sometime i feel sorry for the vendors...

[Dancing Fire]

b/c they can't tell the PITB customers to "go take a hike"...

 

[movie zombie]

they can and do by changing their policies, deciding not to set any gems other than what they source, etc........

 

[manderz]

They can. They have every right to refuse services. I don't see why it's such a "taboo" to say, "We can't meet your needs. Sorry, maybe you should try somewhere else".

 

[Jennifer W]

I've been working at DBL for a while now and to be honest, I have only dealt with lovely people. Sorry to disappoint.

 

[yssie]

They can. They have every right to refuse services. I don't see why it's such a "taboo" to say, "We can't meet your needs. Sorry, maybe you should try somewhere else".

Yup, they can and do - and as someone who's been told just that, I'm grateful to them for being up-front about what they can and can't and will and won't do *before* I parted with the cash!

 

[rosetta]

I've been working at DBL for a while now and to be honest, I have only dealt with lovely people. Sorry to disappoint.

Thread jack: Jen how have you found working with them from across the pond? I'm interested in some of their work.

 

[Jennifer W]

Rosetta, I can't promote DBL here, so I have to be very careful in how I answer this.If I overstep the boundary, I'lI apologise, and ask Ella to delete.

In the context of working from a distance, it's going pretty well. My main issue is the 5 hour time difference between my house and the office, so sometimes I'm a little slow in getting back to a client if it's past bedtime here. On the flip side, I can sometimes have a reply sent for someone to wake up to, and for UK clients obviously it's not a problem anyway.

I have spent some time physically in the office too, which was very helpful, and a steep learning curve. It was an incredibly busy time, so I was in at the deep end. Loved it! Back here in Scotland, I'm taking some classes in metal work, mostly for my own interest, but also so I have a better technical understanding of what can and can't be done, so I am better informed when speaking with clients about settings.

It's also really cool to 'meet' clients all over the world and share a little bit of their excitement about purchases for engagements, anniversaries and other special occasions. For a lass sitting in a little cottage in a Scottish village, it really is exciting to be working with a company in the Diamond District. Technology really is amazing, and it's just about the most fun you can have at your work.

 

[Maisie]

I feel sorry for any vendor who has to work with me. I'm not the easiest person to work with. My husband is dealing with jewellery purchases for me now. Its much easier all round

 

[Dancing Fire]

They can. They have every right to refuse services. I don't see why it's such a "taboo" to say, "We can't meet your needs. Sorry, maybe you should try somewhere else".

Yup, they can and do - and as someone who's been told just that, I'm grateful to them for being up-front about what they can and can't and will and won't do *before* I parted with the cash!

Yssie...so you are one of those PITB customer?...

 

[Amys Bling]

They can. They have every right to refuse services. I don't see why it's such a "taboo" to say, "We can't meet your needs. Sorry, maybe you should try somewhere else".

Yup, they can and do - and as someone who's been told just that, I'm grateful to them for being up-front about what they can and can't and will and won't do *before* I parted with the cash!

so true. I would not want someone who dreads my project or working with me to do a project- the end result wouldn't be good for anyone.

 

[manderz]

I agree. If someone is working on my project, just to get it done, it's not going to be their best work, and neither them nor I will be happy with it. I'd much rather work with someone who's really excited to work with me.

 

[Phoenix]

Yes they can and they have. Let's see:

- Steven Kirsch abruptly told me he wasn't willing to do biz with me and to this day, I still don't know why (?!)
- a certain well-known vendor, who admittedly was very helpful and gracious with me; but now I think they've finally decided not to sell me anything, because of my own fickleness!
- one more, but this one is not a PS vendor nor an online vendor per se, but he does sell diamonds and is very well known here on PS! I was and to this day remain astounded by his rudeness. I totally shake my head the very few times I think about it because I certainly do not believe I did / or said anything to offend him.

I think vendors do have the right to tell PITA customers they're not interested in doing biz with these customers (though some just simply don't return yr emails). I'm sure that they know the risks involved (ie. lost biz not only to this customer but they may risk alienating other customers too), but that they're willing to accept these risks. Just as a customer can shop around for vendors whose products they like and whom they click with, a vendor does and should have the right to choose whose biz they want; however at times their apparent unwillingness or even rudeness baffles me to no end. I don't think I am a PITA when it comes to settings but I do change my mind a lot about which diamond or diamonds I want to purchase and/ or trade-in or sell. The way I see it though, that's just how their biz model is or should be - diamonds are hugely expensive and a customer *does* have the right to change their mind and to ask questions (esp when such matters like returns, upgrades, trade-ins etc are evident in their biz model/ written on their site) - and if they think the way I ask questions and change my mind is not worth their while (or their lost biz, in some cases forever), then that's fine with me too!

I hold vendors like BGD, JA, VC and JbEG in the highest regard because not only do they seem very patient with most other PS'ers - they're willing to pull out all the stops to please me. To me, that's very important : I'm not just buying a product, customer service is extremely important imo. And that's why I'm their customer for life.

