I dont know, I can see this from both sides. I buy alot of jewelry and to be honest, the person I buy the most from is the store/jeweler who does appraise my stuff for free, who will size my fingers, is gracious and will pretty much bend over backwards for me. Why? Because he knows, I am gonna buy from him at some point and I do most of the time. Customer service can go along way. Someone else customer can be yours one day....just my two cents.
an open letter to jewelry customers
- Thread starter GnomeNisse
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But having a personal relationship with a jeweler is a different situation, IMO. If you have someone you regularly buy from and who you do a lot of business with, they will be more generous with their services. They know you as a customer and they know you aren't just randomly trying to get something for nothing.
I worked retail management for years in college and I understand the OP. Random people you've never seen before waltz in with someone else's product and expect you to return, exchange or repair it for free. Business doesn't work that way. I don't know you from Adam, and me doing work on your item could void the original warranty, in which case you would be all over me for not telling you that before I did. So what the customer views as a favor would actually be a huge disservice, especially on branded, pricey things.
A good relationship with anyone, a jeweler included, is based on trust and respect. You have to know them and they have to know you for that to occur and for the extras to be thrown in for free. When you completely disrespect someone and try to take advantage of them, you cannot expect to be treated like you are doing them a favor.
I worked retail management for years in college and I understand the OP. Random people you've never seen before waltz in with someone else's product and expect you to return, exchange or repair it for free. Business doesn't work that way. I don't know you from Adam, and me doing work on your item could void the original warranty, in which case you would be all over me for not telling you that before I did. So what the customer views as a favor would actually be a huge disservice, especially on branded, pricey things.
A good relationship with anyone, a jeweler included, is based on trust and respect. You have to know them and they have to know you for that to occur and for the extras to be thrown in for free. When you completely disrespect someone and try to take advantage of them, you cannot expect to be treated like you are doing them a favor.
I agree with the OP that boundaries need to be established plus walking behind the counter in any store is crazy. Boundaries help the retailer and customers stay safe. Maybe you should put up a sign. Also if they did not buy it from you how can you return? Bad customers are the reason why service is horrible and many chain retailors are closing. If a store has good policies it gets abused. People use things for months on end and return for cash. Then the stores that once had a good return policy changes it into none or a small time frame like a week hurting the good clients. I have held jobs such as SA to Teller while in college and I think customer service is one the hardest yet underpaid jobs.
It's nice that your jeweler appraises your stuff free, but it is because he knows you and you have bought from him multiple times. I highly doubt he appraises things free for people he doesn't know or haven't bought much from him.
As for sizing fingers, I think any jeweler will let you try on the little sizing rings they have or try on their pieces and let you know what size it is, the issue brought up was somebody finding their size out for a ring at a jeweler's store and then buying the item elsewhere. They were holding the jeweler responsible for the size being wrong or whatever and wanted them to size the item free when they did not buy it there. That was not right, go back to where you bought it if it isn't the right size or pay to have it sized.
I cannot believe the woman with the Yurman necklace! She could at least go to a store that actually carries the brand! And then to go all stalker
What a psycho!
I felt that OP was speaking more in terms of the frustration of those over-the-top requests.
I personally strive to provide an excellent experience and I really enjoy working with most customers, especially those who share my passion for jewels. And I do not charge to size fingers. I do put a lot of time and detailing into written appraisals on outside pieces, and for that reason it is something that I would not expect to find any other GIA Graduate Gemoligist / AJP/ Appraiser to do free of charge. A quick color/ clarity/ carat weight on a loose diamond is one thing and I don't mind doing something like this complimentary, but....I would like to share that the majority of my written appraisals take over 45 minutes to complete, sometimes a few hours depending on the complication of the piece.
So yes, your jeweler probably does want to bend over backwards to give you excellent service, but not every request can always be fullfilled.
And no, I really won't complain if you ask me to source a diamond particular specifics, say for example a 1.00- 1.10 cushion brilliant cut diamond of D or E color, SI1 clarity (but with inclusions positioned towards the edge), a 1:10 length-width ratio, and an more of a "chunky" faceting pattern, not that "crushed ice" look, VG or better polish and symmetry, and pricematch that other Pricesope.com vendor. Because I will (and have) bent over backwards to find the perfect stone for the pickier-than-most customer. Because I AM the same way about perfection and I would hope that if I wasn't in the business someone would go out of their way to help me out.
