RYU Apparel Brings Customer Care Services In-house, Strengthening Brand Loyalty

VANCOUVER, BC, April 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - RYU Apparel Inc. (TSXV: RYU) (OTCQB: RYPPF) (FWB: RYA) ("RYU" or the "Company"), creator of award-winning urban athletic apparel, is pleased to announce it has brought Customer Care in-house to be run from its flagship Vancouver retail location on West 4^th. Effective March 30^th, what was previously outsourced will now be handled by a team of RYU employees trained in customer service, raising the bar on customer care and accountability.

Overseeing this new internal department will be Customer Care Lead, Tiffany Nguyen, previously from LuluLemom (NASDAQ:LULU) who brings many years of retail management and customer service experience to the role. To provide each customer with more personalized attention, each support ticket will be routed to an RYU employee with first-hand knowledge of company policies and products.

The goal of this new department is to extend the company's legendary in-store service to their online support, which aligns with their marketing strategy of creating more synergy between the online and offline shopping experience. Customers who have a positive experience, especially when reaching out to the support team, will foster brand loyalty and generate positive word-of-mouth.

The company is taking a phased approach to ensure a smooth transition, focused on intentional listening, curiosity and urgency:

Phase 1 will focus on team training to improve the quality of the resolution (vs. closing cases as quickly as possible). Protocols for challenging areas will also be addressed. Loop, a Shopify integrated platform, will be implemented to automate returns and exchanges.

Phase 2 will focus on closing benchmarks and goal setting to continually improving performance based on the standards set in phase 1.

Phase 3 will include rolling out the new live chat function, making response times immediate so customers can potentially receive assistance in real time.

"Bringing Customer Care under our roof will allow us total control over the experience, providing a much higher level of service to our customers," says RYU CEO Cesare Fazari. "Our West 4^th team is known for their impeccable sales and service culture, so it made sense to place it in their hands. This is yet another strategic move to bridge the gap between online and in-store while building and strengthening RYU brand loyalty."

RYU Apparel (TSXV: RYU, OTCQB: RYPPF), or Respect Your Universe, is an award winning urban athletic apparel and accessories brand engineered for active lifestyles. Designed without compromise for fit, comfort, and durability, RYU exists to facilitate optimal human performance. For more information, please visit the RYU website at: http://ryu.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange Inc. nor its Regulation Service Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange Inc.) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release.

This news release contains forward-looking information that involves various risks and uncertainties regarding future events. Such forward-looking information can include without limitation statements based on current expectations involving a number of risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance of RYU. There are numerous risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results and RYU's plans and objectives to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking information, including: (i) adverse market conditions resulting in the inability of RYU to raise necessary financing required to enter and make payments under the proposed definitive agreements; (ii) the inability of RYU to obtain any necessary approvals in respect of the proposed agreements, including approvals necessary for the issuance of the RSU's; and (iii) inability to restructure and transform its business as required. Actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. These and all subsequent written and oral forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management on the dates they are made and are expressly qualified in their entirety by this notice. Except as required by law, RYU does not intend to update these forward-looking statements. 

SOURCE RYU Apparel Inc.