Soft Skills and Behavioural Skills are an essential component of success in any industry. This holds true for jewellery companies as well. And that’s probably why the number of Jewellery clients we are working with and the enquiries we receive are steadily on the rise!
Jewellery and Me
I happened to visit a couple of modern Jewellery brand stores last month. And trust me, I got the shock of my life!
Somehow, I have never been a woman who has a love for sparkling diamonds and shining gold. I just somehow never got into that kind of love affair with jewellery! And so, the image I had in my mind when it came to buying jewellery was visiting the typical small time jewellery shops. You know the one’s that have old chunky jewellery which our grandmothers would wear! Not to mean any offense to our grandmothers’ choice, but my taste was a little different.
Jewellery and the New Me
Having some extra money to spare at the end of the year, it suddenly struck me that I should probably have a good look at the jewellery I own. After all, I was the Brand Ambassador of The Yellow Spot. And it was about time that I invested in the way I present myself. I realised that what I lacked, was some decent looking jewellery. I was wearing whatever little I could find in mom’s wardrobe. Well, the one’s that were a little light on the eyes! Of my own, I had practically nothing.
And so, to everyone’s surprise, I declared, that I wanted to buy some jewellery! Having made this welcomed announcement, I landed up at some of the latest Jewellery brand stores in my neighbourhood the following weekend. And, was I in for a surprise!
Beautiful stores, beautiful jewellery, presentable customer service executives, automation, technology, everything running as per processes. It was simply amazing. And that’s when I realised how the jewellery industry had changed.
Jewellery and Soft Skills
The Jewellery industry in India has and is progressing at a superfast pace. With the massive inflow of the latest Jewellery brands, the scene has completely changed. Jewellery, is now no longer part of the disorganised sector in the country as it once was. It is, in fact rapidly moving towards a structured organizational approach. And that’s precisely why more and more Jewellery companies are now looking at conducting corporate training for their employees.
These organisations now realise how important Soft and Behavioural skills are and how they can take them to the next level. Soft and Behavioural Skills trainings, therefore, now occupy an important part of their training pie. And they are investing more and more in the development of their people.
The advantages? Improving internal and external Customer Centricity, Team and Inter Departmental Communication, Employee Motivation, Leadership Skills, etc. to name a few…
Jewellery, Soft Skills and The Yellow Spot
I am sure by now you must be curious as to which Soft and Behavioural Skills Trainings we have conducted or are conducting at present for our Jewellery Clients? So, here’s a sneak peak…
1. Customer Service:
Jewellery is often purchased for special occasions, such as engagements, weddings, and anniversaries (unless you have a sudden Jewellery awakening like me!). Customers want to feel comfortable and confident when making these important purchases. And exhibiting the right Soft Skills can really help with that! Empathy, clear communication, etiquette, problem-solving and query handling are crucial for providing exceptional customer service during and post a sale, online as well as at a store.
2. Communication Skills:
Its important to listen to the customer and ask questions to understand their requirement. Sometimes, you have to dig deep to help them understand what they want. Buying jewellery can get confusing (you can trust me on that one!) especially when you are new to it all. And even more confusing when they are a looking at high value products for which you really have to stretch the strings of your pocket! Having a guide who can understand your need, show you appropriate products, share their features & benefits and also suggest what you should go for, can go a long way.
3. English Language:
An important aspect of Communication revolves around good spoken and written English. We are currently conducting English Language training interventions for many Jewellery companies who have realised the important of communicating in the English Language effectively. Not only does it make communication with local & global customers and internal teams easier and faster; but also gives a good impression and boosts the confidence of the customer representative as well as the customer. Yes, it’s therefore a good strategy for adding brownie points to the brand!
4. Sales:
With the modern Jewellery brands coming in, multiple branches and online options; the Jewellery space has become highly competitive. And salespeople need to have excellent selling skills to close deals. Building rapport with customers, understanding their needs, providing appropriate solution (and not pushing for sales!) are all critical to a successful sale.
With checks and balances now in place, gold and diamond certifications from reputed institutions like GIA; organisations need more than just great designs to beat the competition! The human touch, honesty and values a company representative displays in their behaviour during a sale, is fast becoming a major differentiator.
5. Teamwork:
Jewellery companies have teams of designers, craftspeople, production, logistics and salespeople who need to work together to create and sell their products. Collaboration, communication and conflict resolution skills are essential for keeping these teams working effectively. Unless they have synergy amongst themselves and operate in a seamless manner with effective and on-time communication, fulfilling the ever-growing needs and demands of their customers can become a daunting task.
6. Brand Reputation:
Jewellery companies rely heavily on their reputation to attract and retain customers. And while many companies hire stars from the film industry to promote their products, they also work on developing their employees to be brand ambassadors (Just like me!). Soft skills such as integrity, honesty and professionalism are critical in maintaining a positive and trusted brand image. And with gold and diamond being the priced products that they are, these are definitely areas that no organisation should be ready to compromise on!
7. Innovation and Problem Solving:
With people’s new tastes (yes, there are plenty more like me!) and changing fashion trends, the jewellery industry is constantly evolving. Companies therefore need to be able to quickly adapt to these new trends. With technology also changing by the night, organisations are left with no option but to be flexible to adapt to the dynamic times.
Soft skills such as creativity, curiosity, and adaptability are critical in driving innovation and staying ahead of the competition. Apart from these, establishing a culture which fosters experimentation is also important to stay relevant. Employees must have an attitude of predicting and solving organisational problems on a continuous basis to bring in a culture of continuous improvement.
8. Leadership and Management
Gone are the days when jewellery companies were run like Mom and Pop shops. Today’s jewellery companies are huge. They have with multiple offices and factories across the globe, thousands of employees, the latest machines, systems and processes deployed to run the company well.
To manage all of this well, they require a strong management with great leadership skills. Their Leaders and Managers need to know how to set Strategic Goals, manage Team Performance effectively, Motivate and Inspire, Delegate effectively and provide timely Feedback, Coach and Mentor their people to achieve the organisational objectives and purpose.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the jewellery industry requires a range of soft skills. This includes communication skills, customer service, teamwork, creativity, problem-solving, adaptability, attention to detail, leadership and mentoring.
By developing these skills in their Employees, Managers and Leaders; jewellery companies can improve customer satisfaction, increase sales and achieve success in the industry.