A survey by mailing services company Pitney Bowes revealed that less than a quarter of small firms were actively working with staff to enhance their company image.
For example, only 25 percent of the participants said they were focused on improving their employees phone manner or written communication skills.
Small firms are aware of the importance of presentation, but once they have made initial decisions tend to focus on other things. Business experts agree that a firm’s image needs constant attention.
If the company website is not up-to-date, for example, it may make the company product look stale. Apart from fresh content, websites need to be constantly assessed to make sure they remain easy to navigate as documents are added and new content areas are introduced.
Links may be a useful website feature, but they need to be checked periodically to make sure they still work. And too many links just make a site look cluttered. New material needs to be carefully proof-read. Simple typographical errors can make the whole company look sloppy.
Psychologists have long pointed out to us that first impressions can be lasting, and are very difficult to alter if they are negative ones. This applies to businesses as well. ‘Making a positive first impression in business is no different from making a positive impression at a job interview or a sales meeting,’ says Patrick Keddy, President of Pitney Bowes, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.
A firm’s image needs ongoing attention as part of its formal or informal quality management. And the key to quality management is to set clear goals that can be measured.
For example, sales staff can be set clear standards by which to measure their performance. Do they greet each customer that enters the store? Do they make eye contact? Do they ask each customer if they need assistance?
Ongoing staff training can help keep staff focused on what is expected of them. Customer feedback needs to be actively sought to make sure that customer service standards are being met and that changing customer needs are being taken into consideration.
‘Our survey shows that small businesses….want to be seen as “reliable”, “efficient” and “caring”,’ said Mr. Keddy, ‘but a poorly answered phone, a late appointment or an out of date web site can easily affect your credibility as a business.’
While there are costs to training the team, keeping them focused on their goals, and monitoring customer satisfaction, these costs are lower than the cost of lost business. It’s cheaper to keep customers with good service than to win back customers who have been lost through poor service.
Areas to consider:
- Consistency of business brand wherever it appears.
- Presentation of any written materials. This means advertisements, marketing materials such as catalogs, customer communications, signage, and any documentation going out from the business.
- Website.
- Phone standards, including use of answer services.
- Customer service standards and communications.
- Team dress standards.
Copyright 2003, RAN ONE Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted with permission from www.ranone.com