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Time management is critical for any successful jewelry retailer, and few understand this better than Jessica Harden of La Maison d'Or Jewellers. As an Applied Jewellery Professional (AJP) through the Gemological Institute of America and a Certified Sales Associate (CSA) with the American Gem Society, Jessica has undergone extensive training in gemology, sales techniques, and customer service excellence. Her expertise ensures she not only understands fine jewelry, but also the best strategies for managing a high-performing sales team.
We recently spoke with Jessica about how La Maison d'Or optimizes their team's time to maximize client connections, streamline processes, and improve efficiency. Here’s what she had to say.
How do you measure the success of your team’s time management?
"We measure our team's success with time management based on how many times they connect with clients and the quality of those connections," says Jessica.
"We expect them to reach out to their leads, their clients with upcoming anniversaries and birthdays, and for warranty checks."
What’s one task sales teams spend time on that you feel isn’t necessary?
Jessica doesn’t see unnecessary tasks as the problem but rather when they are performed.
"Sales associates shouldn't be doing paperwork at the beginning of their shift when they have their best concentration and energy. They should be focusing on leads and contacting clients for new opportunities during this time."
What strategies have you tried to improve your team’s efficiency?
One of La Maison d'Or's most effective tools is the 20/20/20 chart, which helps track outreach efforts. "Our 20/20/20 charts have them tracking how many times they are reaching out to our clients for leads, anniversaries and birthdays, and warranty checks. They have a certain number they have to achieve, with team bonuses if everyone achieves them."
To further streamline efficiency, Jessica and her team have also implemented Clientbook: a clienteling app for jewelers, to help keep things on track.
"We noticed that birthdays and anniversaries were not being consistently collected, so we have prompts in place that the back office puts into the job bag with the item. This keeps it top of mind for our team to get the information we need from our clients and sign them up for our rewards program."
How do you balance customer follow-up with other responsibilities in the store?
For La Maison d'Or, customer relationships always come first. "Customer follow-up precedes everything else. Other responsibilities are completed after follow-up is done."
This is another place where Clientbook comes in, helping the team make customer follow-up a streamlined process.
“We want the team to use their time as they see fit depending on the day, but our charts and technology are there to keep them accountable to the number one, most important task, which is reaching out to their clientele."
What should sales associates do more during slow periods in the day?
When asked how sales associates can make the most of slow periods, Jessica has a clear answer: "Clienteling. We have some who are fantastic at doing their own self-led extra clienteling, and others who struggle with this. You want to be your client's go-to person for anything they need in jewelry, and there are ways to reach out to your clients without it seeming pushy."
What takes up the most time for your sales associates during a typical day?
For Jessica’s team, the most time-consuming tasks are "repair take-ins, paperwork, and menial tasks." To help associates stay on track, managers play a key role. "Our manager is on top of making sure their daily priorities are focused on."
What do you recommend to keep teams motivated and focused?
Jessica believes in consistent communication and engagement to keep teams energized and motivated.
"Consistent discussions and meetings between the team, the manager, and the owner keep the energy up, reiterate what needs to be focused on, and allow the staff to discuss any blocks they have. Slow periods are a great time to focus even more on clienteling!"
Final thoughts
Jessica Harden’s insights show that time management in jewelry retail isn't just about doing more—it’s about doing the right things, at the right times, with the right tools. By prioritizing client outreach, leveraging structured tracking tools, and fostering a culture of personal engagement, La Maison d'Or ensures their team operates efficiently while building lasting client relationships.
Retailers looking to refine their time management strategies can take a page from Jessica’s playbook—focus on connections, create systems for consistency, and empower sales associates to become trusted advisors to their clients.
