Once you get a customer inside your building, that impression must continue and, in my opinion, more important. Some fifteen years ago, I was in Manilla recruiting new staff, and I met some professionals from a large training facility who also offered web design and SEO services. They invited me to visit their large offices that took up seven floors. The company also trained Filipinos to enter service industries. My contact met me, and he took me to the first level, which was training staff for the hotel industry. The lift opened, and I walked into what could have been any five-star hotel. A full reception with two trainees welcomed me to the Hotel training facility. I was so impressed by the professionalism. Next, I was taken to their hotel cooking and supply management section, where I was shown their full-size, walk- in freezers and pantries full of staples that every restaurant or cruise ship would need. Next, their chef’s kitchen, where the head chef and about twelve trainee chefs were in the midst of a class. The class stopped as we entered, and my chaperone introduced me as Mr Kingman from Australia. The entire room, the head chef and all trainees responded in unison, ‘Welcome Mr Kingman to Magsaysay; we hope you enjoy your visit,’ in almost musical precision. I want to make this point here because it is very relevant. I wasn’t there representing Hyatt Hotels; I was evaluating using the company for website and SEO development. I did not need to be shown the service industry training floors. From there, I was taken to their cruise ship floor, actual cruise ship cabins where trainees were taught to make beds and clean rooms. The “Bridge”, where the navigation and senior crew were trained. After several more floors, I was taken back to the Hotel training floor, where I was welcomed to the “Hotel Dining Room”, where I sat down for lunch, was served by trainee wait staff, and enjoyed a lovely lunch by the apprentice chefs. Even a glass of wine from a Sommelier. Think about what this company did for a relatively small business opportunity. You don’t need to go to these lengths, but you do need to make a concerted effort to present well and to speak respectfully and professionally. I cannot tell you how many times I have retold this story. You are in the perfect industry to make yourself look as impressive as your design skills and imagination allow. Wrap your walls and build some fantastic 3D lettering. Build some creative sculpture designs. I put much effort into my reception area and had a large showroom. Externally was 3-metre high in Corton steel lettering, and I designed a 3.6 metre tall HB Pencil “floating” above the ground. I did several other sculptural items, but the HB Pencil always attracted attention. People regularly asked to photograph it. We also had an excellent coffee machine, but we didn’t ask customers if they would like a coffee; instead, we would give them our coffee menu, which included still or sparkling water. When they sat down in the boardroom, it was set with a plate of fresh muffins, scones, or occasionally freshly cooked sausage rolls. Very few people ate from the plate of food; instead, many were so impressed that they took photos to show their workmates. The staff always got the leftovers, so it was a win-win. But the impression left a lasting legacy. As you entered, we had a large LED screen on the reception wall; it was the first thing you saw. If we knew in advance that you were coming, we would have a scrolling message saying, “Welcome Mr Joe Bloggs from ABC Industries,” and we would display images from your website. So many people asked for a photo of themselves in front of those screens. It made terrific marketing and immeasurably good relationships. It doesn’t take much effort to make your place look unique and train your people on excellent communication skills. But it does mean it’s an ongoing challenge. To update, keep training, and instil confidence in your people to represent you with great pride. If, after fifteen-odd years, I still tell people about my Manilla experience in one of my least-loved destinations in the world, what could you do with your business in a country like Australia with so many choices and inspiration? 40 DEC 2022/JAN 2023 40 DEC 2022/JAN 2023 40 DEC 2022/JAN 2023 VERNON KINGMAN VERNON KINGMAN has been in the sign industry for over 50 years, owning one of the country’s most respected companies. He now writes, coaches and mentors businesses to reach their goals. Vernon can be contacted on [email protected] Photo Credit: Drew Beamer (Unsplash)
