My Views on Customer Service

I had a meeting up in Seattle recently -- it was one of those meetings you really don't know what is going on until you get there.  About the hardest part of the meeting was being so darn close to Fusion Beads and not being able to stop by because the traffic was about to get horrendous on a Friday afternoon.  Sigh.

But the discussion I had with the two people who asked me to come up was fun, engaging and quite interesting.  They were trying to get to the heart of what worked on e-commerce for small business owners.  I did not try to be "smart" but rather answered honestly about myriad of topics.

They asked how I got started -- which personally, I love that story.  It's the story of being sick and staying with my mother who lives near Shipwreck Beads and spending a small fortune to get her "something to keep the kids occupied" while I recovered.  Then there's the selling to a kiosk on the military installation nearby -- and doing commission work for the owner while I was in college after 6 years in the Army.

That discussion always morphs into my best friend from high school telling me to give Etsy a try -- which I did, half-heartedly, while stationed in Fort Hood with my hubby and unemployed for most of that jaunt.   Then the move up here to Seattle -- and losing that job after the budget battle of 2011.  I got a sale about a year into unemployment (while in surgery) and another sale shortly after -- which sort of started me on this road to "prove to myself" that I could do this.

We discussed everything -- my views on how to be noticed on Etsy, the changes that happen every year just as christmas season is starting (now seriously, I do not have a problem with changes -- but why institute something EVERY single year just as Christmas shopping is about to pick up?  What is wrong with like March instead?).

In the end -- they asked me about customer service, and where I came up with my policies.

"I honestly got my ideas on customer service, returns, and shipping from you.  I ordered a Kindle one year for myself for Mother's Day while my husband was deployed.  My son promptly broke it and I called customer support.  Their answer:  We are sending you a new one, just send us the old one back in the box you get."

And that --that moment -- is where I started forming my customer service policies, from that experience with Amazon.  Sure, I have to pay for Prime so that I get free shipping -- but that's where my free domestic First Class USPS shipping policy comes from.  My return policy too -- I have lived in Amazon country for the better part of my adult life and just love the return policy, and love the satisfaction policy.  So I molded my shop around how I personally, as a shopper, loved being treated the way I always was at Amazon.  I wish I had the staff to have my customers able to call me like I can call Amazon (you know click a button and they call you within 3 minutes or something?).

But, until that day, all I can be is available if there is a problem -- or if there isn't.  Or if someone wants something tailored a little -- or a lot.

I try to be available right away -- but sometimes, it's just not feasible because I am just one person. With three kids.  And a husband.  And a house that never seems to get vacuumed enough. And, where is my cleaning fairy?  Is she on strike again?  So unfair.

Amethyst Teardrops in 14k Gold Filled

~Maggie~

Chakras

It's always my solar-plexus chakra that is blocked.

Always. 

Sometimes my root, sometimes my heart, but ALWAYS my solar-plexus.  I don't really know what that means -- my mom does -- but whenever I get an "eastern" massage, the masseur complains about how much work he has to do on that chakra.

I do know the solar-plexus is the yellow -- a color I can not wear, which is rather ironic.

Check out this fun collection on Artfire based upon Chakra healing.

The Seven Chakras

Curated By: SolanaKaiDesi...

ArtFire.com

Jewelry Supplies

Spring Showers

I woke up this morning to find this lovely collection in my inbox -- I think what I love best is the title: Spring Rain. It certainly creates a picture in your head before you see it -- right?

Spring Rain

Curated By: ShanghaiTai

ArtFire.com

Handmade Jewelry

Waiting for Spring

I am sitting in my room / studio, my legs propped up, my back aching, and the guys outside my window cleaning the heavily clogged gutters.  It's a fine way to start a Monday, along with running out of coffee creamer on Friday from my husbands obsession with coffee at all hours of the night.  I also went to the store numerous times this weekend forgetting creamer each and every time.

So, I suppose this is the universe telling me it's time to cut back on my creamer / coffee concoctions each morning?  Maybe.  But, I'll likely not listen.

I've been trying to figure out where the tension in my back / neck is coming from of late.  Sure, I have old Army injuries that often flare up during Seattle's cold and rainy winters -- but this feels differently. Normally, I could go get a massage and feel like a million bucks after the guys in the Mall do everything short of ripping off both my arms and beating the rest of my back with them.

That just didn't help this weekend.

I could be irritated with hubby going away for a few days -- across the mountains, through heavy snow and blizzard conditions to train soldiers yet again.   I could be stressed because therapy is particularly difficult this month.  It could be a fear of writing a true story in three different "tones" like I am required for my Veteran's Writing Class -- hosted by my local Vet Center and put together by the wonderful folks at the "Red Badge Project"  (Seriously, check this organization out).

But more likely than not -- it's the stress of waiting for my VA claim to be complete.  It's a long and tedious process, and you never really know how it's going.  You can call the 1800 number, getting "Peggy" but really you never really get any information.  You can check your status online -- but again, you just leave the website more confused than before.

