I have been in the jewelry biz for years and years. There is
something though, that i find hard to deal with and it happened
again yesterday. A customer came in and wanted me to look at her
pearl earrings to see if they were a good quality pearl. She took
the earring out of her ear and handed it to me , ICK … I didn’t
want to touch it, so like a goof ( I do that well ) I said I don’t
know much about pearls. How should I tactfully have gone to get
something to hold her earring with, I don’t want to insult her.
There are those also who like to slobber all over their finger
before they take off their rings… yyyeeeesh… I have gone and
gotten a towel and picked up the rings, but it seems so
unprofessional. Any ideas ? Ruth
For gruesome entertainment only:
I was once presented with an earring in a glass jar of methylated
spirits, butterfly and half the earlobe attached! The woman was
complaining that the earring had damaged her ear and I was
expected to deal with it. Needless to say, I didn’t and sent her
packing to the doctor. I don’t really care how much goodwill (if
any) that lost me!
Yours aye,
Dauvit Alexander,
Glasgow, Scotland.
When I worked as an appraiser, I had to deal with this too.
Worse, nasty old jewelry, worn for 50 years, under the microscrope
at 10X magnification!!! Yuck!!! Um. I would just tell them that
I needed to go to the kitchen (ultrasonic there) to clean it, and
that they could come with me if they wanted (if paranoid). I don’t
specifically remember earrings, but I’m sure I kleenexed them (if
could not be ultrasonic’ed) or water cleaned them…
A little dish to recieve these gifts would be good, and a supply
of those First-Aid supply alchol towlettes, individually packaged.
I think if one just made it a practice of cleaning all items upon
taken in (obviously, I mean simple things like cleaning the ear
posts in this cast, without touching the pearls, and I know one
would never clean a piece of jewelry without first inspecting and
identifying all the parts/stones), and if this were done very
matter of factly, without comment, that it would be accepted as
one of those mysterious things jewelers do.
-Elaine
Midwest
Chicago, Illinois
Near Lake Michigan
Just bear it for the moment, go wash your hands when done. Also,
although I don’t like the stuff as I thing things loke this are WAY
overused in the USA but you could have some of that waterless hand
anti bacteria spread right there to wipe the item with and or your
hands. Also, you could have a small container of cleanser or anti
bacterial soap/other material, and have thecustomer put the item in
the bowl instead of handing it to you. Make yourself scarce (not
there right in front of them) while they are taking the item off
and before leaving their immediate space, place the container
conspicuously in front of the customer and tell them to place the
item(s) in the bowl.
Actually, if you only knew what you in contact every day in life,
a moistened ring or an earring, as ugly as either sounds, is not
much works if as bad and the door knob you used to enter the store
in the morning!
John
John and Cynthia/MidLife Crisis Enterprises
Maiden Metals/C. T. Designs/ Bloomin’ Wax Works. etc.
PO Bx 44, Philo
CA 95466
Ph 707-895-2635 FAX 707-895-9332
The playfulness of the Universe
is reflected in the dance of the stars!
Ruth- Touch the jewelry, make the sale, and then go wash your hands
immediately ! But, seriously. We keep alcohol prep pads with us at
shows. That way we can clean earrings before and after a customer
can try them on. Letting them try on my work usually makes the sale
for me.
Janet in the El Nino soaked wetlands of Phila.
There is nothing nastier or more contaminated than all of those
green bills you handle everyday (the ones and fives are no better
than the twenties) but there seems to be little reluctance to these
grin…remember…you are being asked to help, use the
opportunity to discuss daily maintenance and cleaning and grin and
bear it (that’s what you do with money…right?)
Just a comment on the alcohol towlettes… Saw a number of
reports on the use of alcohol swabing before injections, blood
draws, etc… it does absolutely nothing to reduce the
bacteria count on the skin. This fact has been proven a number of
times but the medical profession is finding it IMPOSSIBLE to give
this routine up.
John and Cynthia/MidLife Crisis Enterprises
Maiden Metals/C. T. Designs/ Bloomin’ Wax Works. etc.
PO Bx 44, Philo
CA 95466
Ph 707-895-2635 FAX 707-895-9332
The playfulness of the Universe
is reflected in the dance of the stars!
There are those also who like to slobber all over their finger before they take off their rings... yyyeeeesh.... I have gone and gotten a towel and picked up the rings, but it seems so unprofessional. Any ideas ? Ruth
Pick up some alchol (<-sp) wipes (individual packets) at a drug
store. When someone takes out or off something, take a wipe, open
it and wipe the item off. I think the customer in the long run
appreciates the fact you care. I have had this happen at shows, a
customer will want to try on a earring. After they do, I have a
wipe opened and ready to accept it back from the customer. They
always seem appreciative that I care about my self, my business and
my next customer. I don’t think it is tacky to do this at all!
Hi Greg:
An interesting little tid bid about handling Green Stuff or Money
our little Sandwich shop next Door always would handle the food
and then money , so it kind of bothered me and I asked the Health
Department about it and that said although it is not sanitary,
Money does not spread disease! I thought that was a shocking
answer, maybe it doesn’t hold germs for any length of time?
TTYS
Chris
http://www.tace.com/glitters
P.S. When I mentioned the old White Gold Filligree Bracelet , We need to
replace it and are looking for one!
allthatglitters@erols.com
@Chrissy
But, seriously. We keep alcohol prep pads with us at shows. That way we can clean earrings before and after a customer can try them on. Letting them try on my work usually makes the sale for me. You let people try on earrings? I thought that this practive is considered to be so... well, unhygenic that it just wasn't done. Even if you do keep alcohol swabs to clean the earring after.
