Business Phone Call Etiquette. What Is Your Preference?

There was a time when most business for Dunitz & Company was conducted over the telephone. I left "Corporate America" in 1989, before cell phones and before fax machines. And yes, before the internet.

For the first many years of running Dunitz & Company, I set aside hours and hours to follow up with customers by voice on the landline phone. I'd follow up on orders shipped. I'd call prospects I met at trade shows to encourage them to order. I phoned customers to encourage them to reorder. In the early 90's you didn't have to make appointments for phone calls. You just made them. You just received them. It was before "caller ID." I learned to recognize Suzie and Linda by the sound of their voices. I knew when their kids or grandchildren were born. I heard the details of the struggles of putting on a new roof for their recent home purchase. It seemed as if I was forging so many relationships both on a personal and professional basis. And to encourage these relationships, Dunitz & Company had an 800# where we paid for the phone calls.

Back in the day, I had a sales rep on the east coast that mailed her orders in by snail mail. Yes, by the postal service. No on expected things to happen 24/7.  And then the fax machine came into play. Every business had one. Instead of calling in orders, many customers began faxing them. Even that east coast sales rep graduated from stamps to the fax machine. I was still making phone calls to connect with my retailers, but they were calling me much less often. Note to reader: We no longer have a fax machine. But, we do have a fax line that operates through email at the cost of $5.00/month. I'm not sure why we keep it. But, we do seem to receive two viable faxes yearly, and need to send the same. For now we keep it. (Wanna fax? (323) 769-8111 will reach us. We'd like to receive some faxes that aren't selling ink toner or roofing services.)

 

 

Websites. Email. Email Broadcasts. Smart Phones (for everything other than voice calls.) Quick. Quick. Quick. Over the years everything has to happen faster and faster. And voice calls have become mostly obsolete.

 

It seems in current time, we almost never speak to anyone by voice anymore.  And when we do, calls don't come spontaneously. Apparently, we need to schedule the day and time to speak. Everyone has been conditioned to schedule now, even in their personal lives. Heck, I had a good friend get angry at me (at least it sounded that way) when I made a spontaneous call just to chat and check in. And she's not the only friend who now prefers to "schedule" social calls.

I have one long time customer who until very recently telephoned in her orders. I enjoyed that so much. I knew her voice. And over the years we've developed such a nice friendship. She was one of the last holdouts. I was happy to receive her most recent order, but a little disappointed it came through FAIRE. When asked, she told me she had been resisting - but she discovered their system was so easy for her to order. Does that mean I will no longer learn of her future vacation plans?

 

As many of you know, FAIRE is now a game changer and many stores prefer to shop on their site. Many clients tell me it's really easy to place their orders on this site. I think a lot of it has to do with the Net 60 terms they provide, which most small businesses can't afford to offer. Because FAIRE is the legal seller, there is less reasons for phone interaction with customers.  Their messaging seems to be the preferred way to reach out. Most of you know I ask my customers if they prefer Dunitz earrings on our cards or without. I've learned over the years that many stores private label and carding earrings without need is a waste of time and money. (And adds to landfill.) Often I need to call customers because they don't check their FAIRE messages often. Once in a while I actually am met by a voice and I have the wonderful pleasure to "meet" my new customers. Wow, I love that! I'm so old school. When I am prompted to leave voicemail messages, I let my customers know they can call me back, or respond to the messages I've sent them. Hmmmm. I'd say it's 30/70 that customers phone back. 40/60 - maybe?

Unlike many small businesses, I don't use my cell phone for business. (Except for double verification of this and that.) I don't give the number out. Our office line, although no longer a landline - does not send or receive text messages.  For that, I'm a holdout.

The world of communication has changed so much since 1989 when I launched Dunitz & Company. I almost never telephone my clients anymore. I miss this sort of interaction. What about you? What is business phone call etiquette in 2025? What is your preference? If you prefer voice, please please, call me at (323) 769-8600. -ND

My Favorite Fall Finds; Fair Trade, Supporting Small Businesses & A Good Read

You know I'm all about fair trade. I've been collaborating with artisans in Guatemala for a really long time to bring you fantastic Dunitz & Company jewelry. When making personal purchases, I always look to support other fair traders and small businesses whenever I can. In July, I shared my favorite summer finds.  Now it's fall and I have a few more discoveries to share with you.

