoria watched them for a moment.
Then she turned to Alexander.
"How much does the average customer spend here?"
"It varies. Our regular customers spend between five and twenty thousand dollars annually. Some considerably more."
Victoria nodded.
"And how many customers do we lose because they don't feel comfortable walking through the door?"
Alexander was silent.
"That's something we haven't measured directly."
"Then perhaps we should."
She glanced toward the elderly woman.
"Luxury should mean exceptional quality, not exceptional arrogance."
Alexander smiled faintly.
"That's a good way to put it."
"Write it down. I want that principle included in our new customer service standards."
The two continued walking.
By the time they reached the private conference room, Victoria had already identified several areas that needed attention.
But there was one matter she wasn't prepared to overlook.
Richard.
At eleven o'clock, the board meeting began.
Six executives sat around a long walnut conference table.
Alexander occupied the seat to Victoria's right. The company's legal director sat opposite him. Several regional managers joined through a secure video conference.
Victoria placed a slim black folder on the table.
She opened it.
Inside were financial statements, customer satisfaction reports, employee turnover figures, and a preliminary operational audit.
The executives expected her to discuss the company's financial performance.
Instead, she began with a question.
"How many formal complaints have we received about employee treatment over the past eighteen months?"
The human resources director looked through his notes.
"Thirty-seven, including anonymous reports."
"How many were investigated?"
"Twenty-one."
"And how many resulted in disciplinary action?"
"Four."
Victoria looked up.
"Why?"
The HR director shifted in his seat.
"Several complaints could not be substantiated."
"Could not be substantiated, or were not properly investigated?"
Nobody answered immediately.
Victoria closed the folder.
"I want a complete review of every complaint. I also want an independent employee reporting channel that does not pass through store management."
Alexander nodded.
"That can be arranged."
She continued.
"I also want a review of customer complaints involving discrimination, intimidation, and inappropriate physical contact."
The legal director wrote something down.
"Understood."
Then Victoria turned to Alexander.
"What is Richard Cole's current employment status?"
Alexander glanced at the HR director.
"Senior security manager at the flagship store."
"Who supervises him?"
"Technically, the regional operations director."
"And who reviews his conduct?"
The HR director answered.
"His direct supervisor and the store manager."
Victoria looked down at her notes.
"Then we have a management problem."
The room fell silent.
She explained what had happened that morning in precise detail.
She did not exaggerate.
She did not raise her voice.
She simply described the accusations, the physical contact, the handbag falling, and the witnesses who had been present.
When she finished, she placed her hands on the table.
"I want an independent investigation. Until it is completed, Mr. Cole will have no authority to supervise employees or interact with customers."
The HR director nodded.
"We can place him on administrative leave pending the investigation."
"Do that."
Alexander looked toward the legal director.
"Make sure we preserve the store's security footage."
"Already requested."
Victoria leaned back.
"Good."
But she wasn't finished.
"There is another issue."
She turned a page.
"During the acquisition process, I reviewed the company's customer retention data. Our flagship store has lost nearly eighteen percent of its repeat customers over the past two years."
One regional manager frowned.
"That figure includes customers who have relocated."
"Yes. And even after adjusting for that, the decline remains significant."
She looked around the table.
"Some of you have described this as a marketing problem. I disagree. It is a culture problem."
Alexander listened carefully.
Victoria continued.
"We have beautiful products. We have excellent locations. We have talented designers and experienced employees. But none of that matters if the people walking through our doors feel unwelcome."
She paused.
"Customers don't always remember the price of something they purchased. They remember how they were treated when they walked into the store."
Nobody interrupted.
"Starting today, I want a customer experience review across every flagship location. Not a presentation prepared by senior management. I want anonymous visits, direct employee interviews, and actual customer feedback."
The regional managers exchanged glances.
It was clear that Victoria intended to change more than the company's branding.
She intended to change its internal culture.
After the meeting, Alexander walked with her toward his office.
"May I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"Why did you decide to visit the flagship store without informing the management team?"
Victoria smiled slightly.
"Because if I had told everyone I was coming, they would have prepared for me."
"And you wanted to see the normal operation?"
"Exactly."
Alexander nodded.
"Well, you certainly saw it."
Victoria stopped beside a large window overlooking Fifth Avenue.