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In-Depth
The Answer is Always Yes
The internet and social media and even the demographics of customers have changed over the past decade. But the basics of customer service haven’t changed at all.
By Lara Ewen
Selling a diamond or gemstone isn’t about pushing certificates. It’s about building relationships. At its core, the jewelry industry depends on trust and personal connections to keep customers happy. But as times have changed, the tools for creating those relationships have also changed. Young customers are just as likely to begin their purchasing journey online, without the help of a salesperson. Email and messaging have become as common as phone calls when it comes to contacting a business. That means retailers need to find ways to adapt to a new normal while maintaining the kind of service that has made buying jewelry an integral part of celebrating so many people’s milestone events.
The good news is that the fundamentals are still the same. “At its core, the idea of jewelry customer service has not changed,” says Hana Ben-Shabat, a partner in the retail practice of A.T. Kearney, a global strategy and management consulting firm. “There was always something special about the experience of buying jewelry. Retailers created rituals around it from the moment you entered the store, from the trying on of a ring or bracelet through the packaging and the follow-up thank you note.” Ben-Shabat says that with very strong competition in the industry, and the increase in mono-brand stores at the high end of the market, these rituals have become amplified over the past few years. But she says that even in mass-market stores, customers expect and seek out a special experience when purchasing jewelry.
Another aspect of service that hasn’t changed is customers’ expectations that they will be accommodated, regardless of their request. “When we say, ‘The customer is always right,’ we also say, ‘The answer is yes. What’s your question?’” says Bill Jones, president of Sissy’s Log Cabin, with three stores in Arkansas and one store in Tennessee. “The more inconvenienced we are, the better customer service we’re giving. And all these are things retailers used to do 20 or 30 or 50 years ago. The customer hasn’t changed. The retailer has. Because to do these things is costly and it’s inconvenient. Giving good customer service matters most during the times when it’s the hardest to do.”
The internet has given customers a voice, and this means customers’ expectations are high,” says Sherry Smith, director of business development at The Edge Retail Academy, a retail jewelry consulting company. “They won’t stand for inferior service, waiting in lines or being put on hold. It isn’t, nor has it ever been, about the customer being right. It’s about your ability to solve their problem, to fulfill the customer’s need and to do it in an exceptional and experiential way.”
Given the rise in popularity for review sites such as Yelp, some stores have suggested that customers have become more demanding. But according to Babs Noelle, owner of Alara Jewelry in Bozeman, Montana, that’s not the case. “People are just as demanding today as they were a decade ago,” she says “Today, I feel that so long as my team provides educated, informed explanations, the customer will still feel accommodated and valued.” Noelle says that today, the demand is for significantly more information, whether it be technical or photographic. “And even giving all that information out will still not guarantee a sale,” she says.
"Omnichannel should now be in the retailer’s vocabulary, as 85 percent of consumers start their shopping online,” says Smith, adding, “Retailers will be engaging with clients online, via email, via text and face-to-face. Fortunately, over 80 percent of consumers prefer to purchase jewelry at a brick-and-mortar store.”
Angry customers also have a larger platform and a wider audience to air their grievances, which can be a real headache for businesses. “In years past, unhappy customers might call the store and possibly share their unhappy experience with their inner circle, without much recourse,” Smith says. “Today, consumers are constantly connected and have many platforms to air their unhappy experiences, not only immediately, but far and wide. And more businesses understand the power of positive reviews.”
Customers’ ability to have constant access to information and immediate gratification means retailers are being challenged to constantly improve and expand service. “Through the digital channels, it has become about just ‘more,’” says Sam Cinquegrani, CEO and founder of ObjectWave Corp., a digital commerce solutions provider. “More ability to answer questions, service the customer, educate the customer about product. Today’s consumers are simply more demanding. They understand the power they have and are more willing to use that power.”
“Jewelry customer service today is different from what it was a decade ago,” says Noelle. “If you’re a jeweler who progresses with the times, then you have been sensitive to how your half-generation-younger clients want to be served, as opposed to a jeweler who is catering to the same clients, and literally is losing clients to aging, while not funneling new, younger clients into their pipeline.”
Jones says that even though digital has become ubiquitous, his younger customers still crave a more intimate interaction. “Young people miss the fact that people aren’t talking to them,” says Jones. “We want our reach to be high-tech and our relationship to be old-school. And we want some things to be nonnegotiable, too.” Jones says certain points of interaction, such as how his salespeople approach customers, and how each customer is greeted and treated, must stay consistent. “We always ask how can we make the experience better,” he says. “That could be anything from bringing diamonds out on silver trays with champagne, or singing songs to them while they’re getting engaged.”
“The consumer will dictate what level of engagement he or she is expecting,” says Cinquegrani. “But in general, the more exclusive the product, the higher the level of expected customer engagement. As a result, jewelers need to be prepared to respond to their customer as never before. And modern-day consumers are expecting all channels, both digital and traditional ones, to be available to them.”
Ben-Shabat agrees. “Retailers have to be always available,” she says. “Consumers who’ve had the opportunity to experience great service in one category develop expectations to have a similar experience in others. For example, when Amazon offers next day delivery, very quickly that becomes the expectations for everyone else. It’s just the nature of the beast.”
Certainly, some retailers have always tried to accommodate all-hour requests. “We have beside every one of our doors a sign that says, ‘Jewelry Emergency,’ with my cell number and my regional manager’s number,” says Jones. “Customers can call us day or night, any time they want to.” Noelle concurs, pointing out, “Once customers establish contact with us during our stated hours, most staff will work after-hours to communicate with customers by their preferred method. Not all customers need such special treatment, but it is highly appreciated by those who do.”
“You need to be where customers are when they need you,” says Smith. “But even a response to let them know you’re aware and will address their concerns when you’re back in the office goes a long way.” Smith says that timely and personalized responses are a necessity, even when responding to a complaint. “Consumers care more about being heard and your timely response than they do the issue,” she says.
Being heard and being treated with respect are still the core components of good service, whether that service is rendered digitally, over the phone or in person. “Sadly, many of our retailers focus more on price in fear of losing the sale, when they should focus on creating a memorable and exceptional experience,” says Smith. “All touch points should be user friendly. These interactions become lasting records of how you treat your customers.” Jones agrees. “You have to create relationships and create friends,” he says. “When you look at why people don’t buy some place, it’s rarely about products. It’s always about how they were treated. I’ll spend more money at a place where I enjoy the people.”Article from the Rapaport Magazine - June 2017. To subscribe click here.
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