You Are The Professional

After a sale, does your business offer complimentary cleanings to its customers? Do you offer inspections of the same piece? Do you differentiate between the two?

During the warm glow of a successful sale, some jewelers do not give the clearest of information regarding care and cleaning of the piece. Jewelers know that to properly care for a piece of jewelry, it should be taken to a jeweler once or twice a year for a thorough inspection, which includes a professional cleaning. But, sometimes that message does not get clearly expressed.

You may tell your customers to “bring it back anytime for a cleaning.” In your mind this may mean an inspection and cleaning. But, your customer may think, “How nice that I can bring it back for a cleaning, but I can do that at home too.”

The language used is important. A “cleaning” sounds like a nice offer, but an “inspection” sounds like an important appointment. It is a call to action, not to be missed. Jewelers who minimize an inspection by referring to it as a cleaning miss an opportunity to establish themselves as experts in their field. An inspection does include a cleaning, but it also requires a jeweler use her expertise to examine the stones and settings for damage or weakness.

That said, do not miss the opportunity to educate your customer about the importance of jewelry cleaning, both professional and at-home. Offer a line of professional jewelry cleaning products and share routine, at-home cleaning tips with your customers. But also emphasize the importance of coming back in for annual inspections. (When you order your professional cleaners from us, this language comes standard on the back of every jar – ask your Account Executive for more details).

Your customer will appreciate your expertise and will enjoy her inspected and well-cleaned piece for years to come.