Jewellery Retailing Guide PDF

 A GUIDE TO JEWELLERY RETAILING CONSUMER FACING OPERATIONS SHIVARAM A  A GUIDE TO JEWELLERY RETAILING CONSUMER FACING OPERATIONS ©️ Shivaram A All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced...

 A GUIDE TO JEWELLERY RETAILING CONSUMER FACING OPERATIONS SHIVARAM A  A GUIDE TO JEWELLERY RETAILING CONSUMER FACING OPERATIONS ©️ Shivaram A All rights reserved No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the author. Shivaram asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this book. Our own standard conditions on limits of liability and disclaimer of warranty apply. Edition: Updated 2nd Edition Publication Date: Feb 2022 Printed in India Contact the Author and Publisher for any queries, orders, support etc. Shivaram A Retail Gurukul, 91, 3rd Main, KEB Layout, BTM 1st Stage Bangalore 560029, India Website: www.retailgurukul.com Email: [email protected] Ph: +91 9036036524 https://www.linktr.ee/retailgurukul  Preface Dear Businessman, The past: Once upon a time, life was simple and good. Gold values were rising year on year and jewellers and consumers had a great time. Profits were good. Demonetisation, GST were icing on the cake! But that was long ago. Successful businesses are the topics of newspapers articles, business meets and even, gossip and rumour, about - what makes them successful; who or what is behind their success! More envy, than appreciation. You and your business may be successful too. Your business may not be in the limelight. So what! Congratulations, on all that you have done to make it successful. Nobody can take it away from you. But do remember that “What got you here won’t get you there” really well said by Marshall Goldsmith. The Present: For some, they don’t want to get there. For them, life is comfortable, too comfortable to want to make that effort. They are happy staying where they are today. This book is not for them! The Future: And, do you want to get there? More business, more stores, more profits, even more success? This book will give you many ideas, surely some challenges and some confirmation of what you do. This book is also aimed at some of you who are not successful today, and want to make that extra effort to be successful. You can check if you have tried to implement some of these practices. Remember, if your business is not successful in the next few years, it will be struggling to even survive after that. My vision: Having worked with multiple businesses, and wanting to help those who want to help themselves, I set out to write this book. It has always been my personal desire to help the 300,000+ small and medium jewellery retailers in India with a guide to their business. Rewards and Recognition of your efforts: We look forward to your feedback, criticisms, suggestions and improvement to make this book more beneficial to the Small and Medium Jewellers. Please leave your feedback on Facebook, Google or other jewellers! We have a Rewards and Recognition program for your efforts. If you want to help someone, give them a copy of this book! They will thank you for sure. This is focused on the Front-end Consumer facing operations - right from Positioning the store to the point where the potential Walk in becomes a customer and beyond to a lifetime customer. The other book is focused on the backend of the operations. All the things that a business needs to do - before the launch of the store to the day to day "operations". Inventory management, pricing optimization, Training etc. All that needs to be done to keep the front-end team fully equipped and capable. Wishing you all the best! We are just one phone call away. Shivaram +91 9036036524 [email protected]  Acknowledgements If you are a “reader”, chances are you would want to write a “book” someday. If you are a Consultant, chances are you believe you need to write a “book”. Like a book publishing house advertisement says, everyone has a book in them. Everyone wants to share their experiences and knowledge with the world at large. But, finally getting the book out is all about a “just do it” challenge. In this busy world of FB posts, WhatsApp messages, Emails, and an occasional face to face meeting with your clients, writing a book is no longer a one-man toiling away into the night, but more of a team effort! This too is a team effort of many decades. At the outset, this journey of mine from Employee to Consultant/ Trainer and Entrepreneur is made possible by my family – Anantharamiah, my father; Kausalya, my mother; Viji, my wife and Apoorva, my daughter and our extended family as well. Thanks to everyone in my professional life. Customers, Employers –Titan, Tanishq, my bosses, my colleagues, of course, my clients, staff at retail stores. My own colleague Rahul and all our trainers, who are part of the Retail Gurukul Family. A special thanks to all my well-wishers for their encouragement in my journey. An even more special one to Dr Eli Goldratt (The Goal, isn’t it obvious) for helping me in taking that leap of faith first into Theory of Constraints and then into entrepreneurship. This book has seen the light of the day, due to two special people, my friend Digital Srinath who goaded me to write the book and Writer Uma who provided the content to my many ideas. I have learnt so much from each of you. Thank you all. Shivaram PS: If the idea of writing your book excites you, happy to help you.  Table of Contents 1. How to posi on your store in the Jewellery Market 1 2. The new 4 C’s of Jewellery Retailing 5 3. Ways to have an eye­catching Jewellery Store Signage 13 4. How to design a Jewellery Outlet with invi ng interiors 23 5. Points to improve Parking in a Jewellery Showroom 28 6. Ways to increase foot traffic to a Jewellery Showroom 33 7. Ways to improve your Jewellery Window Display 41 8. Window shopping to worthwhile shopping. How to 50 achieve this paradigm shi ? 9. How to a ract customers to your Jewellery Showroom 54 10. Ways to welcome customers to the Jewellery 58 Showroom 11. How to retain customers at a Jewellery Showroom 63 12. The Do’s and Don'ts of Customer Service for Jewellery 70 Retailing 13. It’s all about execu on! 75  Chapter - 1 How to position your store in the Jewellery Market From the small corner-store goldsmith to the high-end boutique jeweller in their own high-rise building, jewellery retailers come in all forms and sizes. With the Indian jewellery market teeming with nearly 300,000 players, every jewellery retailer must position themselves uniquely to make their presence known in this competitive scenario. As a jewellery retailer, you first have to decide whether you want to remain as just a "store" or create a "brand". But what is the difference? A "brand" has some definable qualities by which it can be uniquely identified. These qualities or features form a perception in the minds of the customer which is called its brand equity. As a jeweller, you can project certain aspects of your jewellery merchandise or customer service as brand quality. Look at how PC Chandra, the renowned Kolkata Jewellers are trying to position themselves with the help of the famous creative agency J Walter Thompson (JWT). Ayan Chakraborty, VP and executive business director, JWT Kolkata, said, “PC Chandra’s intricate craftsmanship and the brand’s unique image in the minds of Bengalis all over the world is something we kept in mind while working.” Arjun Mukherjee, VP and ECD, JWT Kolkata, added, “The challenge was to create a philosophy for the brand which every modern woman will relate to. We went beyond the beauty space in 1 jewellery and tried to find an emotion that will resonate with one and all.” You too can position your Jewellery Outlet as a unique brand by defining its values and expressing your trade philosophy in the following ways. Ways in which you can position your Outlet Jewellery stores fall into certain categories. First, try to identify which category you belong to, and then add value to it by defining your strengths. You may be a: 1. Personal Jeweller When a customer looks for jewellery "tailor-made to his taste", he comes to the personal jeweller. The Personal Jeweller highlights the uniqueness of design, exclusivity and personalization as his value points. Elite and royal families of illustrious lineage and social celebrities often prefer to have their own Personal Jewellers. As a Personal Jeweller, you must vouch for your individuality in design and integrity in trust. If you possess Jewellery design software and have bagged Jewellery design awards, you really can boast of being a genuine Personal Jeweller. 2. Ethnic Jeweller For people who have a taste for traditional and ethnic designs, the Ethnic Jeweller is the destination. As an Ethnic Jeweller, you must have profound knowledge in temple designs and must have the capacity to reproduce them without even the slightest difference. Polki, Jadau, Tanjore, Chettinad and Malabar designs feature as ethnic offerings. 2 3. Modern Jeweller For the young and trendy, the Modern Jeweller is the person to call on. The Modern Jeweller must dabble in fusion and fashion. Rhodium, Rose gold, Platinum and 18k designs are part of the modern offerings. 4. Boutique Jeweller The boutique Jeweller is the guy who prides himself on his jewellery range and exemplary service. These artistic showrooms offer an appealing ambience and a comfortable customer experience. Boutique Jewellers have several jewellery lines made by different designers. 5. Estate Jeweller If you are looking for antique jewellery or vintage heirlooms, the Estate Jeweller is the guy to go to. As an Estate Jeweller, you must have the resourcefulness to seek and procure historic jewellery with sufficient proof. Estate jewellers are very expensive as they deal with high-end jewellery collectables. 6. Main Street Jeweller The Main Street Jeweller has the sole objective of capturing the interest of the urban audience. He caters to them with an eclectic mix of traditional and modern jewellers with their latest preferences in mind. 7. Chain Store Jeweller With branches at multiple locations, the Chain Store Jeweller prides itself on its wide geographical presence and popularity. His network of stores may be at diverse locations but portray the same brand image. 3  Steps to position your Jewellery store 1. First, identify yourself with a particular Jeweller category among the ones listed above. 2. Outline your strengths in stock, service, range, design etc. 3. Zero in on your "unique selling points" - is it affordability, service, repair facility, cost savings… 4. Crystallize your brand persona as a brand image with the help of expert consultants like Retail Gurukul who can bring to light the hidden values of your brand. 5. Position your brand with this persona by forming a unique brand image and taglines. 6. Popularize your brand using these brand messages and establish your brand. Your brand is as precious as your jewellery. Position it with perfection to reach the pinnacle of success. 