23
SPECTRA
| The American Gem Society
®
23
SPECTRA
| The American Gem Society
®
Grievance
& Review
Grievance
& Review
Here's a true tale of a jeweler who did everything
right, and the customer was still not happy.
But there's a silver lining to the story's ending anyway.
Our jeweler sold a pre-owned Rolex watch to a middle-aged, retired lady who always
wanted one. The watch was in very good condition, and had just been serviced by
a skilled watchmaker. It was sold with a one-year warranty. Ms. Customer was
very happy with her self-purchase, and visited the store often.
A few months went by, and one day she came in with the watch, because it was
stopping. Our jeweler already knew that this lady was a "slow mover" who might
not be very active on a daily basis, so she had the watchmaker evaluate the watch,
with this in mind. The watchmaker could not find a problem, so our jeweler gave
the watch back with a free watchwinder. After a thorough training session on how
to work it, Ms. Customer left, satisfied.
A month or so later, our jeweler received a Certified Letter from Ms. Customer.
It stated that the watch had never worked right, and that Ms. Customer had taken
it to another jeweler who serviced it, and that our jeweler should reimburse her
for the expense.
Our jeweler explained that the watch was still covered under her warranty, and
she would happily have repaired the watch at no charge, if needed. However,
since she was not informed of the problem, she could not very well address it;
and she certainly wouldn't pay the retail price charged by another jeweler (whose
qualifications were iffy at best.)
In the meantime, the customer had already complained to the local Better Business
Bureau. For the first time in over 70 years, this store had to deal with a complaint
on file! Our third-generation jeweler responded to the complaint, in detail, and
with great care to be customer-service oriented.
Sadly, Ms. Customer did not forgive or forget, but the Better Business Bureau
closed the case in favor of the jeweler who had done her very best to satisfy
Ms. Customer and be a good jeweler.
One month later, our jeweler was asked to be on the Board of Directors of that
very BBB.
The moral of the story is that although this particular customer could not be made
happy, our jeweler is now in a highly visible BBB Board position which may have
never come her way, if not for how she handled this unhappy customer.
"For the first time
in over 70 years,
this store had to deal
with a complaint
(to the local BBB)
on file!"