Education, Education, Education
September 29, 12
When it comes to education, there’s certainly a shift going on in the industry. Distance learning and the Internet are helping to bring education and training to more people than ever before. In addition, more people are realizing just how important it is to make sure that they and their staff – no matter which part of the pipeline they are located – are fully trained and educated. IDEX Magazine editor-in-chief Danielle Max put questions to Roland Lorie of IGI, Diane Flora of AGS and Terry Chandler of the Diamond Council of America (DCA) to find out just what changes there have been in the education sphere and what changes lie ahead.
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The key advance that has taken place over the past few years is the increased use of the Internet. A few years ago, providing programs and training on the web was still fairly novel. Today, it’s an accepted fact of life. But while the Internet has helped to change industry professionals, it has also helped consumers to become especially educated when it comes to buying diamonds and diamond jewelry – sometimes even more knowledgeable than the people from whom they are buying.
Diane Flora believes the Internet has made education more accessible. However, she warns that it can also generate incorrect information to a great number of people. “How does the customer learn the difference?” she asks. “It goes back to the jeweler being educated.”
Despite seeing the benefit of the Internet when it comes to learning, she admits that there is a trade-off between online and face-to-face learning. “Experience is a great teacher in the industry,” she states.
Speaking of the effect of the Internet on customer knowledge and the need those who work in the industry have to keep up, Roland Lorie puts it simply, and logically. “A car salesman sells cars, he does not build them. A jeweler does not have to be a gemologist. His duty is to be well informed and to be able to give correct answers to his customers.”
Terry Chandler says the DCA has embraced new technology with enthusiasm. “All DCA courses are now offered online and, now, in App form so they can be downloaded to personal devices such as iPads and Kindles.” As he says, “the Internet, as a delivery method has brought education to many who would not otherwise have access. After all, not everyone can travel to a certain place to take classes based on their schedules and the costs involved. The Internet allows students to study at their own pace and without travel.”
However, he notes that from the consumer point of view, the Internet is a double-edged sword. “Yes, there is a lot of good information available online for potential buyers, but there is a lot of misinformation out there as well.”
There has also been a change in the type of courses on offer, especially in the realm of diamond education – specifically identification. With regard to change, Lorie says the major difference in the way IGI’s courses are presented today, as compared to previously, is that the courses are not just geared towards diamond dealers. “Our courses have been adapted to the needs of every level from the diamond manufacturer to the consumer. So, different courses for different students, but always using the same base: the 4C’s. Only one thing has been added in the past years – identification. This has become the first priority, even before the 4Cs.
Given the increasing issue of synthetics, it is no surprise that it is going to be increasingly important across all educational fronts. However, as Lorie points out, educating people about synthetics is more about getting them to be aware of what to look out for, rather than being able to distinguish them themselves. “When you are not feeling well, you go to a doctor. When you are buying a painting, you ask for an expert appraisal. It is the same here. People need to be aware that they need independent expertise.”
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Now that the recent economic downturn seems to be behind us, it is possible to analyze whether educational spending dropped during the tough times as a result of a knee jerk reaction. IGI’s Lorie says that 15 to 20 years ago, education might have been one of the first items to be cut when people cut their budgets, but today the opposite is true. “Today it is the opposite,” he says. “In difficult times, we usually have more students, for two main reasons. One, they have more time and two, they realize that to make a sale it is more difficult and they need to be better prepared.”
Chandler, however, saw the opposite occur. “Unfortunately, many jewelers reduced their education budgets during the downturn, meaning as fewer customers came into their stores, their associates were less prepared to close the sale. That trend seems to be changing as jewelers realize the need to maximize every opportunity at the counter.”
One reason is that professionals are reacting to the changes going on in the luxury sector. “Jewelers are realizing that professionalism is key in a world where consumers educated themselves through the Internet,” says Lorie. “Also, diamonds are not the only luxury item anymore and if people don’t feel confident they will go for a watch or a painting. Even the higher-end jewelers, the “brands” have realized the necessity for their staff to be able to answer tricky questions and many of them have come to us for retail sales programs mixed with basic practical work. This has been a major development in the last two years.”