4  Chapter - 2 The new 4 C’s of Jewellery Retailing Jewellery is a precious commodity to purchase and every customer wishes to take a cautious decision. Most of the purchase decisions of the jewellery customer is dependent on her "perception” of the brand or the jeweller. Keeping this in mind, certain parameters can be defined to help the customer make a quick and correct decision. For example, while buying diamond jewellery, 4 factors were considered as the "C"s- cut, carat, colour and clarity of the diamonds. Likewise, the present customer's buying behaviour rests on the 4 new "C"s of Jewellery Retail. What are these 4 new "C"s? Let us take a look. The 4 new "C"s Today's customer's mindset has undergone a huge transformation due to the accessibility to international trends and markets (maybe due to travel or just social media) and a wide range of designs and services are now available at jewellery stores. The buying behaviour of the current customers is governed by certain factors which are depicted below. Observing the rankings (see Figure “Factors considered while selecting a Brand”), we can conclude that a jewellery customer's purchase decision is based on the 4 new "C" s - Cost, Confidence, Convenience and Customer Service. 5  Source: https://www.slideshare.net/MarketXcelData Matrix/consumer-buying-behaviour-gold-jewellery 1. Cost- the first "C" Every customer wants to have the full value for his money- “Full paisa vasool / Good Deal” This is more so in the case of jewellery retail due to the high costs involved in the purchase. Cost is thus the dominating factor in the purchase decision of a jewellery customer. This cost of jewellery includes the making charges and the cost of the gold paid out as wastage. If this final cost looks affordable and justified to the customer, you, the retailer can make a sale. So, the first "C" in the purchase decision is COST and as a jewellery retailer, you must position your brand rightly with respect to "cost". 6 Lalitha Jewellery Mart at Chennai has managed to capture the customer's pulse by positioning its brand with respect to "cost". Their clever marketing strategy has made maximum use of "cost savings" in their brand positioning and it has worked well for them. There are other brands like Malabar Gold or Tanishq, which may not be the cheapest in pricing but will want to offer Value for Money for their set of customers. These customers might be very different from the customers for Lalitha, but their customers also believe that the cost is worth it. 2. Confidence- the second "C" A customer's confidence in the jewellery brand is reflected in his repeat purchases and referrals. Word-of-mouth referrals and relatives' recommendations still form some of the influencing factors of jewellery purchases. Trustworthiness of a brand is a mark of the confidence the customer has in the jewellery retailer and this is an aggregate of several factors which include purity, pricing, discounts, after-sales service etc. A customer, who feels that the jeweller can give him 7  the best in all the above factors, is the most trustworthy. Example: Take the case of Kalyan Jewellers. Ramesh Kalyanraman, Executive Director, Marketing and Operations said, “Over the years Kalyan Jewellers has built a strong bond with customers, based on our credo of Trust. Our brand tagline is not some marketing gimmick. It came to us because it was often mentioned by our customers who related the word ‘trust’ with our brand. And the reason for this could be manifold - from the campaigns, we run to educate customers about the purity of gold called ‘Fight against Impure Gold’ or the ‘My Gold My Right’ campaign which tackled the malpractices in the industry to the revolutionary step of ‘No Offer’, ‘No Discount’ and ‘Rate Tags for every Ornament’. The brand has always made a conscious decision to enlighten the customer about Gold. This has resonated well with our customers across India and the brand has become synonymous with Trust. Through this campaign, we have attempted to further cement this bond by appealing to the emotional sensibilities of people.” This leading pan-India brand has used "Trust" and "confidence" as its positioning factor in its recent campaigns. This is what Kalyan Jewellers Executive Director says on the second "C" - CUSTOMER’S CONFIDENCE. This clearly shows that the "confidence" of the customer in the brand is emerging as the second “C” and it is the most important factor in brand perception and purchase decision. 3. Convenience- the third "C" Jewellery is still a “touch and feels" market where purchases are made in person. But of late, convenience in jewellery shopping is emerging as one of the decisive factors in jewellery purchase. Today's customers want to be well-informed about the price fluctuations, making charges, wastage, and design options etc. prior to the actual physical purchase at the shop. The presence of a website or social media like Instagram/ Facebook etc. with a design 8 gallery and price estimates are often appreciated by customers as it helps them in planning their purchase. Such a convenience-driven model of business with knowledge-empowerment is the call of today for jewellery retailers. This is why Convenience is emerging as the third C in brand positioning or purchase decisions. Customers look at "customization" as part of the convenience offered by a jeweller. The convenience of customization is greatly accorded by personal and traditional jewellers. Convenience also means service benefits that the jewellery outlet offers like “home delivery" or"gifting options". Example: Take the case of Caratlane which in partnership with Tanishq is offering many conveniences like 1. Returns / Exchanges at any of the Caratlane stores 2. Endless try-one of jewels before buying 3. Free jewellery cleaning for their jewels 4. Free order picks up etc. 9 10 4. Customer service - the 4th C A jewellery purchase is an emotional decision for most buyers as they attach great sentimental and personal value to the jewellery they purchase. This is why customers look for a "positive shopping experience" when they come to buy jewellery. This positive shopping experience is founded on the 4th C -customer service. Customer service involves not only hospitality and friendly greetings but also expertise from the staff. Customers expect well- informed staff to guide and advise them on their jewellery choices. Ganesh Jewellers of Mumbai wish to position themselves with respect to their customer service. Look at what they say - Customer Service As customers come in the store, we have them with good service like offering tea, coffee or water so that they feel home friendly. Customers are happy with small-small things. This also helps an organization to earn better from the customer's pocket, understanding customer requirements and fulfilling the requirement is also one of the methods of customer service, the more we understand the customer needs better we have a chance to grow and more business are expected from them. Also, we celebrate our customers birthday in store which is a unique way to sustain our customers so that they do not get diversified to other competitors. Celebrating customers' birthdays in stores and sending them birthday wishes cards makes them remind them of us. Right from the marketing communication, the entry to the store/ website, the warm welcome, the store atmosphere, the hospitality gestures, the offers on the merchandise including the range, the 11  price, the design etc. to the customer-handling, everything in your jewellery outlet should enrich the 4th C - the customer service. The Jewellery industry may see its ups and down regularly, but if you keep these 4 Cs in mind and position your brand or jewellery outlet, you are sure to be the champion of jewellery retail in your market and beyond 12  Chapter - 3 Ways to have an eye-catching Jewellery Store Signage Jewellery has a lot to do with signs in India. Yes, most of the jewels are purchased in India during festivities and for auspicious occasions which are mostly based on "good signs". This is why "signs" or "signage" is very vital for your jewellery store. Why is Signage important for your Jewellery store? 1. Indian customers entering the shop look for auspicious omens and good luck signs. These signs give them a feeling of positivity that the jewellery purchased from that shop will promise good fortune ahead. Keeping in mind this sentiment, jewellery retailers must design their shop signage to exude a feeling of good luck and good fortune. 2. From the visibility point of view too, signage is very crucial. Jewellery retailers must design the shop signage creatively to attract the attention of prospective customers and even passers-by on the street. 3. Importantly, the shop signage is its core identity. It portrays the logo of the jewellery brand or store with its name and sometimes the tagline. It is the symbol of the shop's character and integrity and the values the brand or store stands for. Types of jewellery store signage Under the umbrella of jewellery store signage, we have 1. Shop name board For a jewellery store, its shop name board is its "lottery ticket”. Yes, walk along the streets of any Sarafa markets or jewellery bazaars and you will see jewellery stores vying with each other to outdo themselves in displaying their shop 13  boards "bolder and bigger". Even for a small jewellery store, the name board has BIG letters! In short, jewellery shop name boards are usually designed to be ‘BOLDER, BIGGER and BRIGHTER!’ 14 Outdoor signs are those signboards placed outside the jewellery shop in close proximity to it but at heights to offer visibility even at the farthest viewing distance. This outdoor signage must be attention-grabbing with bold lettering and are hence most often printed in bright, fluorescent or contrasting colours with night illumination. The outdoor signage for jewellery shops housed in malls is placed outside on pedestals like this. 3. Directional/Navigational signs to the shop In a Sarafa market or jewellery bazaar, shops are lined up neck-to- neck jostling for space. 15  How to spot a particular shop among the crowd? This is where directional signs come in. They may be placed at an angle perpendicular to the shop, jutting outside. Or they may be placed with arrows at the end of the street pointing to the shop location. 16 Such directional signs are common within malls and help to locate the jewellery store quickly. 4. Informational signs (usually placed within the shop) Enter a jewellery store and you are in paradise. Yes, the dazzle and sparkle of gold and diamonds combined with the bright lighting make you feel awed and dumbstruck. To make sure that you do not lose yourself in the sea of jewels, every jewellery shop must have informational signs like “billing", “delivery", "estimation" etc. Informational signs are often used within shops to indicate the counters too like "Chains", "Bangles" etc. To help the customer to easily navigate through the store, you can have navigational signs like "Parking", "Exit", "Repair Section", "Restroom" etc. 17  5. Persuasive signs See the above signboard within the jewellery store. Isn't it just beckoning the consumer to buy that mangalsutra? This is a prime example of persuasive signage. Persuasive signage is used to lure the customers, draw their attention to the display message and persuade them to make a buying decision. 