First Impressions
A well known adage among chefs is “We eat with our eyes.” Foods that are not attractively presented, that are discolored or look odd are often rejected or regarded with suspicion. This is a valuable consideration not just for dining activities, but also for the presentation standards that should be applied to many other areas of commerce.
If you operate any professional enterprise, it is widely accepted that you should want the presentation of your services to appear professional, orderly, well maintained and even comfortable. With some exceptions, like a mechanic’s environment or a metal working shop, where you expect to see some scrap and grease and grime, most of us make immediate assessments based on the first impression when walking into a place of business. This may be a hotel lobby, or a doctor’s office, or a grocery store or a restaurant. In all of these places, if there was an unpleasant odor or a level of disrepair as to be distracting, we might choose to leave or at the very least, we may assess the satisfaction level of our visit with lower grades due to the poor presentation.
In recent weeks, I have had the opportunity to visit a couple of businesses that are not getting the best support from their supply partners or their business consultants with respect to “putting their best foot forward.” To be fair, the quality of the product/service provided in both instances was very good, even exemplary. But the initial impression left both my wife and I questioning if we should “take a chance” based on what our eyes were telling us.
So I guess that chalks one up in the corner of the other well known adage, “you can’t judge a book by its cover.” Yet in today’s business environment with so much access to such a wide array of information at everyone’s fingertips (as they rest on their mobile keyboard) or just an Siri or Alexa inquiry away, the savvy business owner should protect his brand by ensuring that first impression is the best impression possible, each and every engagement.
This is where the relationship with suppliers, consultants, associates/employees, and listening to customers, plays a critical role in the success trajectory of any new business, but should be equally as important to established businesses as well. The operator of any business is consumed daily with the key issues that need managing on that day. Also, the day to day familiarity of the business operations, may dull the operator’s senses with respect to the presentation, appearances and overall atmosphere of their enterprise. But a quality supplier should notice that there is a fly problem in the restaurant, or an odor problem emanating from the dumpster that is unsettling to those in the parking lot. A stained carpet in the lobby of the hotel can be off-putting to a road weary traveler, who then wonders how much attention has been paid to his guest room. The expensive and high quality meat in the butcher’s case, or the produce at the produce stand lose some of their appeal when there is a dried out and discolored chicken breast or a steak that has lost its bloom, or a rotting peach or discolored head of lettuce on display. Their suppliers should be on the lookout for solutions to prevent such blemishes on their brand.
As an entrepreneurial consultant, I see such situations and wish to spend some time with the business operator and ask him/her to evaluate their current partnerships. “Are you getting the benefits and the value for what you’re paying for from your supply partner and/or your business consultants?” The investment in their business didn’t stop once they opened their doors for their first customers, guests, patients and clients. It is ongoing, and their partners should be investing with them at every turn!
At Silver Fox Consulting, we are your eyes and ears and we are committed acting as your brand’s quality control. We will offer guidance on suppliers that will be essential success partners.