We lost a sale at Icon because I WILL NOT let people try on
earrings. And the funny thing was, the woman got very huffy at my
husband and said that if she had been allowed to try them on, she
would have bought them. My question now is… if you were going to
buy them anyway, why not buiy them, and THEN put them on?
The customer ain’t always right, but they do get an inordinate
amount of slack.
Elizabeth Schechter
Silverhorn Designs
All medical professionals today use what is called “Universal
Precautions” to avoid desease transmissions. The very first and
most important of these precautions is thorough and regular hand
washing. Watch what your doctor does when you are seen in the
clinic. He or she listens, touches, thumps, and then thoroughly
washes. The same application could be used for you handling
jewelry. Handle the piece as necessary then wash your hands. I
would think that the person who’s jewelry you are handling would
appreciate knowing that this is a routine that keeps the previous
clients germs off of them. You could also keep a small jar of
cleaning solution with you and simply make a habit of cleaning
every piece before handling it. The customer should appreciate the
extra touch.
Larry Hammons
Cheyenne, WY
We lost a sale at Icon because I WILL NOT let people try on earrings.
Nor do I.
But I appreciate the problem encountered when holding earrings up
to see how they’ll look on; the person’s hand is in the way. My
solution is a clear drinking straw with holes pierced across one
end. You slip the hook or post through the holes and then pass
the straw to the person. The straw is relatively inconspicuous
and the customer thinks this is a cool solution.
An interesting little tid bid about handling Green Stuff or Money
our little Sandwich shop next Door always would handle the food
and then money , so it kind of bothered me and I asked the Health
Department about it and that said although it is not sanitary,
Money does not spread disease! I thought that was a shocking
answer, maybe it doesn’t hold germs for any length of time?
A decade or so ago some agency sampled paper money in several
American cities and I seem to recall that 97% contained traces of
coke.
Colleen
in rainy, drizzly, foggy (RDF) New Brunswick, Canada
I find it pretty shocking too! We had a neighbor who was a bank
teller years back, and she had a dreadful time with catching fungus
from money! But my husband was in a (nonfood) retail store for a
time, and never had a problem.
Still, most places here (in L.A.) the person preparing the food is
not the same one taking the money… in small sandwich shops with
only one person in the slow hours, they use disposable gloves while
making the sandwich and take them off to handle the money. Have a
feeling there must be a rule or they wouldn’t be doing that. Carol
…
| Carol J. Bova @Carol_J_Bova |
| http://www.bovagems.com/ Faceted Emeralds, |
| Tourmalines, Garnets, Aquamarines & more! |
| P.O.Box 5388 Glendale, CA 91221-5388 USA |
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‘’
A decade or so ago some agency sampled paper money in several American cities and I seem to recall that 97% contained traces of coke.
Colleen,
Don’t know about Canada money, but a similar study in the US in
about 1992 revealed that 100 percent of all used bills in
denominations of $20 and over contained traces of cocaine and
other narcotics. A very sad commentary. The study also showed paper
money to be highly infected/infested with all kinds of germs, both
just bothersome and lethal. I watch food preparation people very
carefully whenever I eat out (which is as seldom as I can manage)
and raise heck with anyone I see handling both food and money or
other unsanitary items. In every case so far the result has been an
apology and repreparation of the food using sanitary methods. The
food people know what they are supposed to do, but sometimes forget
or get in a hurry. In my own business, I wash my hands after every
customer in the store and carry packaged sanitary hand cleaners
with me to shows. As for grundgy jewelry, it depends on the person
and the potential sale. Sometimes is handle the jewelry without
cleaning and sometimes I make a point of cleaning it first; but, in
either case, I wash hands after the customer leaves. Gee, I only
meant to give my two cents worth…looks like I used my nickle
instead. Sorry.
mike
All medical professionals today use what is called "Universal Precautions" to avoid desease transmissions.
Hi all, In the U.S. , it is also required for all teachers to
undergo “Universal Precautions” training before we can be licensed.
We even have to carry a card with us to show that we have done
this. Perhaps this would be an excellent approach for a store.
Proudly post a notice stating that for your safety and especially
the customer’s safety , all jewelry is handled using “Universal
Precautions”. This would say to the customer how much you value
their health while basically allowing you to follow a procedure
that will protect you and to follow that procedure openly,
accurately and safely . Just my 2 Cents.
Good Day to all,
Terry Swift , Midwest US (Cornstalk , Indiana)
Dear Mike and Colleen,
I’ve been following the tack post with interest - especially the
dirty money one. In Australia a test was done on Australian
currencies back in the late sixties and the forensic scientists
found minute traces of a strange red powder. It had them baffled
for years. The Commonwealth Mint (which is based in the political
dead heart - or the dead political heart - of Australia, Canberra)
eventually tracked down the source of this fine red dust to
Parliament House and the politicians, and it’s been known as bull
dust ever since. That’s what dad told me anyway. Regards, Rex from
Oz
But I appreciate the problem encountered when holding earrings up to see how they'll look on; the person's hand is in the way. My solution is a clear drinking straw with holes pierced across one end. You slip the hook or post through the holes and then pass the straw to the person. The straw is relatively inconspicuous and the customer thinks this is a cool solution.
Thanks Colleen! I tried this at a show this week-end. My
customers really liked the idea and most actually commented on what
a great idea it was. Since they probably wouldn’t know you way
down here on the Gulf Coast I didn’t mention your name, but I did
give credit to “another brilliant jeweler from Canada”.
An added benefit - fewer fingerprints to clean because I handled
the earring by it’s edges. Thanks for the great solution!
Nancy
ICQ # 9472643
Bacliff, Texas Gulf Coast USA