 

I recently returned home from the western region Museum Store Association meeting that took place in Las Vegas. My intent was to mingle with museum store buyers. And as it turns out, one of the most fun things at this get together was meeting other vendors. I met Gila, the proprietor of Dar Chocolate Art Bars. They make the most fantastic chocolate bars in Denver from cacao they import from small farmers in many countries. Gila is an amazing graphic illustrator too. Not only can you see her fantastic drawing featured on their website, but on their chocolate bars. You can purchase direct, or if you're really lucky, you'll find some of Dar's bars at your favorite museum store.

 

Yes Yes. I love to eat. And I do love honey. I was randomly searching on ETSY, and stumbled upon Honey Run Farm, a small family owned business out of Ohio. I was fascinated that the honey they collect varies each season based on what the bees "eat." I was hooked. I wanted to know the difference between honey produced in Summer, Spring and Fall. Their website explains it all so well. And their customer service is absolutely fantastic.  They also make handmade soaps. If you know me at all, you know I'm also crazy for handmade soap. What's not to love? A small business that offers honey and soap. Ya gotta check them out!

I've been taking more time to read lately.  Admittedly, I do watch a few too many Netflix series. But by joining the NYU Alumni Voracious Violets Book Club, I've dug into some fantastic books that have been recommended. If you're reading my blog, I think you'll be fascinated by The Monk of Mokha. "A heart-pounding true story, The Monk of Mokha weaves together the history of coffee, the ongoing Yemeni civil war, and the courageous journey of a young man--a Muslim and a US citizen--following the most American of dreams." If you started and operate a small fair trade business, you will absolutely relate to Mokhtar Alkhanshal's story. When you build a small business, things don't always go to plan or how you set out in your business plan. That assumes you had a business plan.

A follow up to my July Favorite Finds post, I have to sing the praises of Sevya Fair Trade again. After loving my first summer top from them, I had to order others. The pink & white cotton top shown here is my new favorite.  And since it seems to NOT be cooling off here in Los Angeles, I've had lots of opportunity to wear it. The weather will cool down, and I know I'll have to order some long sleeve blouses from their catalog. Check them out. And like Dunitz, Sevya is a verified member of Fair Trade Federation. You'll look good and feel good wearing their designs.

 

Many of you know I'm a new and enthusiastic gardener. My yard is small, but it's mighty. I'm monkeying around in it and cleaning up every day. I can't stop. My latest "fun" has been discovering bulbs I can plant that will provide me beautiful flowers. I often search for suppliers in California where I live because there are so many agricultural regulations when it comes to our state.  My newest discovery is Easy to Grow Bulbs, a small business with fantastic customer service. They have been so friendly and prompt answering my endless questions. And their website is also replete with lots of info. Their office seems to be based in Oceanside, CA, but my order shipped from Wisconsin. (I guess that means it's okay to ship bulbs from elsewhere into California. I had no idea on that.) I'll be planting various types of paperwhites soon. Stand by for my garden photos when I can show them off. 

So, there you have it.  A few of my favorite Fall finds. Perhaps one of them will become a favorite of yours. In the meantime, don't forget to check out Dunitz & Company's fair trade jewelry. Check out our store locator to find a brick & mortar in your area selling our designs. Or peruse our website. My hope is that my designs will become one of your favorite finds :). -ND

The Positive Side of COVID - from a Fair Trade Wholesaler Perspective

I know these have been tough times for so many of my fair trade wholesaler colleagues. We're finally on the other side of COVID and for many of us, much has changed. So many people I know crawled through COVID, and many business couldn't hold on. For me, I actually think a lot of good came out of COVID times, both personally and professionally. Sometimes the line between personal and profession blurs for me because my life is so intertwined with Dunitz & Company. I decided to ask several of my wholesaler friends what good came out of COVID for them. For me, the answer was simple. For others, as you'll soon read, they really pondered my question and their responses were much more detailed than I expected. My answer will come last. But for now, here is the question I posed and the replies I received.