6. Floor signs Floor signs are the latest forms of signage. This is yet to be experimented with in India but can have a massive impact if done so. This signage is in the form of lettering or messages on the floor. Found commonly on landing spaces, this is ideal for multilevel jewellery 18  stores or jewellery stores within malls. Points to keep in mind while designing jewellery store signage All the signage used in or outside a jewellery showroom should follow these basics 1. The lettering must be bold and bright and in contrast to the base colour of the signage. 2. For a shop name board, stick to a white base. Avoid using black as it is considered inauspicious by some. 3. Directional signs are usually "white with red or black lettering" or sometimes "yellow with black". 4. Informational signs should have the lettering in big size even if the plate size is small. They may even be in multiple languages, depending upon the consumer profile. 5. Always use contrast for readability in the text and graphics for foreground and background colours. 6. Bigger letters look better and are easily read from a distance. 7. Follow a uniform typeface for store name and logo in all signage. Size of the lettering in a jewellery shop signage The thumb rule for sizing the letters for signage is 10:100 i.e., 10" of letter height for 100' of visibility. So, for an in-store informational signboard, the letters should be at least 2" high to be seen 20' away. Calculate similarly for outdoor and shop name board signage. 19  Pointers for persuasive signage Use arresting images and creative punchlines for signage Use readable fonts and avoid scripts like Mistral or Comic Sans Limit your message to 15 words. Type of signage boards used for jewellery stores 1. Painted boards Painted boards are common in Sarafa markets and jewellery bazaars. They are ideal for small outlets wanting to economize the cost. 20 2. LED Sign Boards Illuminatedbrightly with striking colours, LED sign boards, are the popular among jewellery stores today. 3. 3D Sign Boards Here, the 3-dimensional effects, given to the lettering, arrest the attention of the passers-by. With the letters projecting outside, the 3D signboard is the one to give a stunning effect to the shop exterior. 3D letter signboards may come with acrylic letters, steel letters or brass letters. 21  4. Digital signage Digital signage is the latest “in-thing" in jewellery store signage. It uses LCD or LED screens with video streaming options to create dynamic content that appeals to the audience infinitely. 22  Chapter - 4 How to design a Jewellery Outlet with inviting interiors Like the dazzle of your diamonds and the glitter of your gold, the inviting ambience of your jewellery showroom must attract and welcome every customer. The moment a customer steps into your showroom or store, he/she must feel invited, inspired and above all, interested. To achieve this, you must design your jewellery showroom both artistically and functionally. Why does ambience matter for the jewellery store? Big or small, every jewellery store must be designed to maximize the use of both space and appeal. The aura of a jewellery store creates an auspicious sentiment in the mindset of the Indian customers. Jewellery displays must be prominent and eye-catching and for this, clever design of the interiors is a must. Every customer who enters must find the interiors of the jewellery store both comfortable and convenient in terms of seating, display, access to the counters etc. This requires a keen study of the ergonomics of the showroom to create a functional design. The interiors must also be designed keeping in mind the type of customers. A 1 Star jewellery audience must experience say a 3 Star atmosphere and not a 5 Star atmosphere. If the difference is too much, then the customer might become uncomfortable even stepping in and shopping. Designing the jewellery showroom Layout The layout and floor plan of the jewellery store must be designed keeping in mind the optimum usage and sales potential of the floor 23 How to design a Jewellery Outlet with inviting interiors space. Be it straight or geometric, the floor plan must be convenient to the customers and the operating staff. Narrow entrances, circular staircases etc. can be avoided as they are cumbersome for customer movement, especially the ageing woman consumer. The flooring too should be of the preferably anti-skid type to enable safety for one and all. Displays Precious and high-end jewellery like diamonds, heavy gold sets and platinum must be displayed on wall shelves or cabinet displays positioned securely at eye level. Small value offerings like earrings, nose rings and finger rings, anklets, brooches etc. may be placed in display trays on counter-top tables. All cabinet displays, countertop tables and wall shelves are fitted with glass for the "see-through" experience. It is also convenient to have samples of each category of jewellery on the counter also so that customers can see the range at short distances inside the glass counters as well. Raise all counters to a height of 42" to give the customer an eye- level view which is easy for browsing the display. Many jewellers tend to have counters of higher height which forces the customers to stand and shop. While this type of arrangement might be “ok” for very busy stores, or traditional stores, it does not provide a “great customer experience” for someone spending thousands or lakhs to stand and shop. Unique or eye-catching signature jewellery or the best sellers can be showcased on separate counters at the centre of the store. This will draw the customer's attention instantly being the focal point. 24 Counters The placement of counters is very important in the design of a jewellery showroom. The sales counters are usually at the shop entrance itself, in small jewellery stores. If there is a reception desk or lobby, then this visitor’s lounge is placed right at the front and the sales counter is located at the centre or towards the far side of the showroom. The point to note here is that the sales or billing counter must be at a central and prominent place that is easily accessible to both the staff and the customers. If the store has multiple levels, each level can have its own billing counter. In some stores, the weighing or estimate counter is placed elsewhere, most often near the jewellery shelves to enable easy estimation. Repair counters can be placed at the back of the shop along with the administrative desk and inventory storage. Flooring Depending upon the type of audience you would like to attract, the type of flooring can be a big indicator of the positioning of the brand. Whether it is imported Italian Marble, Indian Marble, Vitrified Tiles, Regular tiles or even polished stones of different varieties, care must be taken to choose them, both for their cost as well as their durability in maintenance. Normally, managing white marble floors is difficult apart from them losing their white colour over many years of use and turning yellow. Lighting Lighting is the main attraction in a jewellery store as it helps to draw the customer's attention to the jewellery display. Different types of lighting can be used at the jewellery showroom depending on the 25 How to design a Jewellery Outlet with inviting interiors position of the counter, type of display, viewing distance, nature of jewellery and above all, budget constraints. Some of the lighting options are ambient, accent, case, focus, shelf, perimeter and valence lighting. The lustre of jewellery and the sheen of gold is enhanced by using focus lighting on them. Case lighting is ideal for highlighting the special features of the jewellery at close proximity. Keep in mind too, that some of the lightings generates a lot of heat and can add to the air conditioning costs. Latest technologies in LED lighting are now available which produce less heat, though their upfront costs might be higher. Seating Ample seating arrangement is the most desirable factor in a jewellery showroom. Have some plush sofas at the front lounge for customers to wait for their relatives to join them in the jewellery purchase. Provide cushioned stools or sofas in front of the counter tables. Keep extra chairs ready to manage extra customers during rush periods. Do bear in mind that customers are most often accompanied by elders while making jewellery purchases. Provide comfortable seating for the elders to enable them to have an enjoyable shopping experience. Furnish your upholstery in colours that contrast the wall colours. Painting Be it wallpaper or paint, use appropriate colours so that the jewellery gets all the attention. Jewellery showrooms should be brightly lit and painted in vibrant hues. Paint the shelves or 26 modular displays in contrasting colours to draw attention to the jewellery that is displayed on them. Typically for gold, dark colours of background materials are used. Posters and Pictures Of late, the use of pictures and posters within the store has increased to highlight the latest collection or a range of jewellery, rather than have blank walls or pillars. Mirrors In the jewellery business, mirrors are more than just a way of interior design. They can help the consumer evaluate if the jewellery is suitable for them or not. They can also get feedback from other members of the group too from the way it looks in the mirror. For the store, appropriate usage of mirrors can help the store look bigger. They can also be a security device for monitoring too. The do and don'ts of jewellery interior design Design the interiors of your store keeping in mind your target audience. For the elite audience, the showroom must have a plush and luxurious environment with a little grandeur. For the affordable audience, the store must look warm and welcoming. The objective of designing your jewellery showroom is to create a customer-friendly atmosphere. Do not use the interior design to “shock the consumer” which they are not used to. This might make the customers feel that you are "too costly a store to visit". If your store has a predefined interior design that you do not want to change or if you have some budget constraints, making minor yet mindful modifications can create a major difference in the store's outlook. An easy way to give a new look to the showroom is typically changing the Visual Merchandising items. 27  Chapter - 5 Points to improve Parking in a Jewellery Showroom What's that bustle out there? Oh, it's the crowding of cars struggling to locate a parking lot outside a jewellery shop. This is a common sight outside most jewellery showrooms. Jewellery showrooms are housed in multi-level high-rise buildings with cramped parking spaces. Or the jewellery stores sit without elbow space at Sarafa markets or Jewellery bazaars where parking is inconceivable. Why is Parking such a pain for the customer? Most customers feel that searching for a parking spot spoils the shopping experience. A lot of time allocated for shopping is spent hunting for parking lots and the customer ends up feeling frustrated and this often “eats” into the time allotted for shopping. In India, people come to shop for jewellery with their entire family. From elders to tiny tots, the entire lot is bundled into a big car to go jewellery shopping for a wedding or engagement. Imagine the driver depositing them at the entrance of your shop and parking the car a mile away due to lack of parking space. This is cumbersome, isn't it? But this is what happens most often in Indian cities. 