Big Survey

Jewelers Leave a Single-Sentence Instruction for Employees

The Big Survey asked what they would say to employees if they left for a year.

Published

3 years ago

October 13, 2022

INSTORE Staff

THIS YEAR’S BIG SURVEY asked respondents, “If you had to take a year away from your store and could only leave a one-sentence instruction for your employees, what would it be?” The answers ranged from wise to direct to humorous. And quite a few said their instruction would be “Call me!”, which seemed a bit like cheating to us. Here is a selection of other responses.

“Do what you love and it will never be work.”
“Treat every customer like you would want your mother to be treated.”
“Please don’t let the store burn down.”
“Remember to make customers, not sales.”
“Don’t forget to feed my frogs.”
“You all know what you’re doing, keep doing it.”
“May God help you.”
“Kick ass and it will be reflected in your paychecks.”
“Put your phones down!”
“Make sure the customer is happier when they leave the store than when they came in.”
“Open up, sell, lock up and repeat.”
“Do the right thing, say what you’ll do, and do what you say.”
“Please don’t let my children starve.”
“Behave yourselves but have fun, too.”
“Don’t f— around.”
“You only get one chance to make a good impression.”
“I trust you.”
“Don’t call me.”

Honoring a Legacy: How Smith & Son Jewelers Exceeded Every Goal With Wilkerson

When Andrew Smith decided to close the Springfield, Massachusetts location of Smith & Son Jewelers, the decision came down to family. His father was retiring after 72 years in the business, and Andrew wanted to spend more time with his children and soon-to-arrive grandchildren. For this fourth-generation jeweler whose great-grandfather founded the company in 1918, closing the 107-year-old Springfield location required the right partner. Smith chose Wilkerson, and the experience exceeded expectations from start to finish. "Everything they told me was 100% true," Smith says. "The ease and use of all their tools was wonderful." The consultants' knowledge and expertise proved invaluable. Smith and his father set their own financial goal, but Wilkerson proposed three more ambitious targets. "We thought we would never make it," Smith explains. "We were dead wrong. We hit our first goal, second goal and third goal. It was amazing." Smith's recommendation is emphatic: "I would never be able to do what they did by myself."