Glass Magazine Article – April 2018 Issue, Page 90
Here’s an Idea…
Companies from all parts of the glass and glazing industry have implemented innovative, out-of-the- box ideas to improve business from the ground up. Here’s an Idea… showcases these sometimes small behind-the-scenes ideas that can make a big impact on a company’s bottom line. If you have an idea that you would like to share, contact Norah Dick, ndick@glass.org
First impressions are vital to a business, and those impressions are often formed when a customer is first greeted by an employee. The behavior and appearance of a company’s employees become the standard by which the company presents itself. A renewed focus on first impressions can be a catalyst for changes in all aspects of the business.
When Angelo Rivera, vice president of Faour Glass Technologies, faourglass.com, and chair-elect of National Glass Association, glass.org, came into the business, he noticed that the company’s field employees were not dressed to the same standards as those who worked in the office. The employees who worked in the field wore T-shirts and pants that were often tattered, where the managers and other office staff wore more formal golf shirts. “I said why do the office people look like that and the techs look like this? That was not the image that I saw for the company that we wanted to build,” says Rivera.
To promote a more positive business image, and because all levels of employees had exposure to customers, Rivera implemented a uniform policy to elevate the way all his employees presented themselves.
But, change didn’t come easy. “It took a while to get to that point-people don’t like to change. It’s not something that happens overnight.” he says.
Rivera encourages business leaders to stick to the requirement, regardless, because it’s ultimately an investment in the company.
Over time, Faour employees have developed a sense of pride in the way they dress, which, Rivera says, ultimately results in a “level of pride in their work.” The higher standard of dress has not only affected attitude within the company but has also given customers a higher level of confidence in the professionalism of the company and its employees.
Rivera notes that to change external perceptions of a company, the perception within the company must change first.
“At Faour Glass, [the change in perception] started with uniforms but it has migrated to all aspects of doing business, from our vehicles and how they are badged with logos, to the safety equipment, to the language our employees are expected to use on the jobsite,” says Rivera. “We’re doing all of this because we want to differentiate ourselves from everyone else, and it’s amazing how this approach has changed the mental culture of the company.”
http://www.glassmagazinedigital.com/publication/?m=22077&l=1&i=486784&p=90
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