28 Take Kochi for instance. A person who wants to shop for jewellery on MG Road will have a tough time searching for a parking lot. Parking vehicles is a perennial problem at jewellery showrooms. But some jewellery retailers have taken the effort to include parking as their priority when they build their multi-storeyed complexes. Take Kalyan Jewellers for instance. The above ad reveals the importance the jewellery retailer has given to providing parking at this high-rise jewellery store. Following this example, jewellery retailers must take parking as a priority and include it as part of their customer service. How to make jewellery shopping a pleasurable experience, if there is no parking? This is what we are going to address in this chapter. Ways to improve shopping at a jewellery showroom. 1. Provide your own parking lot Jewellery retailers must try to allocate some parking space 29  in the front of, behind or to the side of their store. Jewellery stores with their own individual basement will not find this a problem as they can provide front parking and basement parking too. If your jewellery shop is located in a busy area, allow parking in the front at least. Have a security guard posted outside your showroom to guide the customers to the parking lot. Provide parking free of cost to your customers. It is the first sign of showing your hospitality and customer service. 2. Have parking space nearby If you own a jewellery showroom on the main street of a busy metropolis, it is very difficult to have a parking space right in front of your shop. Busy hours and festive times are even more rushed. So, try leasing or renting a parking lot a few blocks away or on a side street. Post security guards at both that parking area as well as your shop entrance to guide your customers. 3. Have an arrangement with your neighbouring shops 30 If you enjoy a good rapport with your neighbours in the bazaar, you can have an arrangement with them whereby they can allow your customers to park in front of their shops for specific periods. 4. Guide them to nearby paid parking If you are a small jewellery retailer who cannot afford parking services, the least you can do is guide your customers to a nearby paid parking lot. You can refund the parking fees for your customers. This thought will be appreciated by the customers too. 5. Parking pool Jewellery bazaar and Sarafa market retailers can opt for this great idea. Jewellers on a small street can join together and rent a common space to have a "parking pool". Demarcate the area into sections for the shops and guide your customers to park at your section. This is a pocket-friendly but proactive idea for parking. 6. Mall Parking If your jewellery store is within a mall, assign security to lead the customers to your designated parking space. Place directional boards that help your customers in getting there. 7. Valet Parking Customer-oriented Jewellery houses (big or small) must offer Valet parking as part of their differentiated customer service. All customers will feel relieved when they are offered valet service. 31  Parking Provisions at Jewellery showrooms Providing a Parking facility at your jewellery store or showroom is a must in order to give the customer The joy of worry-free shopping More time to shop than park The genuine feel of customer service Parking facility at a jewellery showroom Enhances your business image Is a definite benefit that influences the customer's shop selection for jewellery purchase Increases the number of customers to your store. "A customer well-parked at your jewellery store is a customer who is well-marked as a definite buyer". It also offers peace of mind to the customer that his vehicle is unlikely to be towed away or damaged. Provide ample parking facilities at your jewellery outlets to promote your business and make jewellery shopping pleasurable. 32  Chapter - 6 Ways to increase foot traffic to a Jewellery Showroom. However big your billboards, press or TV ads may be, unless customers actually walk into your jewellery showroom, all your marketing efforts go waste. Does this mean that your ad spend is futile? No. Your advertising is to create awareness of your jewellery brand or store. But what is it that gets customers to your door? Let us take a look. Foot traffic Foot traffic is a measure of the actual number of walk-in customers to your jewellery store every day. This may include Customers who wish to just look around before making a purchase decision Customers who have come specifically to your shop to purchase. The former is a sales prospect or future customer while the latter is a sales opportunity or current potential customer. Both are important to increase the sales of your jewellery. The former has not yet made a decision to purchase at your store but you can convince her to do so. The latter is definitely going to purchase at your store, so it's up to you to make her feel that it is the right decision. Importance of Foot Traffic for jewellery showrooms 90% of the customers still believe in shopping from brick- and-mortar stores. This is basically because the in-store shopping experience has a level of personal service that is 33  unmatched by online shopping. This is especially so in the jewellery industry, where the regular customer is a typical middle-aged lady, who has a passion for jewellery. Sure, there are both younger and old lady customers too, but it is the middle-aged lady, who performs the bulk purchase. Typically aged between 30+ to about 65 + years, this is the time they shop for themselves, their daughters, their granddaughters etc. Jewellery shopping is mainly a "touch, feel and try" type of shopping that requires physical presence. So, customers prefer to come to jewellery shops directly. But is it your jewellery shop they come to? This is what you have to ensure. And this is done by implementing these measures to increase foot traffic to your jewellery showroom. Methods to increase foot traffic to your jewellery showroom. Methods to increase foot traffic to your jewellery showroom. 1. Make your shop frontage attractive One look at your shop and the passerby should be at your door. This is how impressive your shop frontage should be. This can be done by having an eye-catching shop façade like Malabar Gold, or Khazana Jewellers 34 2. Using eye-catching image Signage can have a strong effect on drawing Even if its shop is within a mall, Malabar Gold has ensured that it will attract customers. Create an arresting or signage outside your shop to attract passers-by even at a distance. 35  Even if its shop is within a mall, Malabar Gold has ensured that it will attract customers on all sides with signage like this. Even parking signage or signage on the road makes people stop, stare and march towards your store. 3. Extremely attractive window display Make your window display exceptional that none can pass by without stopping to look at it. 36 4. Offer some extra-attractions outside your shop Be innovative and put up something extra outside your door to attract the passer's attention. It could be anything from a blackboard message to a digital signage with multimedia streaming of your wares. 5. Offer extra amenities at your shop Give something extra and gain more in return. The extra amenity offered could be a free makeover studio or wellness spa for customers. 6. Complimentary services are the call for now 37  Complimentary services like free cleaning for the jewels purchased at your shop can be offered like Caratlane does. Services offered can be 1. "Free repairs" 2. “Stone polishing" for diamonds - 3. “Checking the stone settings”- These are some value additions that make the customer feel that it is worthwhile to make a repeat trip to your shop. 7. Devise some attractive "walk-in" offers Foot traffic can also be increased with a little marketing strategy like this. The first walk-in of the day gets a gift Customers who shop that day get a discount on their next purchase and so on. “Customers who spend $400 at Gemset of Saratoga Springs, NY, which has provided high quality jewellery for 20 years, get a $400 coupon towards their next jewellery purchase of $1200 or more. Owner Stan Lynn says the promotion has been hugely successful in converting new customers into return customers, largely because it means that their initial jewellery purchase is free” 8. Host some promo shows Promotional events are prominent crowd-pullers. Try organizing some promo events around our latest collections to entice the crowd. Another option is broadcasting a radio channel live from your store. Even more attractive will be a reality or fashion show 38 conducted at your premises by a TV channel and anchored by prominent VJs. 9. Use online and social media platforms to lure customers Harness the power of social media platforms. Offer exclusive offers on your FB or Instagram pages or on your website which can be availed only by visiting your store. 10. Team up with social celebrities and influencers Arrange for a local celebrity or a social influencer in your locality to visit your store and create a big hype around this event. This will draw more customers and fans to the store. 11. Do live video-streaming of customers Get customers to narrate their shopping experience and post these live on social media. This is bound to draw some attention. 12. Provide discounts for loyal customer and for referrals Loyal customers are bound to be pleased if you offer them special discounts and are bound to refer you to others, bringing in more foot traffic. 13. Evolving memorable moments for your elite customers. Surprise your elite customers on their special day by arranging a dinner at a good restaurant like Adamas Fine Jewellery of Newton, 39  Massachusetts did. They will be your loyal customers for life and are sure to bring in more business for you. 14. Courteous staff and cordial service Train your staff well with the help of expert Retail consultants like Retail Gurukul. Your staff must be ever smiling, courteous, respectful and knowledgeable. Extend exemplary customer service by inviting customers warmly, seating them comfortably and offering them beverages to drink. A smile and good service always brings more foot traffic to your jewellery store. Ideas are plenty to increase foot traffic to your jewellery store. Just think innovatively or gain the help of Retail Gurukul to get customers to make a beeline for your store. Tip: Offer tips on jewellery selection or on the various types of gems available along with lovely photographs and forward to your customers on social media along with a daily discount. 40  Chapter - 7 Ways to improve your Jewellery Window Display. Look at the sparkling diamond necklace in that shop display. It shimmers and shines and catches the eye of every passer-by. One look at it and any woman would want it to be worn around her neck the next minute. This is the effect of effective "window display" at jewellery showrooms. Why window display is crucial for jewellery showrooms? 