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The Jewelry Store That Hands Their Customers Rap!
December 1, 2006
The Scenario…A local jeweler in the area who is known to be reputable hands each of his customers “Diamond Rapaport” before they leave. The staff openly discusses, describes, and teaches customers how to use the Rap. This jewelry store likes to show their customers that they are very competitive and can beat any and every stores prices. To prove this they offer not only a 30-day money back guarantee but also a 90-day price protection guarantee. If within 90-days of your purchase, you find a lower price on the same quality diamond anywhere in the United States that is graded by the E.G.L. or G.I.A. they will match it and give you 10% of the difference.
The real facts:
- This jewelry store has a huge diamond inventory and has been in business for 10+ years.
- They’ve established an elite group of clientele.
- They carry numerous brands.
- The store comprises of a large staff and many are well educated.
What they claim to be real facts:
- They claim to be wholesalers.
- They say they buy diamonds straight from the cutter.
- They commercialize that they don’t care to make a good profit on each individual stone and instead want to sell in volume.
What happened…The couple who had shopped their store and had been taught about Rap comes into your store. The couple assumes to know everything about diamonds but with your help and guidance, eventually finds a stone they love. The big question “How much is it?” You proceed to give them the price and before you can utter another word, the woman delves into her purse and takes out the other jewelry stores card to compare prices. The stone is the same shape, carat weight, color, and clarity…of course she is reading this back to you appalled that you would charge more money than they are and the stones appear to be the same. In addition, both stones have reports from reputable labs.
What I did…I knew I couldn’t let the customer leave. I had to be the one to set an example of how to handle a situation like this. I had to prove Rap solely did not determine the price of the stone while providing meaningful information and putting the customer at ease. I began from the top. Praising them for being so educated and doing their homework on diamonds; I briefly revisited clarity explaining to them “Diamonds are like snowflakes,” meaning no two diamonds are alike. Though you saw a SI1 stone at both of our stores, each SI1 stone differs in the size, number, position, nature, and relief of its natural birthmarks. I stuck with the three characteristics I thought the couple would understand the most…size, number, and position. I taught them how to use a loupe and showed them the differences between two SI1 stones that I had on hand. I could tell the customer was now at ease but wasn’t totally convinced so I moved onto what I was sure the other store didn’t talk about…Cut. I began to focus on how important the proportions of the stone were and how they affect: the brilliance, fire, and sparkle of the stone. With all the enthusiasm I could muster up, I gave them a presentation to remember.
What Would You Do?
On Friday’s I will be posting real situations jewelry storeowners face everyday. Please add your knowledge of how you would handle the situation or email me (shanu@gulianis.com) with your own situation whether it’s about your staff, boss, another store, or a co-worker.
Posted by Shanu Singh Guliani on December 1, 2006 | Comments (2)