The greater the customer service, the more loyal I am to my jeweler. We have built a good relationship over many years. I have never gone in with an entitled attitude. The norms have been established over time. We work together to make things reach a happy conclusion for all. I recently was speaking with another jeweler. Again, I was very impressed. I am knowledgable about diamonds and we had a delightful discussion. If I lived in that part of the state, I would not hesitate to go to his store.
Last summer, I was in my jeweler's store so often, I was given a lovely bouquet for "perfect attendance." After I bought my HOF diamond wedding set, I received a gorgeous floral arrangement.
I would not expect to receive a refund on a custom order, which I cancelled, unless the work had not been started. I would not go behind a counter, unless invited. I do not make outrageous requests.
I expect my jeweler to be extremely knowledgable about diamonds, gemstones, design, and anything pertinent to the jewelry that he/she sells. I expect to treat and be treated with respect. The extras mean a lot. A gracious experience is something I remember. So is an experience with a shop that is not customer service oriented. There are too many jewelry stores with untrained staff and unpleasant environments. Lack of trust is also a factor. I've been in some mall stores and know that I'm being told inaccurate information. As a customer, I have seen and had experiences from the other side of the counter. I always enjoy the "on sale today--35% off!!" Yes, that's because the prices are inflated. I decided to become educated about jewelery and only shop with someone whom I can trust. There really are two sides to this story.
I cannot believe the woman with the Yurman necklace! She could at least go to a store that actually carries the brand! And then to go all stalker
^^Very well said. Trust and equal respect are two of the most important elements for a great relationship. Its great that you have found a store that you love.
Unfortunetely, most people will encounter a few bad jewelry store experiences in their lifetime. I believe that it is because quite a few of those working in this business just meander over from some other kind of sales job and they see it simply as a "selling" job- that and lack of proper training.
Unfortunetely, most people will encounter a few bad jewelry store experiences in their lifetime. I believe that it is because quite a few of those working in this business just meander over from some other kind of sales job and they see it simply as a "selling" job- that and lack of proper training.
NO I totally understood what the OP stated. But the point I was making was that my jeweler did alot for me prior to even spending a nickel. When I worked I worked in a sales capacity and we always did extras for all customers. You never know when your going to get business or get referred business. But some of the OPs examples were horrible, sounds like she has a couple of bad eggs but I dont want her to get jaded into thinking all customers asking for perks will be nuts like the ones she mentioned. Also I wasnt sure if the OP was the owner of this business? If not she should probably ask the owner what his/her stance is on all of this. As an employee its important to follow the plan of the owner, as they might not care and actually prefer you bend over backwards for customers.
I do understand what you are saying, Selena. It's just with jewelry stores and chains going out of business at such a high rate today, I would hope they would strive for superior customer service. I work for a hospital and we all have had training in this area. As a patient in this same hospital I can tell you that it works. Yes, there are customer/clients who are difficult...there are in all businesses and practices. I work with mental health patients and I truly get it. Empathy, give and take, and efforts to accomodate, when possible, make all the difference in the present experience and future choices.
I do agree that there need to be boundaries. Please remember, however, that random person coming into your store may be converted into a buyer due to your customer service.
As much as the OP has had negative experiences with consumers, consumers have had negative experiences with jewelers. She truly pushed my buttons with her post. I have had some awful experiences with jewelers who did not take responsibilty for their mistakes. These mistakes did not happen because I crossed any boundaries, but because the jeweler did not supply proper oversight and then denied that there was a problem. I had some surface scratches on a sapphire ring. I asked if they could be polished out without any deleterious effects to the stone. I was assured this could be done. When the ring came back, the table was so large and flat, it looked like an ice skating rink. I pointed this out to the owner who said "you'll get used to it." No offer was made to make this right. When my ring was sent to an independent appraiser for a second opinion, per my insurance company, it was verified that the stone had been ruined. The jeweler refused to replace it, so my insurance company did. Needless to say, I never bought anything from that jeweler again.