Your Personal Jeweler
Randy Pearson, Kahro’s expert on diamonds and diamond jewelry, is essential to Kahro’s mission of helping you find the right diamond jewelry for you. In this interview, Randy shares his knowledge and experiences, having worked in Raleigh jewelry stores for more than two decades. Randy will also explain how Kahro is unlike any other jewelry store, starting from the moment you walk in the door.
What is your background and experience in the diamond/jewelry industry?
Currently, I am enjoying my 25th year in the industry and find each and every day a new challenge. Trained as a Mechanical Engineer, I came to the trade with the curiosity of an engineer and have been fascinated as to why people are drawn to diamonds. My career has taken me from the retail sales counter; to the diamond centers of the world; to the finest jewelry shops of America; and with Kahro to share my experience with the world.
What has your experience shown you about: the way people buy jewelry, the way jewelry stores sell jewelry, and customer satisfaction with the jewelry they purchase?
Our industry has experienced a sea swell of change following the Internet revolution. Traditionally, a consumer would form a relationship with a local jeweler based on a vast set of circumstances and would visit that jeweler whenever there was a need. The local jeweler stocked their shop with items that he felt were appropriate for their community and was ready and able to help his clients when the arrived.
Today, we live in an era of instant communication and virtually no boundaries when it comes to choices we encounter. We can visit a store, surf the web for information and products, or even hire a service to do our shopping for us. At the end of the day, a traditional store has one commonality. They have a store full of merchandise and employees to pay and they are forced by their true nature to sell you the stock in their inventory. This reality places the product at center stage and the jeweler into the position of selling to you his products.
As a result, customer satisfaction with jewelry purchases is far from optimal. My proposition is that the focus must be on you, the individual, and not the product. If we accomplish this goal, then the level of satisfaction is very high.
What is the most difficult part of the buying process for a person looking to buy diamond jewelry? How do people typically overcome this difficulty? How does Kahro endeavor to minimize or eliminate this difficulty?
In one word, “TRUST”. Survey after survey indicates that we are not comfortable in a typical jewelry store. We feel judged. We feel that someone will give us the hard sales pitch and make us feel guilty if we do not buy their product. We are intimidated by the concept of spending thousands of dollars on something that we hardly understand. In a nutshell, we have a fear that we will be ripped off.
This fear can be overcome by two avenues of thought. First, we must establish a relationship with someone we trust. Maybe we can do this by a referral of a friend or family member or through multiple visits to a store. In some way, we must find a way to remove this feeling of fear. The second way is to move away from products and focus on what you are really trying to accomplish.
At Kahro, our approach is simple. We focus on you and your needs, not products. We take to time to get to know you as a person and help you identify your needs. Secondly, we place the control of the process entirely in your hands. You are in total control and at the end of the day you are the decision maker. We do not sell.
What are the main differences between a traditional jewelry store and Kahro?
The primary difference is the focus. Traditional stores are product driven and their staffs are trained to push their lines of product out the door. They employ all sorts of tactics to do so, but in the end it is about selling products and the consumer is just the platform by which they accomplish their goal.
Kahro Diamonds is client focused. When you walk into our office you will be struck by the physical difference between our office and a store. You will not find jewelry cases bulging with inventory that someone would try to convince you to buy. Our entire process is focused on you and helping you better understand the diamond world and to empower you to make the best decisions.
Based on your 25 years of studying and understanding the customers’ perspective, why is it important for customers to explore themselves as individuals before buying diamond jewelry? How does Kahro include that as part of the buying process? Wouldn’t it be simpler just to examine actual jewelry first?
Have you ever encountered “buyer’s remorse”? That item that you had the gut feeling was not perfect but purchased because the salesperson told you how great it was and how much she would love it. I have observed this many times when visiting traditional jewelry stores as a diamond wholesaler. Our concept was created as a direct result of problems such as this that exists in traditional jewelry stores worldwide.
It is absolutely critical that we step back for a moment and explore our emotional needs and exactly what we hope to accomplish when acquiring a diamond. Our process is simple. It begins with a chat and some questions that help us better understand your goal and desires for this purchase. We are not interested in your “budget” or how big should the diamond be. What we are interested in might surprise you.
Only after we explore the objectives and needs can we begin to empower you to make wise and informed decisions about whatever diamond jewelry item that you desire. Only then are you ready to focus your attention to products that meet your needs. This second phase involves selecting diamonds and designing jewelry. For many of our clients this part of the process is somewhat intimidating. We can show you how to make it simple, fun, and rewarding.
What benefits do you see for the customer who buys diamond jewelry using Kahro’s approach as opposed to the traditional jewelry buying approach?
Benefit One: No buyer’s remorse. You are in complete control and will make all the decisions. At no time will someone try to sell you anything.
Benefit Two: You will show your loved one that you care. Our process requires an investment on your part of time and energy. It is not a one stop, quick fix solution or a mouse click decision. We do empower you, and at the same time we challenge you to dig deep emotionally and to make thoughtful decisions.
Benefit Three: The diamond jewelry that you eventually create will immediately have deep meaning and be a true expression of your feelings. As an example, I had a client who first came to me with a transactional mindset. He wanted a diamond and was looking for a specific combination of characteristics and wanted the “best” price. When we really sat down and explored his goals and desires he quickly decided that he was on the wrong track and after some careful consideration on his part he made some very interesting decisions and now his wife has a diamond ring that she cherishes and he is her hero.
What else would you like to tell someone who is considering purchasing diamond jewelry?
Take the time to make a thoughtful decision. There are literally thousands of options available to you. I would advise you to take the time to find the one that is best for you. Whether you are buying a gift to present to your loved one or celebrating some milestone in your life and treating yourself, you will be far happier in the end if you really understand and connect with the diamond jewelry you ultimately select. Remember this is a purchase of desire, not one that will sustain life. It is a powerful symbol that helps you express your feelings. Make sure the message is heard loud and clear by making the best selection possible.
Kahro Diamonds, Raleigh jewelers with a passion for helping you. Call Randy anytime for a personal, no pressure consultation.
Learn more about the Kahro Difference, jewelry stores Raleigh NC