NANCY: Phew! We're mostly on the other side of COVID. What a relief. I know operating a business during the last few years has been so tough. I also know that some good things came out of COVID times for many of us, both personally and professionally. Would you care to comment on the positives for you? (You can share either a personal tidbit, professional tidbit, or both.)

 

Jennifer Webster, Mayamam Weavers: If given a choice, we wouldn’t wish to relive the pandemic but we also recognize there were some bright moments during this time.  As people spent more time at home, Mayamam Weavers enjoyed an increase in website sales. Since traveling to Guatemala wasn’t an option, the members of the cooperative learned to use technology more to communicate with us in the US. Between using WhatsApp for quick questions to scheduling zoom calls for planning meetings, we were able to forge ahead. One of our backstrap weavers, Maria, was thrilled to have the opportunity to teach a virtual embroidery class to Americans from Guatemala.

 

Karen Sparacio, Project Have Hope:  Despite the challenges of maintaining a business during COVID, COVID offered the opportunity to regroup, reconnect with myself and with friends, and hit the pause button on the constant rat wheel of life.  I found time to climb mountains (literally) that cleared my mind to be prepared to climb all of the figurative mountains erected from the pandemic.

 

 

Nina Moukova, Seeds to Sew:  COVID has thrown a wrench into things for many of us, especially those of us whose work supports communities in other countries, on other continents. Trying to come up with any positives that came out of the COVID pandemic, one thing stands out: Compassion became endemic in our lives. People helped each other, checked on each other and really connected in a way that we didn’t know before. Professionally, it was wonderful to see so many people came forward and asked us how they can help the women and girls in our programs, realizing that the people in developing countries are the most vulnerable and need our support. The amount of volunteer applications was (and is!) overwhelming and we have gained many new friends and colleagues, who are still volunteering regularly, helping us raise money for our programs any way they can. Thanks to our generous supporters, we were able to provide the women in our programs in rural Kenya with necessities and resources when they needed us the most. We are still feeling the aftermath of the pandemic, but we are thankful we were able to get through it. Most importantly, we are thankful to know that the women participating in our programs are now much closer to becoming empowered and resourceful active members of their local economy.

 

 

Joan Rausch, Sevya Handmade:  My first thought was no more trade shows! That has been one of the biggest blessings for sure. (And this was #1 on my list too! I'll comment more on that when I share my answers below.) For us, less travels led to more time for introspection, meditation, and consequently more clarity about what are our priorities in this life and how to best nourish the ultimate freedom of being alive to the limitless reality of each moment. All of this feels like coming back full circle to where we were at when we first started Sevya, with open hearts, free minds, and a clear vision of giving oneself completely to what is. We had the opportunity to step back and take perspective from the “busy-ness” of running a business and could focus again on the heart and vision of our work.  We are designing our collections with renewed inspiration and gratitude for this blessing of life.

 

Melissa Kendrick, Sojourns Fair Trade:  I discovered I had a more committed customer base who was hyper focused on keeping small businesses afloat. This created a stronger sense of community that continues now.

 

 

Rikki Quintana, Hoon Arts:  The COVID-19 pandemic saw me shifting online, like everyone else in the world. For HoonArts, that meant that we started doing a lot of virtual programming, including live events with our artisans (including live from Central Asia). This has turned out to be a wonderful opportunity to have our customers get "up close and personal" with our artists and to expand our storytelling and marketing footprint. As a result, we've even launched a new "Experience Box" product which includes both handmade products and digital goodies

 

 

 

Rosa Chang, Blossom Inspirations: (Rosa had a lot to say. And soon she may blog about it herself. Here is a bit from what she offered.) I met YOU because of COVID! Our friendship started when you purchased one of our Arpillera masks. If you recall we developed these masks to support a vulnerable single mom without a job during the pandemic. (I completely forgot about this!) I had the time to write and publish a bilingual book for kids which helped support the basic needs of artisans. Blossom Inspirations, because of down time, was able to reset, restart and reimagine. Innovating with artisans during the pandemic virtually was possible with current technologies. And personally, I connected more with neighbors and I had time to learn more about black lives matter, fair trade, circular economy and sustainability.

