Glyn Griffiths

Gosh. Compelled to review because of the ranting one star that makes a good business sound like a nightmare. One (ex) customer has clearly had a poor experience, but my own experience is that the staff in this shop really care and have worked hard over many years to secure suppliers and craftspeople who can ensure a good result for customers.
I trusted them with a very precious family heirloom ring which needed resizing but no other jeweller would take on for fear of breaking the engraved stone in it. It came back perfect.
I think they are great. Harpenden is lucky to have them. In fact, I’m going back today...

Local independently owned shops must be protected by loyal customers to maintain the individuality of high streets. And to maintain loyalty, good shop owners build relationships with customers over many years. So I am very surprised at the total lack of capability of the owners of this small jewellery shop to make their customers want to come back.
Fact: sometimes even though you are meant to say something to every customer, you are human and when busy it is possible that you may have forgotten to say what you are supposed to – so just apologise and offer to rectify the concern by meeting the customer half way. You will make money in the long run and good news spreads.
Fact: Your previously loyal customer doesn’t want to shaft you out of money, they just want a working item and would have happily paid the full price for a different type of repair if they had of been made aware of the consequences of going for the cheaper option. Which they weren’t – but no biggy, we are human and these things happen. So when the customer offers to pay the full price for repair minus what they have already paid you for the cheaper repair (a measly £13) …. treat that offer with politeness - because you want them to come back.
Fact: arguing that something has been said when it wasn’t, and you weren’t the person to serve that customer and are surrounded by your family working in the shop smacks of bullying and no customer will come back if they have been made out to be a liar (refer to fact number 1: you are human and it is conceivable that your staff member may have forgotten just this once).
Fact: Having a woman doing the crazy sign to her female customer whilst saying “didn’t you think….” is so unbelievably incorrect in this day and age of mental health awareness, let alone customer service that I don’t even know where to start. Your customer won’t come back.
Fact: After arguing with a customer in front of her daughter and two other customers, then insisting on then fixing the issue for free by saying ‘I don’t want us to fall out over this’ is too late. You fell out with the customer when you snarked that the repair would be on top of the repair price already paid. You fell out when you argued repeatedly with your loyal customer that something had been said when it hadn’t - if it had, she wouldn't be in the shop asking questions about the repair. And you fell out with your loyal customer when the crazy sign started being done by your co-worker. All that needed to be said was 'We can repair that and make it water proof, but it will cost extra. I'm sorry you weren't made aware of this as we normally tell all our customers'.
I have never in my life posted a negative review on line - only positives for the lovely shops in our town and the outstanding service they provide by really great individual retailers. But I am truly shocked at what I have just experienced.....and yet feel guilty for posting this because like I said – independent shops must be protected by loyal customers.