Events & AwardsJun 06, 2025
Here Are the 2025 Retailer Hall of Fame InducteesThis year’s honorees include a Midwest retailer and two multi-store independents, one in New York and the other in New England.
EditorsMar 10, 2017
How to Find and Keep Good People: The Day’s Method
The president of Day’s Jewelers dishes on the Maine chain’s hiring practices, social media efforts and why they let dogs in their stores.
Day Jeweler’s President David Harris speaking Sunday at the Atlanta Jewelry Show. (Photo courtesy of Edward Zeltser Photography)
After Day’s was selected as Maine’s Retailer of the Year for 2016, the lovely Cindy Chandler, who organized the education at the Atlanta Jewelry Show this year, came up with the idea of recruiting a member of the store’s management team to come to the show and talk about what the retailer is doing right.
President David Harris was the member of the Day’s team who was tapped for the job. He fled Maine’s -16 degree wind chill and headed south to be interviewed by me in a one-on-one session this past Sunday afternoon.
Here’s are a few highlights from our conversation, staring with the part that I, and hopefully you, will find the most interesting: How does Day’s get and keep good people?
Harris said that too often, retailers start the hiring process without a clear idea of what they are looking for in a new employee; they have a job title, yes, but not really a good idea of what type of person they really need to fill the position.
They also tend to pass on good people--associates who are enthusiastic and can be developed--in search of the elusive “perfect candidate.”
Harris also mentioned that as part of the evaluation process, Day’s Jewelers uses psychological testing specific to the position for which the candidate applied, tests like:
--The Reid Report, which evaluates ethics, responsibility and work habits;
--DISC (Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, Conscientiousness), which groups people into one of these four personality types, each of which has its own specific set of behaviors; and
--EQ, which evaluates emotional intelligence.
These are certainly not the only tests out there, and it is also worth noting that there is a debate about the use of personality tests in hiring.
But at Day’s, it’s what they do. Harris said they think it is better to test than to go off “gut feeling” when hiring people.
(Side note: I would be remiss, and in the Smith crosshairs, if I did not mention that Harris’ comments were about hiring for any position, from sales to store management to social media. There is a book for picking salespeople specifically. It’s called “Hiring Squirrels.”)
When it comes to keeping good people, Harris said the main mistake retailers make is they ignore (though not purposefully) or take their best associates for granted. It’s not hard to see how this happens, since difficult employees tend to take up more of their boss’s time.
He
said at Day’s, they invest in their best people, furthering employees’ education so they see their job in a jewelry as a career, not as just a retail sales job.
They pay for employees to take courses offered by the Diamond Council of America and the Gemological Institute of America as well as the certification exams offered by Jewelers of America.
Here are some other interesting points from my talk with Harris.
--I asked David what service his customers appreciate most and he said on-site goldsmiths, which the retailer has in every store. He said people in Maine do not like hearing that their jewelry is being sent elsewhere to be fixed.
--Day’s Jewelers allows dogs in their store and after they let this fact be known, “It was like we were the finest people anywhere,” Harris wrote in the notes he prepared for our session. The Day’s marketing team very astutely created a Day’s blue tennis ball with company logo in white for the pooches to play with, a Day’s mat with paw prints and a Day’s water bowl. There are also dog treats on the snack counters in each store.
Do you know who loves dogs even more than Day’s customers? Social media. People snap photos of their dogs inside Day’s stores and share them.
--Day’s Jewelers is active on all the main social media platforms, Facebook (where it pays for advertising and is targeting baby boomer customers specifically), Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Twitter. They staff them by assigning each marketing associate a specific account and making them responsible for the content there.
--The retailer also allows people to bring in cats but Harris could only recall one time when someone actually did that, as cats are not known for their traveling temperament. The cat was fine.
--Harris has a very endearing Texas accent. He was born and raised in Irving.
They pay for employees to take courses offered by the Diamond Council of America and the Gemological Institute of America as well as the certification exams offered by Jewelers of America.
Here are some other interesting points from my talk with Harris.
--I asked David what service his customers appreciate most and he said on-site goldsmiths, which the retailer has in every store. He said people in Maine do not like hearing that their jewelry is being sent elsewhere to be fixed.
--Day’s Jewelers allows dogs in their store and after they let this fact be known, “It was like we were the finest people anywhere,” Harris wrote in the notes he prepared for our session. The Day’s marketing team very astutely created a Day’s blue tennis ball with company logo in white for the pooches to play with, a Day’s mat with paw prints and a Day’s water bowl. There are also dog treats on the snack counters in each store.
Do you know who loves dogs even more than Day’s customers? Social media. People snap photos of their dogs inside Day’s stores and share them.
--Day’s Jewelers is active on all the main social media platforms, Facebook (where it pays for advertising and is targeting baby boomer customers specifically), Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Twitter. They staff them by assigning each marketing associate a specific account and making them responsible for the content there.
--The retailer also allows people to bring in cats but Harris could only recall one time when someone actually did that, as cats are not known for their traveling temperament. The cat was fine.