 And what were my positives?

 

Nancy Dunitz, Dunitz & Company: Professionally, I'm with Sevya. I'm thrilled to no longer be traveling to trade shows. When you travel to many, it is so draining. The advent of B2B wholesale websites, (which has resulted in smaller in-person gift shows) has made this possible. This allows me more freedom and time to focus on other areas of the business. Personally, two things stand out. I was a long time meditator and somewhere along they way, I stopped. At the beginning of lockdown, Bob Roth from the David Lynch Foundation began twice daily Zoom TM meditations. I'm back to 2x daily meditation and I'm certain this has kept me sane. And finally, I took up drawing. Perhaps you've seen some of my other blog posts where I've shared some of my drawings. I had taken a five day drawing course in Mexico in October 2019. When I came home, I bought supplies and did nothing with them. At the beginning of 2021, while we were all still sheltering in place I started drawing regularly. And now I can't stop. Without COVID, these positives would not have happened for me. (The drawing excerpt shown here, at time of posting is not finished. But it's what I'm working on right now. A self portrait with mascot, Bella.)the-positive-side-of-covi

 

Pin our Blog?

I know COVID times were tough. And for many, the effects are long term and many small businesses are still recovering. For this blog post, I wanted to focus on 'half full' vs 'half empty.' It's so inspiring to know that positives came out of these difficult times. A common thread among everyone who responded seems to be the opportunity and time for introspection, the growth of community and the observation of more compassion among people than we'd known existed. Do you have a positive to share? I'd love to hear about it and welcome you to email me at nancy@dunitz.com. Thank you for reading my blog.-ND

The Early Days: Dunitz & Company Stories Part#2

Many of you are familiar with Dunitz & Company's fair trade jewelry collection. It's beautifully and consistently made. For many years now, you can count on us delivering exactly what you assume you will receive. Being able to do that didn't happen overnight.  When I first jumped in and started my business, things didn't always happen so smoothly. Let me share some stories here and on some future posts.

As I mentioned in my last blog post, I was working a corporate job at MGM/UA when I first decided to explore business opportunities in Guatemala. Initially I was focused on starting a business offering home decor items. After my initial trip to Guatemala, I knew I wanted to keep at it. 

You won't believe, but you must, a few of the serendipitous situations that resulted in my decided to jump ship and leave my position at MGM/UA. Believe it or not, I learned that my boss intended to promote me on the very day I offered my resignation. It was an easy decision. At that point, I'd already garnered a large order from a prestigious department store.

 

On my first trip to Guatemala, I had discovered some exquisite glass bowls at a fancy gallery-like store in a more monied district of Guatemala City. Intuitively, I knew pounding the pavement in this neighborhood would trigger ideas for higher end decorative accessories I might find in-Country and offer to stylish patrons in the US. I had decided to hire Ray Morales, who I had met on a previous trip at a smoky bar that many x-pats patronized to be my driver and guide. I shared my find with Ray and before I arrived he had visited that fancy store on my behalf. The glass artist had left her pieces there on consignment, and Ray had told them that he had an artist friend that wanted to study glass making. Somehow he finagled Patricia Crowe's home studio address from the store and we went to meet her. I think we drove by a few times before we found her at home and discussed my desire to offer her work in the USA. She explained how she made her fused glass bowls and hand-painted each piece with traditional Guatemalan iconography from villages all over the country. I bought some samples to hand-carry home. We worked out pricing. And we also negotiated that the designs I offered in the US, she would not offer to others. With his resources, Ray helped me get a contract drawn up. Contracts are meant to keep honest people honest. If Patricia had sold the designs I wanted to offer to others, there really wasn't going to be much I could do.