Education is also becoming increasingly important across the world. “Only this year, besides our regular classes, we have given many courses in many areas such as the Middle East, China, Turkey and Central and South America,” notes Lorie.
Chandler has also seen more people looking to educate themselves. “There is a strong uptick in those seeking education and information. The driving force behind the demand is, I believe, the reality that the consumer is more knowledgeable than ever before. Consumers demand sales associates be knowledgeable and savvy. They will not accept ‘clerks’ when it comes to significant purchases such as diamonds. Consumers are simply not going to do business with someone that knows less about the product than they do.”
However, there is still an entrenched percentage who don’t seem to see the need for education.
“When Robert Shipley first sold his gemology course, some of the jewelers/wholesalers were not so quick to jump on bard. But Shipley’s philosophy holds true today – you can make a profit and sell ethically, but you need education too. This is a quote from Shipley: ‘Both knowledge and ethics are necessary to protect the consumer because a knowledgeable gemologist, without ethics, can cheat the customer by misrepresentation while the most ethical jeweler can innocently mislead the customer because of lack of knowledge.’”
When it comes to the mistakes that jewelers specifically are making, Flora says the main error comes from not coaching their associates. “When education expenses fail to deliver the ROI [return on investment] the owner or manager wonders if it was money well spent. Or, the employee leaves after earning the credential. That’s because the associate is left on their own to get through the course and then expected to sell more merchandise. Success is a team sport.”
A few years ago, Chandler said he was concerned about a lack of professionalism and gaps in knowledge. He says there are still many associates standing behind the counters of jewelry stores that are ill equipped to present the facts and participate effectively in the conversation about the diamond purchase. “It’s much better than in the past, but not yet at the level required in today’s competitive market. We will not achieve critical mass until there are no gaps and everyone speaking from behind the sales counter is up to speed and representing the facts accurately.”
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He says, “The issue is not so much that jewelers don’t want their associates to be knowledgeable and well trained. The gap often occurs when owners and managers attempt to train and educate ‘on the job.’ The demands on owners’ and managers’ time are huge. While they are well intentioned, they often fail to train as effectively as they should. There is no substitute for a methodical and organized study program delivering the information to the student accurately and in a structured way.”
One of the mistakes he sees people making is failing to keep up with changing times. “Many jewelers are working from an outdated model. The retail jewelry business has changed dramatically over the last five years. What ‘was’ or ‘used to be’ is gone. Every day is a new day requiring new approaches and creative thinking.”
Despite the upturn in the economy, people will always want to educate themselves without having to invest a lot of money in the process.
Flora says the first way to do this is simply to gain experience. Speaking specifically of people looking to change careers within the industry, Flora says she has had calls from people looking to create a new career in appraising and they want to know what they need to do. “First,” she says, “they need gemological education, but they also need experience in the jewelry industry. I recommend they work – even part time – with either a retail or wholesale business that will help educate them on the industry as they gain the gemology part of their experience.”
However, as Chandler points out, there is also a huge benefit from going the “organized” route. “If one looks at the truly successful jewelers, they are almost always those who have kept their emphasis on training and education and focused on having remarkable and knowledgeable associates behind the counter. You will find, in almost all cases, that the true sales ‘stars’ in every organization have multiple certificates and diplomas from qualified schools and trainers.”
Sharing her quick education tips, Flora puts reading at the top of her list. “There are book that are not about jewelry, and yet they’re all about success, which can be applied to the jewelry business and your career. They can help you grow personally – and that’s important too.” Next, she cites sharing. “When I became an instructor for GIA back in 1995, I ‘read’ somewhere that by teaching you learn more. How true that is. Help someone else learn. Finally, she says, “Be fearless. While teaching diamond grading, some students would fret for an hour over the grading of a diamond. They couldn’t stand to be wrong. Embrace error – you definitely learn from your mistakes.”
Chandler’s educational conclusions are short and to the point. “There is no one working in your store that doesn’t need training and education. Period. Every jewelry store should have a structured and ongoing process ensuring that no one who comes in contact with the consumer is underprepared. Education and training are the ‘mother’s milk’ to a successful jewelry store. No exceptions and no excuses!”