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3 Things to Do When You’re About to Disappoint a Jewelry Customer

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It was 9:45 a.m. on a Monday. The large order I had placed for an excellent customer was still at the plant. A shipping error had potentially cost me many thousands of dollars. Worse still, I’d have to sheepishly break the news to our customer, whose celebration was that day.

How many of us have been in a situation like this, one where we felt utterly helpless? Facing the customer – and his or her disappointment – may be the worst part.

Thankfully, these situations don’t happen often. But when they do, here are three key steps to take for the best possible outcome:

  • Expect an objection from the customer. The customer trusted you to take care of things and for whatever reason – your fault or not – it didn’t get done. When we get defensive, it actually makes us more rooted in our opinion and less likely to see things from their point of view. In sales, our entire job is about seeing things from the customer’s point of view. So anticipate the blow.
  • Review the customer’s initial problem and situation. I’m not talking about the current problem. Why did the client come to you in the first place? Perhaps it was to get help celebrating an anniversary or saying “I love you forever” to someone special. Remembering this can help you settle the current dilemma a lot quicker.
  • Present a solution – a “way out” that helps solve the initial problem – and shut up. The customer might let you have it. Develop some grit and just take it. Then let the client decide what to do next.

So my customer’s big day had arrived and the product had not. With the help of my team, we found an alternative piece (at a better price) and role-played the conversation.

“I am sorry that the ball has been dropped,” I said to the customer. “We can get it in by tomorrow, or we have a comparable piece here in-store. Tell me what we need to do to make it right.”

Sure, he was upset, but after some back and forth I decided to follow his lead. Later that day, he walked out of the store a happy man. All he wanted was a gorgeous piece to show her how much she meant to him. It was our job to help him find the right way to show her.

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These situations don’t always end on a happy note, but calmer heads will generally prevail. Expect the objection, review the customer’s initial problem, present a solution. Then follow the client’s lead.

Oh, and above all, be honest and sincere. The most important thing you can sell is your integrity and that, friends, is worth more than any diamond in your store.

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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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3 Things to Do When You’re About to Disappoint a Jewelry Customer

mm

Published

on

It was 9:45 a.m. on a Monday. The large order I had placed for an excellent customer was still at the plant. A shipping error had potentially cost me many thousands of dollars. Worse still, I’d have to sheepishly break the news to our customer, whose celebration was that day.

How many of us have been in a situation like this, one where we felt utterly helpless? Facing the customer – and his or her disappointment – may be the worst part.

Thankfully, these situations don’t happen often. But when they do, here are three key steps to take for the best possible outcome:

  • Expect an objection from the customer. The customer trusted you to take care of things and for whatever reason – your fault or not – it didn’t get done. When we get defensive, it actually makes us more rooted in our opinion and less likely to see things from their point of view. In sales, our entire job is about seeing things from the customer’s point of view. So anticipate the blow.
  • Review the customer’s initial problem and situation. I’m not talking about the current problem. Why did the client come to you in the first place? Perhaps it was to get help celebrating an anniversary or saying “I love you forever” to someone special. Remembering this can help you settle the current dilemma a lot quicker.
  • Present a solution – a “way out” that helps solve the initial problem – and shut up. The customer might let you have it. Develop some grit and just take it. Then let the client decide what to do next.

So my customer’s big day had arrived and the product had not. With the help of my team, we found an alternative piece (at a better price) and role-played the conversation.

“I am sorry that the ball has been dropped,” I said to the customer. “We can get it in by tomorrow, or we have a comparable piece here in-store. Tell me what we need to do to make it right.”

Sure, he was upset, but after some back and forth I decided to follow his lead. Later that day, he walked out of the store a happy man. All he wanted was a gorgeous piece to show her how much she meant to him. It was our job to help him find the right way to show her.

Advertisement

These situations don’t always end on a happy note, but calmer heads will generally prevail. Expect the objection, review the customer’s initial problem, present a solution. Then follow the client’s lead.

Oh, and above all, be honest and sincere. The most important thing you can sell is your integrity and that, friends, is worth more than any diamond in your store.

Advertisement

SPONSORED VIDEO

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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