So, I listen to the rain, in its abundance here south of Seattle.  I try to enjoy it.  I contemplate making an appointment to see about my back and that one weak knee that just wont get better.

And -- I am grateful that I thought ahead a couple of years ago and created a portable box -- so that my studio could go anywhere with me.  So, even though I sit here, uncomfortable, waiting for tylenol to work -- I can still create, and calm my weary nerves.

Vesuvianite Earrings in 14k Gold Filled

Peridot Earrings in Sterling Silver

London Blue Topaz in Sterling Silver Necklace

Crystal Quartz Earrings in Sterling Silver -- April Birthstone

Radiant Orchid Pearl Earrings

Baby It's Cold Outside...and gray, and black and white...

Black and White

Curated By: joysazplace

ArtFire.com

Indie Design

It's one of those mornings outside Seattle -- the gray, gloomy and cold mornings that frequent winters here. Luckily I woke up to find this fabulous collection featuring a pair of my black and white earrings.  So much fun -- and black and white is always in fashion and elegant.  

Christmas in July

When I was a kid, growing up in New England, there were a lot of stores advertising "Christmas in July" sales -- it was always a bit over the top with an air of "Sunday, Sunday SUNDAY" commercials on the local stations.  Always (and still) kind of made me chuckle.

I never understood the concept until this year.  See, it's not just for you, the customer, it's also a fabulous time to reorganize my shop and get some really interesting items in front of you. It's something deep-down about knowing my jewelry is out there in the world, and knowing it makes whoever owns it feel like a million bucks.

Take these fabulous (though a new design for me) Ruby Earrings I recently added to my "clearance section" for "Christmas in July."

Ruby Leaf Earrings

They are kind of a hoop, kind of a dangle, kind of a leaf.  But they are this beautiful variegated ruby -- starting at nearly crystal clear at the top and hitting that deep wonderful clear ruby at the bottom.  Plus, I am a sucker for the photograph --it mixes the rustic favorite "prop" rock outside my studio, and the deep elegance of the fabulous rubies.

It's in the clearance section not because it is an old design -- like some of the other items -- but since it's Christmas in July, why not use something that can be either a gift for a July Birthday Girl -- or a wonderful gift to put under the tree -- or give for Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa.  (These are normally $58, but currently on clearance for 34.80).

Some of the other items in clearance are a bit older -- a classic design that will always work, but still, I want to make room in the shop for the "new" designs I am working on. 

See, I have quite a few items ready to post already -- I just have to have time to do it, really.  But what is happening during this "Christmas in July" season-- is I am really playing with different things.  I am trying some use of glass in order to bring in the gemstone look, but to be budget friendly, and I am also working out my Luxury Line (Like if the sun would ever come out today, I have some darling Rose Quartz and Diamond Oxidized Sterling Silver Hoops I would just love to cue at the beginning of the "I'm behind on posting these" line.)

So until I can get the motivation to post those new items -- I am adding to my clearance section some wonderful old favorites -- great ideas for the holidays this year, and several July Birthstone items.

Check out the Clearance Section when you get a chance -- it's dual purpose, Christmas in July, and Clearance after all.

So many changes ...

Well, hubby came home after a 2 month temporary duty down to California (this just short of six weeks home after 2 years away just prior to that -- yeah I know, how on earth do I keep track?  I don't. I rely on the kids to tell me).  And as he was getting ready to come home, we had this stellar weather -- the weather that makes it so you don't really want to sit in your studio working on things?  Yeah, you know it, not a cloud in the sky and 70 degrees. 

So, like anyone, I decided to play as much as I could in between bouts of cleaning.  Neither of these two things ended up working out for me.  Meanwhile the whole pre-coming-home-week was spent with the kids kind of sitting there saying, "since when do you want me to put my clothes in a hamper?  Sacrilege."  No, seriously, it was that bad. 

But, I did get a few items done, and a few requests for custom items that are proving less than fruitful at this point. And for some reason, even though it's not a big color for spring, purple is really working out well for me.  Yeah, I do know there are all kinds of colors for purple, but we all also know that every shade of purple is basically just purple for me.   And Pink :)

Oh and by the way, my dear friend at Moonshine Designs and Photography made me this fabulous shop banner:

Awesome, Right?

So here are a few new spring items I have been working on between dishes, cleaning up after the kids and setting up my old computer since my laptop decided it was done last week sometime.

Monaco Blue Freshwater pearl earrings in Sterling Silver (Posts)

14k Gold Wire Wrapped Fluorite Earrings

Raw Garnet Wire Wrapped Ring in 14k Gold Filled

Rose Smoke Mystic Quartz Wire Wrapped Post Earrings in Sterling Silver

Ombre Pink Ruby Large Hoop Earrings in Sterling Silver (July Birthstone)

Raw Citrine Statement Necklace in 14k Gold Filled (November Birthstone)

And Remember, The Mother's Day Sale is going on for One More week.  I ask that stateside (domestic orders) be placed by May 6th, 2013 so that I can get the items to you for Mother's Day.