1. Jewellery attains its full value only when it is noticed. The best way to draw attention to your jewellery collection is by displaying prominently in an attractive window display. 2. Great designs garner instant sales only when they are showcased. The artistry of your design is best exhibited only when it is under a spotlight in a window display. Kya dikhta hai, wo bikta hai (what is seen, is saleable) is an old salesman saying. 3. Window displays increase sales by 50% Studies reveal that placing a product under a spotlight increases its sales by 50%. Window/ Counter displays curate the best collection In today's world, the busy shopper has no time to go searching for the best designs. Your jewellery shop window display is the solution to this. It offers a carefully chosen and curated collection of the best designs. All a consumer has to do is pick from the window display as the best is showcased here. In many a case, even the “counter” or the back wall display is also considered as a Window Display. Thus, you need to pay attention to the jewellery 41  that is displayed in these as well. Ways to showcase the best window display for our jewellery showroom. 1. Space Matters Yes, window displays need space to display the select jewellery pieces prominently. Allocate the most prominent and front-facing area of your shop with highest visibility to your window display. 2. No cramping or crowding Some jewellers feel they have to show it all and clutter up the window display with all the items they have. This may not work too. Crowding the window display makes it unappealing and leaves no scope for selection. 42 Instead, select just the best -sellers or the new and catchy designs and place them on the shelves. Even 2 or 3 will do, but they should be the highlight of your shop. 3. Arrange interestingly Arranging the items in a window display is an art. Place the bigger or showy ones at the top or bottom. Intersperse these 43  with smaller ones. Or you can keep the bigger ones at floor level of the display window and elevate the smaller ones to a height using some support. Displaying at different heights creates an interesting visual impact. 4. Size the display stands right Your jewellery collection is an assortment of various sizes- long chains and necklaces, short necklaces, hip chains, bangles etc. Display long necklaces on tall stands to give an impression of great length. Place short choker pieces on wide display stands to emphasize their girth. Use gabled displays or tiered displays to display multiple pieces of jewellery in an organized manner. 5. Use props and mannequins Mannequins and props help to highlight the prominence of the jewellery item. The types of props you can use are 44  Mannequin busts for necklaces Arm or hand moulds for bangle, bracelet and ring display Face figurines for ear rings and nose pins. A full mannequin figure to display a bridal collection 6. Use striking visuals Just an ordinary windowdisplay goes unnoticed. Use striking visuals to enhance the appeal of your jewellery. 45  7. Evolve themes for your window display Make your window display fresh and trendy by evolving a theme for its display. The theme may be based on an upcoming festival or season to create a hype around the occasion. - like the Valentine’s Day collection - see above pic. a signature line of jewellery a thematic collection like Meenakari jewellery this month and Pachchikam jewellery the next. 8. Use contrasting colours for the props to highlight the jewellery Colours play an important role in highlighting jewellery when used in contrast. Black offsets the bright shine of gold and diamonds Some people consider black inauspicious and use maroon or dark blue instead. White or beige makes the colours of rubies, emeralds and sapphires stand out. Some people choose to highlight only one best-selling piece by displaying it in a contrasting colour like this 46  9. Use product display pyramids Product display pyramids are the “in thing” in jewellery display. These glass pyramids draw attention to the product instantly. Glass pyramid also offer a tiered display to display many jewellery item at once. 10. Be different Create a difference in your shop window display to make it instantly eye-catching. 47  11. Light is your might Yes, lighting offers the best effect for your jewellery window display. Use low hung lamps, spotlights, focus lamps or case lighting to enhance the beauty of each piece of jewellery and watch it shine a shade more. 48 Tip: Look at this novel mode of jewellery displayed within the pages of a book. Be innovative and experiment new ideas. Keep changing your window display often to create a ripple in the market. Window display is your window to more customers, sales and visibility. 49  Chapter - 8 Window shopping to worthwhile shopping - how to achieve this paradigm shift? Many times, we see customers entering the jewellery shop, browsing the shelves, discussing the designs and after a total detour of the shop, just walking out. Most jewellery shop owners dismiss these customers as "window- shoppers”. But do you realize that every one of them can be a potential customer? TP or Time Pass is one of the “slangs” that Sales staff often uses to identify the customer and even ignore such customers after the first few minutes. How to convert window shoppers to actual buyers? Good question. But first analyse why the person is only window- shopping and not buying? 1. Is she looking for a particular design? 2. Does she have a budget constraint? 3. Is she comparing prices or designs? 4. Is she indecisive about what to buy? 5. Are there any inherent fears that prevent her from buying immediately? Your sales staff must be able to decipher all these in order to convert the window shopper into an actual buyer. Steps to convert the window shoppers into actual buyers 50 1. Understand them Window shoppers have not just walked into your jewellery store to take shelter from rainy weather. Something must have prompted them to come to your store. What is it? Talk to them and understand why they came to your store in the first place? Probe gently and there lies the answer to converting them. This can be done by asking leading questions, rather than a general “how can I help you?” Ask questions like “can I show you the latest finger ring in our collection or our best-selling jewellery piece? This way, a customer is more likely to be attracted to the product or come out with an answer, which can lead you to the next step in the sales process, i.e., ask more questions or showcase something of her interest. 2. Gauge their needs and constraints Be patient, greet them with a smile and gauge their needs and identify their constraints. Is the customer planning to buy jewellery for a festivity or for investment? Why is she hesitating to make the purchase? Is the price the limiting factor? 51 Window shopping to worthwhile shopping - how to achieve this paradigm shift? 3. Give them a small "sales push" Indecisive window shoppers usually look at designs and scan the shelves. But one particular design might make them look twice. Follow their eye movement and observe their body language to discern which design lures them most. Now give them a small sales push. Pick the design from the shelf and show it up close. Talk to them about the design and its value points. If you have an offer going on for that design, this is the time to reveal it. These are subtle sales tactics you can employ to gently nudge the customer to conversion. 4. Give them a feel of the jewellery Get them to try the design on. This is definitely going to win their favour. Most women cannot resist the jewellery after it has been worn once. Jewellery shopping is a tangible experience. Allow the customer to savour the richness of the jewellery. This will leave them with a memory they would never want to miss. 5. Suggest alternatives If they still hesitate, suggest some alternatives like scaled- down designs fitting into their budget, light weight jewellery etc. If payment is the limiting factor, suggest EMI or chit options. If you have exchange options for old jewellery, suggest this as a cost-cutting measure. 52  Better still, if you feel that new offers are coming up, inform them and ask them to wait. 6. Advise them If you can't sell, don't stop at that. Just advise them on how better they can plan their purchase. Talk to them about market scenarios, gold pricing, future trends etc. 7. Build trust in your brand or store Induce a feeling of trust and good opinion about your store. This will make them come back for repeat sales. Offer them your pamphlet, catalogues and brochures for future reference. 8. Get a commitment or a relationship Before they leave, get a commitment from them- a date to contact again with their contact details. If not, try getting their contact details to send them newsletters and offer mailers. Build a relationship before they leave and make sure they remember you. Ask them to visit your Facebook page or Instagram page and give you a rating of the store. 9. Keep the connection live. Maintain contact with them even after their visit. Send them a personal note thanking them for their visit and mentioning a special offer for them. Keep wishing them on their birthdays and anniversaries. They are bound to return to you. 53  Chapter - 9 How to attract customers to your Jewellery Showroom Your jewellery store is in the heart of the city, at a prime location and with a plush ambience? Yet, only a few customers trickle into your shop compared to all the investments you have made in this business? Isn't this disheartening? Yes, but this can be remedied with these valuable tips from Retail Gurukul. Attracting customers to their shop is the main worry for jewellery retailers. A daily influx and steady traffic of customers is a must to keep the wheels of your business turning. How to attract customers to your jewellery showroom? -take a look. Ways to attract customers to your jewellery showroom. 1. Step up your store layout. Your store layout must attract customers like bees to a flower. Right from the outside signage to the interior décor, everything about your store layout must be eye-catching and pleasing to the eyes. Make a note of these points put forth by Retail Gurukul to help you elevate your store layout in style and appeal. i. The store frontage of your store is the crowd -puller of your store. This has to be well-lit, brightly coloured and designed, to appeal to the customers and make them want to step inside. ii. At the entrance of your store, take a look at what is featured in the front. Pay attention to what you feature there. This is 54  because customers are going to spend the first few minutes evaluating whether they would like to shop at the store or not, subconsciously as soon as they enter. Placing your best sellers is a brilliant idea to capture the attention of the audience. iii. Does your store have a walking path? Highlight the flooring with different tiling to form a walking path throughout the store. This will help customers make a complete round of your shop. iv. Another approach here is to do away with many store counters. Some entrepreneurs believe that making the staff stand behind counters divides them from the customers. If you insist on having counters, arrange for a floor Manager and some welcome staff to greet customers, interact with them and show them around the store. This builds your rapport with your customers. v. Make your store distinctly stand out among others on the street or in the bazaar. Paint your store a different colour, put up an attractive signage or billboard near it or deck it up outside with lights, balloons or festoons but make sure that all this catches the customer's eye. 2. Establish your presence online According to Espresso digital's survey, 91% of the customers visited a store because of an online experience. 