JWA 2021 Jewellery Industry Best Practices

undergo strict perusal. A qualified diamond grader, on the other hand, inspects the goods, ensuring that each piece matches the description provided by the seller in terms of diamond provenance, colour, clarity, treatment and more. NEW OPPORTUNITIES Having already developed integrated systems that cover ordering, invoicing, logistics and tracking purchases through the website, DiamondsonCall.com, the company entered the new normal with a relevant business model that proved useful at a time when physical stores are shuttered and online channels are on the rise. “During a pandemic, things often don’t go according to plan. That is why you conscientiously refine and adapt your processes,” says Shah. For the company, this resulted in the creation of an innovative portal, where customers and suppliers can monitor their transactions from the comfort of their homes 24/7. This, according to Shah, empowered smaller suppliers to sell online during a public health crisis. While it did have the systems in place, Diamonds On Call still had to contend with various challenges caused by the pandemic, even on businesses that operated online. “Jewellers lacked the confidence to buy diamonds because of COVID-19. They were worried about delays in shipping and possible quality control issues,” shares Shah. To ease buyers’ concerns over diamond quality, the company hosts video conferences where customers can have 360-degree views of diamonds. These allowed customers to see the diamonds in Ultra HD, thus helping them assess the goods’ quality during the call. Instead of simply relying on shipping companies’ promises, Diamonds On Call sent out empty shipments to test their capabilities. Once these shipments were fulfilled, buyers and suppliers began to feel more secure about making purchases. Furthermore, the company sent video recordings of actual packing procedures as proof of touch- less deliveries. All diamonds being dispatched were sanitised before shipment. Diamonds on Call even gifted customers with face masks when these were scarce in the market. Moving forward, Diamonds on Call vows to stay ahead of the game. “Aside from mainly focusing on supply chain management and automation of business processes, we will also invest in artificial intelligence solutions for various aspects of the business,” assures Shah. 1. Harshil Shah, Director of Diamonds on Call 2. Sales and marketing teams 3. Shah at the company’s head office 4. DiamondsonCall.com offers more than 500,000 diamonds from over 450 vendors 2 4 3