 

After I returned from that second exploratory trip with my glass samples in tow, I showed them to a friend and colleague at MGM. Crazy as it is, she had previously worked at I.Magnin, an upscale department store (that no longer exists) and knew the home decor buyer very well. She made the introduction and I swear, 10 days later, not only had I met the buyer, I had a $8000 purchase order. In my entire career, I am certain I've never written another order that easily. It was the sign to change my life. (It was after that, oy, I had to learn how to import heavy glass items, custom brokering, packing glass and dealing with a Department Store!) *[BTW, We still have many gorgeous bowls and trays. Inquire if you'd like some!]

 

There were other events that might have deterred me from continuing. I previously mentioned that when I started my business, Guatemala was in the midst of civil war, something that I clearly ignored. Guatemala is most known for artisan made textiles and weaving.  My hope was to offer traditional designs and also modern takes on traditional designs. With this in mind, Ray had a Guatemalan friend, Linda who was a teacher in a village above Ciudad Vieja, not far from Antigua. If you were brave enough to visit Guatemala in the late 80s, Ciudad Vieja was on the tourist route. Ray thought his friend might introduce me to some of her student's mothers and they could create weavings for me to offer in the States.  With this in mind, we drove to the village located in the volcano foothills, where I met with some of the mothers. I had a series of questions. "How long does it take to make a placemat?"  "Can you create custom designs?"  "What is the cost?" After a lengthy discussion about possibly working together, we told the women we'd be back in 10 days to learn their answers. No pressure. 

 

What happened was outright scary. Linda was fired from her teaching position. And the message that came back was "this is Guerilla territory and we don't want any foreigners messing with our Indians.  If she (that's me) comes back, she won't be going back. We suggest you don't mess with the Indians living over that mountain in the next village because that is Mafioso territory, and they don't want you working with their Indians either." Decision made. I didn't pursue that project and I never returned to that village. Sad, right?

 

Which carried more weight?  A big order or a threat on my life? It seems the desire and promise of building a business won. I worked laboriously, making many mistakes and accomplishing some wins. I carried on. I do wish I had had a mentor early on, which I never did. I learned by trial and error and a lot of hip shooting. It was hand to mouth for me for several years. But in the end Dunitz & Company, my fair trade business succeeded. Stay tuned for more stories. I have plenty of them. -ND

November is for Thanks. Our Small Fair Trade Business Thanks You.

And like that, it's November. And November is for thanks. It's been a tough time for so many small fair trade businesses like ours. The trials and tribulations presented by Covid did not fall lightly on Dunitz & Company. And I know it's been a tough go for so many others. I thought this was the perfect time to prove the glass is always half full, not half empty. In no particular order, and on behalf of Dunitz & Company, here is a bunch of thanks. [And if you want to know why this pic to the right is so special, you'll need to read to the end!]

 

 

We're thankful for our customers, many who keep coming back time and time again. Clearly they wouldn't be reordering if our fair trade jewelry didn't sell. We also know there are so many choices out there. And we're thankful they do keep coming back. When brick & mortar stores began opening up again earlier this year, we were overjoyed that so many of our existing customers restocked with our designs. (This collage was made in 2015. It certain shows how much we appreciate you all!.)

 

We're thankful for our clients who have collaborated with us to create custom designs for their stores. There are too many to name. We did write a blog post not too long ago, where we singled out many projects. Click to check it out here. You might get some good ideas for your store! The earrings featured to the right are offered by ZeeBee Market in Saint Louis.

 

 

 

 

We're thankful for our artisan colleagues in Guatemala who continue to produce high quality jewelry that our customers want. Even with Covid, we've managed to keep things going and people working. (You can see I put together this collage before I stopped coloring my hair.) These are some of the folks I work with in Guatemala. We make a difference for them. They make a difference for us.

 

 

 

We're thankful for the Small Business Administration and the loans and in some cases forgiveness they provided for some of that loan money during Covid times. The extra slush has helped Dunitz & Company as we say "keep our head above water."

 

 

 

 

 

We're thankful for our supportive fair trade colleagues. There are those that share ideas instead of hiding them. Ones that give you shout-outs from time to time, just because. This year we've collaborated on several projects with HoonArts, Sevya and Baskets of Africa. Our most recent collaboration was a joint gift to Fair Trade Federation for their virtual auction fundraiser.

