Your corporate culture is on display from that initial contact with your company. Businesses underestimate the intuitive senses that resonate from first impressions. When an outsider walks in the door they are provided an immediate sense of your corporate culture. It is those impressions that either draws them in or makes them step back and evaluate their desire to engage or connect.
I understand that many organizations cannot afford to have a full-time receptionist at their front desk anymore. However, what type of impression does a business give when you walk into a lobby and there is phone alongside a list of extensions to call? What is the impression if there is a bell to ring for service?
These are the simple, obvious examples. I can sit in a lobby of a business and sense the energy in the building. In today’s business environment, the pace is fast and it borders on chaos many days. However, there are different forms of chaos.
Is your team happy, connected, engaged, and working at a high level? Or, are they stressed, pressed, challenged, and on the verge of panic? Those behaviors are apparent to the outsider walking in for the first time. Some are much more appealing and attractive than others.
What type of impression or environment draws people to your business—the positive or negative energy?
“The energy that people feel on first contact is what provides the pull that makes them want to belong to your organization.”
As your business continues to work through this challenging economic environment, remember people want to be part of something great. Does your business draw them in or put them off? Think about it.
Dave Cooke is CEO of Strategic Resource Group, llc an organization specializing in helping businesses increase their revenues through effective growth initiatives and employee development programs. His contributions and insights can be found on his blog posts, SalesCooke and Sustainable Revenues.
Photo credit: AShotAway
