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Zen Jeweler: Falling On Your Sword

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I have a theory. The best clients can often be made from the biggest mistakes. Penicillin was a mistake, Velcro was a mistake. So was the day I took in a broken wedding ring from a stranger, and sent it to the wrong manufacturer. Three weeks later it came back, and I hurried it off to the proper company, where they replaced it at a cost of 10 times what I'd told the client it would cost. I charged the small amount I had promised, and two weeks later the other spouse's wedding ring broke, same spot. Now we were experts, and as a courtesy, I didn't charge any more for the second repair than I had for the first. Dumb, huh? 
 
They later returned and bought his-and-hers watches for $10,000. Do you think they would have if I'd been tough about the repairs? 
 
More clients' hopes are dashed at the repair counter than anywhere else. Stay tough there, and it will cost you more than you think.

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Retiring? Let Wilkerson Do the Heavy Lifting

Retirement can be a great part of life. As Nanji Singadia puts it, “I want to retire and enjoy my life. I’m 78 now and I just want to take a break.” That said, Nanji decided that the best way to move ahead was to contact the experts at Wilkerson. He chose them because he knew that closing a store is a heavy lift. To maximize sales and move on to the next, best chapter of his life, he called Wilkerson—but not before asking his industry friends for their opinion. He found that Wilkerson was the company most recommended and says their professionalism, experience and the homework they did before the launch all helped to make his going out of business sale a success. “Wilkerson were working on the sale a month it took place,” he says. “They did a great job.”

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Zen Jeweler: Falling On Your Sword

mm

Published

on

I have a theory. The best clients can often be made from the biggest mistakes. Penicillin was a mistake, Velcro was a mistake. So was the day I took in a broken wedding ring from a stranger, and sent it to the wrong manufacturer. Three weeks later it came back, and I hurried it off to the proper company, where they replaced it at a cost of 10 times what I'd told the client it would cost. I charged the small amount I had promised, and two weeks later the other spouse's wedding ring broke, same spot. Now we were experts, and as a courtesy, I didn't charge any more for the second repair than I had for the first. Dumb, huh? 
 
They later returned and bought his-and-hers watches for $10,000. Do you think they would have if I'd been tough about the repairs? 
 
More clients' hopes are dashed at the repair counter than anywhere else. Stay tough there, and it will cost you more than you think.

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After 139 Years, A Family Legacy Finds Its Perfect Exit With Wilkerson.

When third-generation jeweler Sam Sipe and his wife Laura decided to close Indianapolis’ historic J.C. Sipe Jewelers, they turned to Wilkerson to handle their retirement sale. “The conditions were right,” Sam explains of their decision to close the 139-year-old business. Wilkerson managed the entire going-out-of-business sale process, from marketing strategy to sales floor operations. “Our goal was to convert our paid inventory into retirement funds,” notes Sam. “The results exceeded expectations.” The Sipes’ advice for jewelers considering retirement? “Contact Wilkerson,” Laura says. “They’ll help you transition into retirement with confidence and financial security.”

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