 

 

 

We're thankful for our newest company mascot that brings love and humor to our office daily. We're speaking of Bella the weimaraner. She joined us in March from the Los Angeles Shelter.

 

 

 

 

 

We're thankful for our often messy office, which allows us to get our work done in a safe place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We're thankful for our office landlord who reduced our monthly rent during these crazy times.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We're thankful for our neighbors who pawn off their used boxes and packing materials on us. We love not spending money on packing materials when we don't have to. And we also like knowing by recycling, we are saving our planet just a little bit. Our neighbors run a small vegan grocery.

 

 

 

 

We're thankful for the support organizations we're part of that continue to educate the masses about the merits of fair trade. Fair Trade Federation, Fair Trade Los Angeles, Green America.

 

 

 

We're thankful for our museum store clients and our membership at Museum Store Association. (My love of fine art, my art history studies and my new found love as a portrait artist feed my love of working with museum stores even more.)

 

 

We're thankful for the new "wholesale rep" websites (in the absence of trade shows,) that have sprung up and grown in recent times. FAIRE and ABOUND have allowed us to find and connect with new retail stores. This new way of connecting with retailers may mean we won't have to travel to trade shows as they now become available again.

 

We're thankful that some of our customers are now selling Dunitz & Company jewelry online. We always knew they'd have success. I think the downtime from Covid allowed many of our clients to grease up their websites. Did you know we have a store locator function on our websites? If we don't have a retailer in any given area, these websites will pop up as options to purchase our designs. [Note: To be listed on our store locator, you need to have purchased from us within 6 months.]

 

We're thankful for Etsy. Our sales on Etsy wouldn't support us. However, the retail business we've garnered during Covid lock down on this site has allowed us to cover some of those bills that never stopped coming in. If you have an Etsy shop and you're looking for expert help on how to boost your sales, we highly recommend Dave DeNard. Watch his YouTube videos and consider some of his virtual classes. Thank you, Dave.

 

 

 

 

We're thankful that more buyers are finding our retail site we fondly call Shop Dunitz. Seriously, we don't drive that much traffic to our retail site. And when we do, it makes us dance a little happy dance.

 

 

We're thankful for the colleagues and friends that allowed us to interview them during these crazy Covid times for our blog. It's hard to believe just how long this pandemic has been going on. It was way back in June 2020 that I interviewed Lindsay Woodruff of Pachamama Market. In February 2021 I featured designers that work in Guatemala including Anne Kelly (Mayan Hands), Caryn Maxim and Jennifer Webster (Mayamam Weavers) and Alison Havens (Yabal.) Yes, I shared my own stories too. In June 2021, I interviewed Elisha Chan, Executive Director of Fair Trade LA. Please check out these posts. Everyone had something worthwhile to say. If you think I should interview you, let me know know.

We're thankful for our fans and followers on Facebook and Instagram. We don't always know if you're watching.We definitely appreciate your likes and comments. Keep them coming. And post pics wearing your jewelry. We love being featured in Stories. We do have a few super fans. So to all of you, thank you.

 

Did I say November is for thank yous? I'm sure Dunitz & Company owes a bunch more thanks to a bunch more people than what I've shared above. In any case this is definitely a good start. These definitely have been tough times. And, I'm thankful for all the good I've shared and encountered during them. Stay well my friends and Thank You! 

The morning after completing this post, I was driving to meet a friend for breakfast. The car in front had the perfect license plate. It was as if the universe was speaking back at me. The light changed. I got stuck behind the red light as the perfect plate sped ahead. Phew, I was catching up again. And then a car scooted in front of me. Needless to say I was disappointed I didn't capture a photo. A bit later down the road, I was caught by another light. And there in the left turn lane was the car, with the perfect plate. Snap. Snap. It gets better. The reason I sometimes snap plates is because my niece posts a lot of "good ones" on her Instagram. You know, It's a way to connect with her. I didn't realize until I was actually texting her a pic of this plate later in the day, that the car ended up being under the sign "Rocco's." And then I knew the universe was also speaking to her. Rocco was her much beloved pit pull who passed away very recently. He was sending Thank yous from heaven. -ND