58% of customers who make local searches on their smartphones visit the store within 24 hours and 50% of the customers make a purchase within the day. This is why having a Facebook, Instagram, website and other social media presence to establish your online presence is a must for jewellery retailers. 55  When customers want some jewellery, they search the web for designs and take a look at your choices. So, it is imperative that you create an interactive user-friendly website with attractive visuals to evoke the interest of customers and lure them to your shop. Your website will prove very useful to build a database of customers from the visitors to its landing pages. It will also be helpful during marketing campaigns and promotional offers. 3. Organize a promotional event You have a store; you have a social media presence, now what? Create visibility in the market by organising promotional events. Create a stir by organizing an event with irresistible offers and discounts. Try to get maximum mileage of this event by lining up some local celebrity or influencer to this show. This will attract customers to your shop. Try to maximize visibility by creating social media posts of this event and posting them online. Populate your website with images of this promo event. Install a Call to Action - CTA on your website creating an urgency like "Rush" or "Buy now-offers closing". According to a Shopify's case study, the sales increased by 332% when an element of urgency was added. Use Red colour for your ads or signs as this will grab attention immediately. This colour is the one that alerts the brain for immediate attention. 4. Reward loyalty and referrals. 56 If you have a small set of customers, honour them with loyalty rewards to appreciate their value and contribution to your business. Now voice your referral program highlighting the rewards for referrals. Jewellery retailing is a business that succeeds on "word-of- mouth". So, try to get maximum referrals by satisfying your regular customers. 5. Spruce up your social media Maximize your visibility on social media by posting and engaging audiences regularly. Keep posting images of your new collections and also giving useful information on jewellery Draw traffic to your site and store by evolving contests and campaigns for social media Issue coupon codes or offers on social media which can be encashed only at the store. This could draw a steady stream of customers to your store. 6. Finally, past success is no guarantee for future success too. Too many retailers continue to do what has worked in the past, even though it might have stopped working now. Change is the only constant. and we need to continuously try out these and other ways to attract customers to our stores 57  Chapter - 10 Ways to welcome customers to the Jewellery Showroom "Hi, hello, Welcome, Good Morning, Namaste, Namaskaram, Salaam alaikum and Sat Sri Akal" - all these are greetings that you use to welcome customers. But will this do? Just a cursory smile and a greeting - is it enough to make the customer who is "just looking” actually select a jewellery item for purchase? What is that 5 Star Service that is required to make the customer feel valued and welcome in your jewellery showroom? Retail Gurukul gives us some tips on the ways to welcome customers in the jewellery showroom. 58 In India, every guest is treated as God. Inculcate the habit through training that customers in the store are like Guests at home. And the Guest is God in our culture. How to welcome customers in the jewellery showroom? - The dos and don'ts. Money is the fuel for your jewellery business and it is the customer who is providing it for you. So, the Customer is King - normally, the man has to pay :(…or Queen - normally, she decides what to buy :). Bear this in mind while welcoming the customer taking care to see that the customer feels privileged and happy to come to the showroom. Remember, that she had plenty of options. No plastic smile please Customer relations has become a routine part of sales and welcoming customers is just the beginning of this process. Most retail staff become so used to handling dozens of customers every day that they think of this as a mundane and boring task. This is why they wear a "plastic smile" on their face and greet customers with disinterest. This is absolutely “poisonous” to your jewellery business. Customers will enter the showroom only, if they feel valued and respected. Every customer wants the jewellery store staff or owner to acknowledge his/her presence and honour it. Only then will she feel inclined to enter the jewellery showroom. So, train your retail staff to greet customers genuinely and warmly and make them feel welcome in a wholesome way. How would you check if the smile is genuine or not? When they 59  welcome customers, like they welcome guests at home, the smile will be genuine. Respect the customer Here again it is important to emphasize that the customer is supreme for you. Treat the customers with utmost respect for their age and gender, without any prejudice about their physical appearance or clothing. In India, some of the wealthiest gold purchasers are humble villagers. Looking at their appearance, retail staff often underestimate their buying capacity and treat them indifferently. This kind of behaviour is going to harm your jewellery store's reputation and business. Train your staff to welcome each customer individually and specially and treat one and all alike. Even the slightest hint of disrespect might prove too costly for your jewellery store. So, remember that every customer who enters your jewellery store is special and must be given respect due to him/her. Atithi Devo Bhava. Relate to the customer In order to interact with the customer, it is very important that you strike an instant rapport and relate to the customer. You must communicate with the customer and be on the same wavelength to make him/her feel welcome at your store. To do this, study the customer's persona and try to start a conversation of common interest. And then slowly move on to the sales pitch. Some sales staff start ranting off about products like an automated robot the moment the customer steps into 60 the showroom. This makes the customer feel edgy and uncomfortable. Ask your retail staff to first put the customer at ease, make them feel "at home" in your jewellery shop and then move on to talking sales stuff. Be hospitable It might be a hot sunny day or cold rainy day. Whatever the season, your customer has still made an effort to come to your jewellery shop. Appreciate this gesture and be hospitable to the customer. Invite the customer in and seat them in comfortable chairs under sufficient lighting and air-conditioning. Offer the customer cool drinks on a hot day or warm beverages on a cool day. If you cannot do both, offer them a glass of water instead. Hospitality is the main harbinger of business for retailers. Please don't forget that. Act professionally As a jewellery store owner or staff, you have to act professionally. Whether the customer responds rightly or not, it is your duty to greet, welcome and serve customers with a smile. Do not allow your personal likes, dislikes, opinions or prejudice to enter your line of duty. Frankly, there are hardly any TP - Time Pass customers these days. Customers are hard pressed for time. So, make sure that you make their time spent in the shop in a professional manner. Ways to greet and welcome customers Greet customers with a salutation that matches their age, gender and profile like good afternoon, Madam or Sir or Good 61  evening, ladies Namaskar or Hi etc. depending upon the culture of the store and the profile of the customer. Be casual and friendly with youngsters and reverential and respectful to elders. Try to judge the taste, availability of time and need or motive of the customer in coming to the shop. Try to learn the name of the customer and use it in the conversation with them. This makes them feel valued, after all, most people love the sound of their names Do not hasten the customers or push them into a decision in sales. Be gentle and not forceful in your suggestions. If the customer enters the shop seeking an item you do not have, do not turn them away saying it is unavailable. Steer them to take a look at your other jewellery items instead. Treat all the members of your customer's family who accompany them with kindness and respect. Be polite and patient with children and courteous to even their domestic help. Ensure that the customer has a look around the whole shop before they leave. This may persuade them to buy some other items too. If they do not have time, do not push them. Extend your cordiality and respect till they leave the showroom. Welcoming customers to your jewellery showroom means welcoming prosperity to your jewellery store. Bear this in mind while greeting customers and learn more from Retail Gurukul. 62  Chapter - 11 How to retain customers at a Jewellery Showroom Jewellery retailers are advised to follow the proverb "A bird in hand is worth two in the bush", when it comes to their customers. This means holding onto the existing customers rather than going hunting for new ones. But is retaining customers such an easy task? Absolutely not! In this present scenario of intense competition, invasion of online media and abundance of choices in the product range, it is very difficult to hold on to the existing customers as your competitor is always eager and ready to welcome them. Remember, in this competition, you are one against “many competitors”. Why is customer retention "all-important'' for the jewellery business? The below infographic clearly explains it all. Source: https://www.sellbrite.com/blog/are-amazonfba-fees- worth-the-cost/how-much-are-returningshoppers-really-worth/ 63 Customer retention is the key to repeat sales for your jewellery business and repeat customers spend 3 times more than one-time shoppers. So, concentrate on customer retention to get an assured income from these repeat shoppers to grow your business. How to achieve customer retention for your jewellery store then? Retail Gurukul is here to lend a helping hand by offering this valuable guidance as tips. Ways to retain customers at a jewellery showroom. 