BriteCo streamlines appraisals for second generation jeweler

June 22nd, 2020

Chrysella is a full service jewelry store in Woodbridge, VA with over 45 years of experience. Chrysella specializes in Custom Made Engagement Rings, GIA Diamonds and Colored stones.

Andrew Elawar at Chrysella

Chrysella Fine Jewelry and Diamonds, a family-owned business of 45 years in Woodbridge, Virginia, officially launched a second store at an outdoor shopping mall in November of 2018.

Founder Andrew Elawar, a second-generation jeweler, explained that his father started as a bench jeweler in the mid-1970s and soon opened a small retail store. Graduating from college in 2012, Andrew came back home to help in his father’s store, which was struggling in the wake of the Great Recession.

“My mission was to rebuild our retail operation, based on the many customer relationships we had developed over the years,” Andrew recalled. “I brought a younger mindset and energy to the business, updating our website and eventually opened another store called Chrysella in a location with much higher walk-in traffic potential.”

Inspired by the metaphor of a caterpillar transforming into a beautiful butterfly, Chysella enables its customers to turn their initial ideas into unique, custom jewelry pieces for engagements, anniversaries, and other special occasions.

Like many stores that create custom pieces, Chrysella provides appraisals with all purchases.

BriteCo’s online software automates the appraisal process

Andrew first heard about BriteCo’s free appraisal software system from one of his colleagues and followed up by checking out reviews and comments on Facebook’s Jewelers Helping Jewelers group.

“I said to myself, ‘This looks pretty good. We do a lot of appraisals, and it’s free. Let’s give it a try.” Chrysella has since made BriteCo’s online system the key to more efficient and professional-looking appraisals for their customers.

“We were doing appraisals manually in our POS system – doing it old school,” Andrew explained. “We do the same process, but with BriteCo it’s all automated with easy-to-use drop-down menus.

“With BriteCo, we can deliver a nice, clean-looking appraisal electronically or printed that’s accurate with very detailed information. It’s really foolproof and super easy to use. It took me no time to get used to it and it’s what I would expect out of a software appraisal. Everything is intuitive and listed in sequence the way you would normally do an appraisal.”

~ Andrew Elawar, Chrysella Fine Jewelry and Diamonds

Andrew has two other employees who also use the BriteCo appraisal software on a regular basis. In many cases these employees have designed the jewelry pieces and can complete the appraisal process accurately with BriteCo software. Andrew then reviews the appraisal before finalizing it, at which point the system automatically sends a copy of the appraisal directly to the customer.

New business with faster appraisals

Andrew described a recent sales opportunity when a woman called his store asking about a 20-piece appraisal. She was shopping around to get appraisal costs. “I gave her a quote, and it was less expensive than the others she was receiving from jewelers in the area,” Andrew recalled. “Personally, I attribute that to BriteCo. Because two years ago,” he explained, “this would have taken me a lot more time. Now that I have BriteCo, I can charge less than other jewelers and get her business. I was able to finish that 20-piece appraisal, including photos, in just a few hours.”

BriteCo-free appraisal software for jewelers

One-stop, competitively priced personal jewelry insurance

Andrew appreciates that his customers get an instant insurance offer from BriteCo via text or email to protect their purchase from loss or theft. “I have heard from several customers that BriteCo offers a great deal on coverage – in some cases a better price than their current insurance company.”

“One customer told me that he likes that BriteCo provides all-encompassing, one-stop coverage,” Andrew noted. “You can get insurance by answering a few questions and paying right on your phone. It was so easy for him to get a policy that covers him regardless of where he travels. I always encourage my customers to take a look at the BriteCo quote.”

Replacement claims come back to Chrysella

The fact that BriteCo insurance sends replacement claims back to the jeweler who created the piece is a big plus for Chrysella, according to Andrew. He said that in the past he’s had to deal with insurance companies that forced customers with a claim to use a separate jewelry department for replacements.

“But the insurance company’s people just couldn’t deliver the product that the customer wanted,” Andrew continued. “With BriteCo I know that a replacement claim will come back to us to take care of our customers.”

Click this link to learn more about Chrysella Fine Jewelry and Diamonds.

BriteCo Jewelry Insurance Coverage

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