[Jewelry making - Article 00364] - Re: [Orchid] The trust factor

[Daniel R. Spirer]

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>     Trust is not earned because you have a nice store. It is earned
>     through a relationship made over time. 

    Well perhaps it's because I have been in business for over 20 years
    in one location that I feel this way.  I can understand someone not
    wanting to trust a place they walk into blind, but most of my
    customers come to me because they were referred by satisfied
    customers or they have been seeing my ads for the last 15  years. 
    They know that I am not going anywhere.  I also have a microscope on
    the selling floor so that we can talk about how to identify their
    diamond after it's set and any customer is welcome to use it. I will
    even do a quick plot  on the diamond's inclusions if that makes them
    feel better.  However, when the customer resists all of these ideas
    and insists that I am a risky person for them to leave their stone
    with then I feel much more comfortable having them go somewhere else
    as it's generally an indication that the job, as a whole, is going
    to be a problem. Additionally, any jeweler who allows a customer
    into their workshop so that they can "watch" the setting process is
    leaving themselves open to being robbed (or worse) by the customer. 
    I'm not saying my way is the only way here but having the experience
    I do has led me to believe pretty clearly that when the customer is
    that convinced I'm going to rip them off they are going to have a
    lot of other problems too and it's better to let someone else handle
    their issues. 

>      Also customers must leave there jewelery when getting an
>     appraisal.  (I really don't understand that one ) 

    I also insist that customers leave their jewelry for an appraisal. 
    Why? Because an accurate, honest and legal appraisal cannot be
    completed within a short period of time while the customer is
    standing there.  Any diamond .25 ct. and larger should have a full
    detailed write up done (including plot), any colored stones need to
    be accurately identified, and often it isn't possible to get an
    accurate idea of what is there without removing the stones from the
    settings.  Additionally, proper cleaning of some of the older pieces
    people bring in can need up to an hour of cleaning time in the
    ultrasonic before you can even begin to figure out what they have.
    Plus if you are actually using true valuation methods (and not just
    saying what does this sell for in my store) you need time to do
    proper research. The idea that you can scribble a few notes on a
    piece of paper you hand over to the customer  as a legal appraisal
    is antiquated, and will probably lead you into legal difficulties
    later.  Proper appraisals should include in a typewritten document
    with accurate, detailed descriptions of the stones, the metal
    content, a description of the piece itself, a value established
    using proper valuation techniques accepted by most ethics and
    appraisal organizations, a disclaimer, and a statement about the
    type of appraisal and uses that can be made of it.  Anything less is
    cheating the customer. 

>     Over the years I have been in business it has shocked me to find
>     out that my co-workers were theives. Sometimes office help actually
>     embezzels. And stores do get robbed. 

    That's why you should always have a good insurance policy.  The
    customer could also get robbed at home--and then it's up to them to
    have a good insurance policy. 

>     Although I prefer to have the customer leave me their work I do
>     understand that some can be unwilling to do so and I don't take it
>     personally. 

    I don't ever take it personally when the customer doesn't want to
    leave the stone, any more than I take it personally when a customer
    doesn't like one of my designs. If I took everything customers said
    personally I'd be an emotional wreck.  I love my customers but there
    are a lot of insensitive people out there no matter what and when
    you are open to the public anyone can walk right in.  However it's
    still my choice about whether working on the customer's terms are
    going to be better or worse for me. 

Daniel R. Spirer, G.G.
Daniel R. Spirer Jewelers, LLC
1780 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02140
617-234-4392
www.spirerjewelers.com

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