1. Providing peerless customer service Customer service is the key to the treasure box of customer retention. Source:https://www.shopkeep.com/blog/customer- retentiontactics This is the area where brick and mortar jewellery retailers can easily score over online stores. Online stores may offer home delivery or increase customer's expectations by offering many 64 payment options etc, but the "customer is king" feeling comes only when the customer is at a physical store. Take advantage of this fact and offer your customers 5 Star customer service that will remain in their memory for ages. This is because, if you ask a customer, where she has excellent service, the chances of her mentioning a 5 Star hotel are quite high, because of the ambience, the service, the stay/ dining experience. Similarly, if you can offer a great ambience, excellent service, suitable product assortment etc, then you are able to offer that memorable 5 Start service in your store as well. Customer service means not just meeting and greeting the customers but extends beyond this to include a subtle but significant variation that makes the customer realize that you really value them and care for them. This requires some careful thinking. For example, take a regular customer who has been frequenting your store for years. Take the history of her jewellery purchase and analyse. Try to figure out her personality, taste and what she wants. The next time she comes to the store, you will be better prepared to match her needs. Surprise the customer during her next visit with a gift she will value and highlight her loyalty and repeat purchase. Some big textile retailers in Chennai have started a free pick up and drop service for the customers heading to their store from specific locations. Jewellers too can emulate this example and offer free "pick and drop" services for elite or aged customers. Such thoughtful and innovative changes enhance customer service and improve customer retention. 65 2. Offer a superior shopping experience It is not just the customer service that counts (that is what you offer). It is the customer's shopping experience (what she felt of that customer service) that binds the customer for good with the company. What is the difference? Customer service is the assistance offered by the Company or store to a customer during his buying process. Customer experience is the sum of all interactions and experiences the customer has had with the jewellery store. Customer service is just a part of the customer experience. Customer experience decides the customer’s perception about the company. How to enhance customer experience then? A jewellery retailer must realize that a customer's experience is not just based on physical shopping. In today's world, the customer's shopping experience is omnichannel utilizing all streams like desktops, mobiles, internet and in-store engagement. The jewellery retailer must cover all these touch points of the customer's engagement thoroughly. For instance, when a customer logs on to your website looking for a few designs, the jewellery store can capture this data using sales prospecting software integrated with your CRM. Immediately, a voice call can be made to the customer asking her what she needs and informing her about the availability of designs, schemes etc. This can also be followed up by an SMS and email. Such integration of various avenues of customer interaction only serves to enhance the customer experience. 66  An updated inventory management also improves the customer experience by offering the latest designs for the customer to see. From the moment you welcome the customer to the final billing and delivery, everything is part of the customer's experience. Think of ways to offer an extra experience to the customer at each of these touch points. Offering a customer, something to drink is common in the industry. Yet, it is very casually done by the staff. How about training them to treat customers like guests at home and truly make the “effort” to offer the drink. You could even offer sandwiches or the local favourite snack! 3. Removing all problem areas for the customer Think of all the ways in which you can eliminate the "pain points" for the customer. If it is “finding a problem in the parking slot", offer valet parking. If it is "out-of-stock" designs, then update this information on your website and give a tentative date of arrival of stock. Do not disappoint customers by showing designs which are not readily available. Integrate your jewellery store app or website with the CRM at your store. Ask the customer to list her preferences and the time when she will be at the store. Keep the designs ready before she comes to avoid waiting. Make billing and delivery swift and hassle free. Such subtle service extras can go a long way in providing the customer a hassle-free shopping experience. 67 4. Personal care and attention Train your staff to know the regular customers by name and study their persona. Be polite with the customers and treat them with personal attention. This is what the customer experiences when she comes to your jewellery shop- your undivided attention. Not only should they treat customers with “5 Star” Service, they should also be speaking to their colleagues in a professional manner. If they treat their colleagues badly, then the customer recognises the double standards at the store, apart from feeling that the 5 Star services for her might be “drama” for her money. Train the staff to go beyond just sales talk and train them to offer "service" by means of valuable tips, suggestions and recommendations after observing the customer's likes and dislikes or what kind of jewellery will go with her lifestyle. 5. Loyalty and Referral Build a relationship that goes beyond business alone. Remember their likes and dislikes, offer them say a favourite “snack” from a distant place or a famous eatery. Appreciate customer loyalty by offering rewards or benefits like discounts. Convert your existing customers to your brand advocates by offering them special discounts for referrals. 6. Regular customer engagement Thank the customer for their visit with an email or SMS immediately 68  Ask them about their shopping experience and how you can improve, if something did not meet their expectations Remember their birthdays, anniversaries etc and send them greetings or small gifts to show you care. If the customer has not been to your store for a while, send a " We miss you " card with an offer. Do not lose touch with the customer but keep them engaged throughout the year at all costs. Customer retention is where most of the income lies for jewellery retailers these days. It is the driver of your jewellery retailing. So, hold on to your customers securely by following these tips from Retail Gurukul to make customers your strength. 69  Chapter – 12 The Do’s and Don'ts of Customer Service for Jewellery Retailing Customer service is what makes your jewellery business tick. Yes, if your product and pricing is good, then the customers might make the purchase at that time, but they may not return if the service is not good. If the product, pricing is good and the service is good too, customers might come back to your showroom for more purchases and also recommend you to others. So, customer service is going to be the foundation of your success in the jewellery trade. Customer service can make or break your business. - Nearly 66% of the customers would like to switch companies due to bad customer service. - 58% of them wished to continue dealing with the same company due to good service. Why is customer service of supreme importance to jewellery retail? 1. A customer is a person who has to be handled like a fragile object. Hurting her ego or self-esteem even unintentionally, might cause huge setbacks as she would refrain from shopping again at your store. 2. Jewellery customers are usually women who are both selective and sensitive. Your sales staff must know to satisfy their needs with impeccable customer service. 70 3. Jewellery is a commodity of great sentimental value. When shopping for an auspicious occasion for jewellery, the customer does not want to have an unpleasant memories or experiences. 4. One bad experience is enough to spoil your store's reputation as the customer shares her bad experience by word-of-mouth, social messages or online reviews. This is why sales staff in a jewellery store have to be doubly careful while dealing with customers and should know how to deal with them. Retail Gurukul guides you with a list of dos and don'ts for customer service. 71 Customer Service for jewellery showroom- "to do" tips 1. Always greet your customer with a warm welcome smile. It is quite easy for a customer to know, if the welcome is a warm welcome or a “duty” performed by the staff. 2. Guide them to the interior of the store. 3. Listen to what they say they are looking for, before starting your conversation. 4. If the customer is not opening up, gently prompt by asking open questions. Do not pester them. Some customers take their own time in sharing information. They are more likely to say, “Just looking around”. 5. Ask the customer to clarify what jewellery item they actually want if you have any doubts. 6. If the customer has only a budget but no object in mind, lend your suggestions one-by-one and show them the jewellery items. 7. Suggest items which are within the buyer's budget without making them feel "small". 8. Be patient with all customers as some might be indecisive. 9. Allow customers to take their time in deciding. 10. Be respectful to all customers, irrespective of their outfit or appearance. 11. Be informative to illiterate or ignorant customers, without being high-handed. 12. Be helpful to all customers. 13. While attending to a customer, pay undivided attention to him/her. 14. If another customer is waiting for you, inform them that you will be with them shortly or assign another fellow staff member to attend to them. 72 15. Highlight all the unique aspects of each jewellery item to the customer. 16. Be clear and precise while mentioning the making charges and wastage. 17. Be patient while clarifying price details to the customer and avoid confusions. This is especially important, when you are explaining making charges, polishing charges, value addition charges, GST etc. 18. Outline all the taxation and sales charges clearly, maybe even writing it or showing a print out, while indicating the total amount to the customer. 19. Offer intelligent alternatives like chit or discount schemes. 20. Enlighten the customer on your exchange or return policies. 21. Thank the customer warmly, even if no purchase is made with a promise of follow-up. 22. Always change your approach according to the nature of the customer to give personalized service. 23. Be polite, patient and pleasing to all customers. 24. Be transparent in all dealings as this will earn you their respect. 25. Be helpful to customers in every way possible. Customer Service for jewellery showroom- "to do" tips 1. Do not ignore any customer. 2. Do not pounce on the customer the moment he/she enters. Allow them space to get a feel of your store. 3. Do not pester the customer with questions. 4. Do not hover around a customer, as if you are watching them. 5. Do not assume what the customer wants. 