It’s about more than just the transaction at Davis Jewelers

1. What one advertisement or promotion elicited the biggest response, and why do you think it worked?

We do a buying event where we have someone who was recommended to us come in and buy jewelry, silver, watches, and gold from individuals. We host it from noon to 5 p.m. on a Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. That first time we held it a few years ago, we pulled up to the store at 11:30 a.m. and there were 25 cars in the parking lot already. We’ve done it once or twice a year ever since then. We really look at it as a community service. I was hesitant to do it at first, but my ­oldest daughter, Ashley, wanted to, and she pretty much runs the business now. My other daughter, Amy, works in sales and merchandising, and they’re both just flourishing.

2. What was your finest hour in the realm of customer service?

I sold a watch to a client and I got an email from him that night saying the watch—a $2,000 or $3,000 item—was not working and how upset he was about it. I said, “Don’t worry about a thing. I will take care of you.” We typically send watches off for repair, but I told him he could pick out a new watch or a different model, or even get a full refund. He came in and picked a different watch and has since become a personal Facebook friend of mine, and spent around $6,000 a few months back with us. I always think about how I would like to be treated if I were the customer. I get tremendous satisfaction from seeing clients happy.

3. What’s the best idea you’ve ever come up with for your store?

It’s something we’re about to do. We’re a Rolex jeweler and we’re putting a Rolex boutique in the store this summer. Because we’re putting in the [shop-in-shop], we’re having to remodel half of our store along with it. And we’ve decided to build a custom design bar. We hope it will make custom design feel less intimidating and more cool.

4. How do you differentiate your store from the competition?

The two primary competitors we have in town are a local chain and a national chain. And I do think they’re very transactional—and that we are the opposite of that. I could tell you story after story of us doing whatever it takes to make the client feel comfortable and happy and not feel like their experience with us is just a transaction.

5. When you walk through the door, what do you like most about your store?

Right now, the thing I’m most excited about is our new staff. We haven’t had much staff turnover in our history. But now we have three new young people—none of whom was in the jewelry industry previously. And they’re all doing phenomenally. I’ve personally been looking for a while to get energized by walking into my business—to not feel like it takes energy away from me. Seeing these new young people who are hungry to learn and do well brings a huge smile to my face.