--Harris has a very endearing Texas accent. He was born and raised in Irving.
More on Editors
The Latest
CollectionsJun 06, 2025
Piece of the Week: Harwell Godfrey’s ‘Granny Squares Eleanor’ Necklace As an homage to iconic crochet blankets, the necklace features the nostalgic motif through a kaleidoscope of cabochon-cut stones.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
The 12 Fresh Faces in Couture’s Design AtelierDiscover the dozen up-and-coming brands exhibiting in the Design Atelier for the first time.
Brought to you by
The True Power Behind the Counter: Why Sales Associates Are the Heart of the Jewelry BusinessWhen investing in your jewelry business, it's important not to overlook the most crucial element of success: the sales associates.
SourcingJun 05, 2025
A Rare Suite of Rubies Has Arrived in Las VegasThe “Royal Ruby” Collection is a quintet of untreated rubies curated by collector Jack Abraham.
Weekly QuizJun 05, 2025
This Week’s QuizTest your jewelry news knowledge by answering these questions.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
Daymond John to Give Keynote at JCK Las VegasThe entrepreneur and “Shark Tank” star will share his top tips for success.
MajorsJun 05, 2025
Platinum Guild International Updates Leadership TeamTwo existing executives have been given new roles.
Brought to you by
Clienteling Isn’t a Buzzword. It’s an Essential Business Model.More shoppers are walking out without buying. Here’s how smart jewelers can bring them back—and the tool they need to do it right.
Events & AwardsJun 05, 2025
Zillion Announces 'Women in STEM' Scholarship RecipientMeredith Tiderington, an electrical engineering student, was selected for the award.
Lab-GrownJun 04, 2025
GIA Reverting to More General Terminology for Lab-Grown DiamondsIt will quit assigning the stones specific color and clarity grades in favor of applying “new descriptive terminology.”
Events & AwardsJun 04, 2025
As JCK Talks Returns, Don’t Miss These 12 SessionsFrom design trends to sustainability, here’s a roundup of can’t-miss education sessions at JCK Las Vegas.
CrimeJun 04, 2025
10 Safety Tips for the Las Vegas Shows The Jewelers’ Security Alliance offers advice for those attending the annual trade shows.
MajorsJun 04, 2025
Amy Curran Promoted at Hill & Co.Her new role is director of strategic initiatives.
CollectionsJun 03, 2025
In Her Latest Collection, Viviana Langhoff Is Leaning Into GoldThe designer is embracing bold pieces with weight to them in “AU79,” a collection she celebrated with a creative launch party.
FinancialsJun 03, 2025
Signet Jewelers Sees Turnaround in Q1 With Sales Ticking Up 2%On an earnings call, CEO J.K. Symancyk discussed what’s working for the company and how it’s preparing for the potential impact of tariffs.
SurveysJun 03, 2025
Consumer Confidence Improves in May The index partially rebounded after months of decline, due in part to the U.S.-China deal to temporarily reduce import tariffs.
CollectionsJun 03, 2025
Dakota Johnson Is Roberto Coin’s New Brand AmbassadorThe actress stars in the latest campaign set in Venice, Italy, and is set to participate in other creative initiatives for the jeweler.
GradingJun 03, 2025
Mason-Kay Jade Adds ‘Fei Cui’ to Jade ReportsThe company has joined other labs, including GIA and Lotus Gemology, in adopting the Chinese term for "jadeite jade."
SourcingJun 02, 2025
Gemfields’ June Auction to Include 36-Carat RubyThe large stone will be offered at its June sale along with a selection of secondary-type rubies from a new area of the Montepuez mine.
GradingJun 02, 2025
GSI Opens New Lab in Thailand Located in Bangkok, the laboratory is Gemological Science International’s 14th location worldwide.
TrendsJun 02, 2025
Amanda’s Style File: Three Gems for June Those born in June have a myriad of options for their birthstone jewelry.
SourcingJun 02, 2025
David Allouche Joins Grandview Klein DiamondsThe diamond industry veteran has been named its senior sales executive.
FinancialsMay 30, 2025
Movado’s Q1 Sales Slip Amid ‘Challenging’ Retail Environment The company plans to raise the prices of select watches to offset the impact of tariffs.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Tariffs & Designers: Navigating Pricing in an Unstable EnvironmentBetween tariffs and the sky-high cost of gold, designers enter this year’s Las Vegas shows with a lot of questions and few answers.
CollectionsMay 30, 2025
Piece of the Week: Renato Cipullo’s ‘Hematite Blaze’ NecklaceDesigned by founder Renato and his daughter Serena Cipullo, it showcases a flame motif representing unity and the power of gathering.
Policies & IssuesMay 30, 2025
Trade Court Declares Trump’s Tariffs InvalidHowever, the tariffs remain in effect in the short term, as an appeals court has stayed the U.S. Court of International Trade’s decision.
CollectionsMay 29, 2025
Britney Spears Files Trademark for New Jewelry LineThe pop icon is one step closer to launching her “B Tiny” jewelry collection, a collection she first began posting about last fall.
