•  "I need you to do me a favor" = "I want you to do this for me for FREE"
•  "You could just put a little dob of solder on this" = "I want you to do this for me for FREE"
•  "I just need you to bend this a little" = "I want you to do this for me for FREE"
•  "All I need is for you to ........  = "I want you to do this for me for FREE"

Of course, all of these statements could be preceeded by any version of "I need you to stop whatever you're doing now......"

I just do NOT understand this.  I don't know how anyone can walk into a business and expect someone to stop whatever they are doing, to do something for them, and not expect to pay for it.  I just don't get it.

As I said, a person came in and said "I need you to do me a favor" (i.e. "I want you to do this for me for FREE"), and laid out a chain with a knot in it.  What this person should have said was "I want you to stop whatever you are doing right now, which somebody is paying you for, and get this knot out of this chain for me....FOR FREE".  Now, I'm a nice guy and do lots of 'freebies' for people, but most of the time they don't even know it.  Ya know, things like; while I have the job prepped and retipping prongs anyway, and find a couple more need to be done, I just do them, and don't charge extra.  I don't like 'surprise' bills any more than anyone else does...so when I give someone a price to do a job I stick to it.  

But back to the story. I went back and got the tools, came out front and started on the chain, and got the knot out in literally five seconds.  Just then the phone rang.  It was a long-distance phone call on a subject that would take only a minute, and I was there by myself, so I proceeded with the call.  The person picked up the chain and turned around to start looking at some merchandise.  She walked down the cases toward the door....and then right out the door.  The person never looked back to say "thanks", or "I'll be right back" or anything...just left.

I have never been so furious, shocked and humiliated at the same time...until then.   Decent people would ask, "How much do I owe you?". 

I've said many times "I'm not gonna let this happen again!" only to do the same stupid thing over and over again, which is; go back and pick up the tools to do the 'favor'.

I have tried to remember to tell people right up front, "There will be a charge for this, the minimum is $5.00", but then I get into the habit of forgetting.  My returning with the tools and doing the work the person requested was my way of saying "O.K. I'll do it...for you...for free".  So in this way it's my fault the person just walked out without saying anything, but a simple "thank you" was difintely in order.

Sometimes it's people who come in wanting me to use my 27 years experience (in doing jewelry work and looking at gems and metals) to give them information about a purchase made somewhere else or verify the authenticity of something...again, for FREE.  I can assure you that most of the knowledge I have gained in the jewelry business did not come free.  I learned it from either "The University of Hard Knocks" or from any of the many publications to which I subscribe.   So I've PAID for my knowledge.  But, I'm supposed to just give it out for free.....right.  That's why people get raises at their jobs; the more they know the more valuable they are.  THEY GET PAID FOR WHAT THEY KNOW.

Nothing in life is FREE.  Someone has paid for it in time, energy, money or all three.  No one should expect anything they ask of a professional to be "FREE".  Good manners and common courtesy demand that we should ask what the charges will be any time we ask a professional at work, to do something for us.  And by the way, if you are gaining any valuable information from this writing about how to act toward a professional jeweler, you should know that although you are getting the info for free, I have paid to have it placed here for you....see, I AM a nice guy after all.