The problem
Repairs come in on paper envelopes and customers ring to ask if their ring is ready. If a shop takes in 25 repairs a week at 3 minutes each to write up, and answers 15 'is it ready?' calls a week at 4 minutes, that's 135 minutes a week, about 581 minutes, 9.7 hours a month (135 x 4.3).
What the AI does
RO App is repair and retail software with a version for jewellers. Its site lists take-in tickets with photos and condition notes, digital quotes for the customer to approve before work starts, job stages from In Workshop to Ready for Collection, due dates and collection reminders by SMS or email, and assigning each job to a bench jeweller or outside workshop, with the history kept on the customer's record. Work orders start on the All-in-One plan, from €29 (about $33£25€30A$48C$47) a month excluding VAT with 3 users. Text messages go through a separate SMS provider you connect, so check its charges; email reminders don't need one.
A worked example
An independent jewelry shop in York with the owner, a bench jeweller and one sales assistant takes in about 25 repairs a week: resizing, re-tipping, chain repairs and watch batteries. Every piece is photographed and ticketed in RO App at the counter.
Before
25 envelopes a week at 3 minutes plus 15 calls at 4 minutes: 135 minutes a week, about 581 minutes, 9.7 hours a month
After
25 tickets at 2 minutes plus about 3 calls at 4 minutes: 62 minutes a week, about 267 minutes, 4.4 hours a month
What it's worth
About 5.2 hours a month saved (314 minutes), worth around $138£104€124A$200C$196 if your time is worth $27£20€24A$38C$38 an hour. All-in-One is from €29 (about $33£25€30A$48C$47) a month excluding VAT, about $40£30€36A$58C$56 with VAT, for 3 users; SMS charges from your text provider are extra. Fewer lost or mixed-up pieces aren't counted.
How to set it up
- Start the 7-day free trial, which needs no card, and set up your job stages to match your workshop.
- At take-in, photograph each piece, note hallmarks, stones and any existing damage, and get the customer to agree the ticket.
- Send a quote for approval before work starts on anything above your standard prices.
- Move each job to Ready for Collection when it's done so the reminder goes out.
- Once a month, list jobs ready for over 30 days and contact those customers yourself.
What goes wrong
- Photos and condition notes protect you only if they're taken every time; a busy Saturday is when they get skipped.
- Reminders go out only when staff update the job stage, so agree who moves jobs on and when.
- Text messages need a separate SMS provider and cost per message; prices are in euros and exclude VAT.
- Customer names, phone numbers and item details are personal data; keep to your privacy notice and delete records you no longer need.