PAJ Canada recognizes keeping stock new and fresh helps spur consumers to take a closer look, which is why it allows stock balancing twice a year among independents carrying ELLE Jewelry. “We offer to take back up to 10 per cent of what they bought and replace it with something else. We all want the statement piece in the store, but it’s not a certainty it will sell. At that point, the retailer might want to exchange it for something else.”
In an industry rooted in reputation and the good will implied by a handshake, Milan is especially proud of her team.
“Not one day goes by that I don’t get a compliment about at least one of my girls,” she says. “They are total professionals. We’re still of the belief the customer is always right. My response when we do get a complaint is to make it right. I ask the client what they think is fair, and they’ll tell me. Most of the time, it’s reasonable.
“I don’t like to compare myself to anybody else. I just worry about what I’m doing. When everybody is doing well in good times, people can get lost. But when times are bad and you’re doing well, that’s when you really know you’re doing something right.”