 

[Imdanny]

Rosetta, I can't promote DBL here, so I have to be very careful in how I answer this.If I overstep the boundary, I'lI apologise, and ask Ella to delete.

In the context of working from a distance, it's going pretty well. My main issue is the 5 hour time difference between my house and the office, so sometimes I'm a little slow in getting back to a client if it's past bedtime here. On the flip side, I can sometimes have a reply sent for someone to wake up to, and for UK clients obviously it's not a problem anyway.

I have spent some time physically in the office too, which was very helpful, and a steep learning curve. It was an incredibly busy time, so I was in at the deep end. Loved it! Back here in Scotland, I'm taking some classes in metal work, mostly for my own interest, but also so I have a better technical understanding of what can and can't be done, so I am better informed when speaking with clients about settings.

It's also really cool to 'meet' clients all over the world and share a little bit of their excitement about purchases for engagements, anniversaries and other special occasions. For a lass sitting in a little cottage in a Scottish village, it really is exciting to be working with a company in the Diamond District. Technology really is amazing, and it's just about the most fun you can have at your work.

Congrats on that, Jennifer!

I've been a fan of DBL since I found David's site in 2000 or 2001. I've always liked his down-to-earth yet professional style.

I hope he'll have more antique cushions cut and advertise them more. His antique cushions are great. I like the fact they're very authentic looking including cutlet facets matching the sizes and rectangular length-width ratios of the diamonds. I like the fact he's selling them in light yellow.

Danny

 

[Jennifer W]

thank you, Danny!

We are really excited about these cushions! They started as an idea that David was working through with a very well known face around these parts, combining precise cutting, old-style facet patterns and light yellow rough. They have ended up as our signature line. We don't have any plans to stop, the collaboration is working well and we're very excited to take this line further in the near future.

 

[Maisie]

Yes they can and they have. Let's see:

- Steven Kirsch abruptly told me he wasn't willing to do biz with me and to this day, I still don't know why (?!)
- a certain well-known vendor, who admittedly was very helpful and gracious with me; but now I think they've finally decided not to sell me anything, because of my own fickleness!
- one more, but this one is not a PS vendor nor an online vendor per se, but he does sell diamonds and is very well known here on PS! I was and to this day remain astounded by his rudeness. I totally shake my head the very few times I think about it because I certainly do not believe I did / or said anything to offend him.

I think vendors do have the right to tell PITA customers they're not interested in doing biz with these customers (though some just simply don't return yr emails). I'm sure that they know the risks involved (ie. lost biz not only to this customer but they may risk alienating other customers too), but that they're willing to accept these risks. Just as a customer can shop around for vendors whose products they like and whom they click with, a vendor does and should have the right to choose whose biz they want; however at times their apparent unwillingness or even rudeness baffles me to no end. I don't think I am a PITA when it comes to settings but I do change my mind a lot about which diamond or diamonds I want to purchase and/ or trade-in or sell. The way I see it though, that's just how their biz model is or should be - diamonds are hugely expensive and a customer *does* have the right to change their mind and to ask questions (esp when such matters like returns, upgrades, trade-ins etc are evident in their biz model/ written on their site) - and if they think the way I ask questions and change my mind is not worth their while (or their lost biz, in some cases forever), then that's fine with me too!

I hold vendors like BGD, JA, VC and JbEG in the highest regard because not only do they seem very patient with most other PS'ers - they're willing to pull out all the stops to please me. To me, that's very important : I'm not just buying a product, customer service is extremely important imo. And that's why I'm their customer for life.

Did you ask Steven Kirsch what the reason was? I would have!

 

[yssie]

They can. They have every right to refuse services. I don't see why it's such a "taboo" to say, "We can't meet your needs. Sorry, maybe you should try somewhere else".

Yup, they can and do - and as someone who's been told just that, I'm grateful to them for being up-front about what they can and can't and will and won't do *before* I parted with the cash!

Yssie...so you are one of those PITB customer?...

I think the answer to that one is an unequivocal yes I'm not unreasonable, though. I tailor my expectations to what I've seen of the vendor's work so far and the pricetag, I make those expectations clear up-front and *ask* outright if they can be met, and I don't ask for extras or have changes of heart in the middle and expect them to cater to those without compensation. I just expect that the job will be done according to mutually agreed-upon expectations.

At this point I feel like I've "tried" enough vendors. I have a handful that I *know* will produce - WF, a couple on Etsy for smaller jobs, I'm very happy with everything I've seen from DBL so far and assuming the rest of my ring re-make goes well, these are the vendors that'll get my repeat business and my recommendations. This newest reset has sent home a valuable lesson - it's not just picking a vendor who does great work, it's picking a vendor who does great work of the right style, and who is willing to adjust the style of service and process to my needs...