6. Do not flaunt your product knowledge to the customer by giving overwhelming information. 7. Don’t be pushy. Allow the customer to decide. 73  8. Do not force your opinions on the customer. 9. Do not compel a customer to buy beyond their budget. 10. Do not leave a customer stranded while you search for their required items. 11. Do not mislead a customer on the product quality or price. 12. Do not look down on rural or ignorant customers. 13. Do not take customers for granted. 14. Do not dismiss a customer impolitely, if they do not make a purchase. 15. Do not show disinterest to any customer. Train your sales staff rigorously on all these factors. Learn more on enhancing customer service from Retail Gurukul's training programs. 74  Chapter – 13 It’s all about execution! Whether you have gone through each of the chapters or just skimmed through some and read some chapters, thank you. You have achieved what many of your competitors might not have achieved. You have some ideas, some challenges and even some successes that you have observed so far. This book, for example, is not perfect. I am sure, if we were to spend some more effort on it, we could improve it further, maybe even significantly better. In fact, we are crowdsourcing improvements with a Rewards and Recognition program. Do participate and give us your feedback. What next? It is crucial that you take action now. The lists of chapters are given below in a table format. Spend some time identifying one action point against each chapter. It does not matter if you have completed all the chapters or not. If you have completed even one chapter, identify an action point. Write down the action point and the due date next to it. Then, implement it. 75 New Idea / Topic / Issue! No. Topic Action Point 1 How to position your 1. store in the jewellery 2.. market 2 The new 4 C’s of 1. Jewellery Retailing 2.. 3 Ways to have an eye- 1. catching jewellery store 2.. signage 4 How to design your 1. jewellery outlet with 2.. inviting interiors 5 Points to improve parking 1. in your jewellery 2.. showroom 6 Ways to improve foot 1. traffic in your jewellery 2.. showroom 76 7 Ways to improve your 1. jewellery window display 2.. 8 Window shopping to 1. worthwhile shopping 2.. 9 Inventory Management 1. Tips for Retailers 2.. 10 How to attract customers 1. to your jewellery 2.. showroom? 11 Keeping operational costs 1. in check in a jewellery 2.. showroom- some tips. 12 The dos and don'ts of 1. customer Service for 2.. Jewellery Retailing 13 It’s all about execution 1. 2.. If you find that you need some ideas or facing some challenges, post your problem on the Facebook Retail Gurukul Mastermind 77 Your Suggestions Scheme System (SSS) If you are unhappy with a particular business you are working with, what would you do. These days, you may inform the supplier once or twice. If he does not change, you would just take your business, elsewhere right? Similarly, what would your own customers do? They would also take their business, elsewhere right? What can you do? On a personal note, I have always believed in the power of Ideas. The success of any company, is actually a result of team work, even if the public image is that of a one person. Employees, Vendors, Customers and family are great source of new ideas, suggestions, criticism, bouquets and brickbats too. Family members. Let us start with the obvious. Your spouse could be your most valued critic on what to do and what not to do. Do you recognize those inputs on how to grow your business? 78 The next are your customers, who pay to receive your products or services. They are a great source of ideas, on how to improve. The next are your employees and vendors, who have an interest in their own welfare from working with you. Attracting suggestions is a skill in itself. Japanese companies are the most successful in getting suggestions from their ecosystem. Rewarding the people are one of the many ways of motivating them to give suggestions. Acknowledging both good & bad things about your business is important. If people feel you are not serious, they will either not give you any suggestions. If they are your customers, and they are unhappy, they can just take their business elsewhere. You are the ultimate loser. If you like to implement a Suggestions Scheme System, with my help, please contact me. Like they say, we eat our own cooking. We @ Retail Gurukul would like you to participate in our Retail Gurukul Suggestions Scheme program. 79 Please share your ideas, problems, suggestions, criticisms with me directly. I am always eager to improve. You will be rewarded suitably, for your effort. Referral Program: I request you to share our service offerings with your circle of businessmen. We also have a reward and recognition program for such references as well. Trust me, it will make it worthwhile for you and your business. Thank you in advance. Shivaram 80 Time to Upgrade yourself I am very happy that each of you have been part of this wonderful journey so far. This is the beginning of a great performance from a group of people who have been working together. To improve further, Contact us. We regularly conduct Online Coaching Classes, Question and Answer Sessions for members of the Retail Gurukul community. We communicate these details through email, WA, FB & IG Posts etc. If you like to receive information about these programs, please fill the form below Your Name Owner or Employee Name of Business and City Phone No WA Facebook Id Website Instagram Id How did you come to know about us: Ex Success book? Action: Pl send the above information to Shivaram by WA to 9036036524. 81 Book 1 - Consumer Facing Ops A practical guide to retailing, this book covers the entire customer journey cycle from the new 4 C’s of retailing, marketing your brand to a potential customer, her entry into the store, the WOW shopping experience, exit and post shopping relationship. & towards a relationship of a life time that will stay. Suitable for those facing the challenges of a “changing market, a more aware customer, increasing competition and the multiple challenges of running a traditional business. Chapters include 1. How to position your store in the jewellery market 2. The new 4 C’s of Jewellery Retailing 3. Ways to have an eye-catching signage 4. How to retail customers at a jewellery showroom & a total of 13 chapters Action plan: Pick any chapter, identify what you want to do next, write it down in the action plan page and go ahead and implement. It is that simple. Review the benefits even while you take on the next action item. Each chapter helps you get more clarity on your next action. You can order these from www.retailgurukul.com 82 Book 2 - Back End Operations A practical guide to retailing, this book covers the entire back end operations of a store. Ways to optimise the pricing, keeping operational costs in check, training sales staff, making the most of festivals, inventory management tips , how to ensure the customer visits again. Suitable for those facing the challenges of a “changing market, a more aware customer, increasing competition and the multiple challenges of running a traditional business. Each idea is a new business opportunity. Chapters include 1. Ways to optimize pricing in a showroom 2. Keeping costs in check 3. How saving schemes really work for retail. 4. How to promote jewellery gifting to get better returns? & a total of 13 chapters Action plan: Pick any chapter, identify what you want to do next, write it down in the action plan page and go ahead and implement. It is that simple. Review the benefits even while you take on the next action item. Each chapter helps you get more clarity on your next action. You can order these from www.retailgurukul.com 83  Book 3 - G.R.O.W your business The World has Changed, customers have changed. Today, the whole world is the new market opportunity. Do you want to G.R.O.W your business & become successful? Yes, it looks like a dream. Isn’t it? But dreaming is one thing, executing is another! Businesses need to adapt, change and move with the times. Earlier your tried again & again to succeed. But, now, you may or may not have the expertise or the time, to do it on your own. Help is available. It is low risk. It is called Coaching This coaching book is focused on 3 areas. 1. What is takes to G.R.O.W your business. 2. How a Coach can help you grow your business. 3. Who is that Coaching Guru, who can help you grow your business? 4. G.R.O.W model of Coaching and a total of 27 chapters The consumer is ready. Ready, Steady and go get this book to help you G.R.O.W your business. Now, World is waiting Action Plan: Pick any chapter, identify what you want to do next, write it down in the action plan page and go ahead and implement. It is that simple. You can order these from www.retailgurukul.com 84 Book 4 – Your Success Story In today’s ever-changing world, when time is short, businesses are looking for quick success. Besides it is both mentally & materially satisfying. But, having the capability to achieve success and achieving success are two different things. Do you want to achieve success? Yes, Right? This book will help you in simple steps to observe, record, review, and implement to succeed in 30 days or less. This work book can also be used as a personal success tool. Chapters include 1. Planning your success in 30 days 2. How to set S.M.A.R.T goals 3. Eleven steps to get the team motivated 4. Daily Score Board and a total of 14 chapters Action Plan: Starting with a goal, the daily score board needs updating to arrive at success in 30 days. You can order these from www.retailgurukul.com 85 Gifting Opportunities Are you a manufacturer, vendor, wholesaler who gives discounts to your business associates to buy your products? That is normal right? Or some of you are in the habit of gifting sweets during Mithai/ Chocolates. How many of your clients remember, even after a week, that you sent a box. Most such gifts remain unopened amongst 10’s or 100’s of such boxes, that come even a week after Diwali through courier. Most of your other competitors do the same. So, how should you be differentiating yourself from others? Would you like to grow your business, while you help your clients grow their business? Consider gifting these business development books of mine to your clients. These are low priced books, compared to the discounts you are forced to offer! But the value they offer is tremendous. In fact, each of these topics can be a good conversation starter with your clients too, rather than just “what will you buy today?” from me sales pitch your team must be giving to the clients. We can also print special “editions” with your branding and a gifting message, so that the books will be perpetually useful. Contact Shivaram for a discussion. This is the best “gift” you can give to your clients. 86 Please connect with us WA Message us @ +91 9036036524 Phone Call us @ +91 9036036524 Website Learn @ www.retailgurukul.com Email [email protected] Follow us on Facebook Page Search @Retail Gurukul or https://bit.ly/ fbretailgurukul Join our Facebook Group Search @RetailGurukul or https://bit.ly/rgmastermind Instagram Follow us @RetailGurukul or https://bit.ly/retailgurukulinstagram