Cornerstonemanagement’s Weblog

What do dress codes  have to do with Customer Service?

Your interested in improving your customer  service and all of a sudden your reading an article on the dress of your employees. What has dress got to do with Customer Service? John Molloy in his book, Dress for Success, suggests, “we are preconditioned by our environment, and the clothing we wear is an integral part of that environment. The way we dress has remarkable impact on the people we meet professionally or socially and greatly (sometimes crucially) affects how they treat us.” He concludes ,the fact is that “people who look successful and well educated receive preferential treatment in almost all their social or business encounters.”

If your employees are dressed properly your customers will treat them accordingly and they will be successful in business. That will equate to improved business for your company. A willingness to do work with your employees results in more sales in the company coffers.

Successful dress need not be expensive!

Dressing for success does not necessarily mean everyone should be wearing the “IBM Dress”, blue three piece suit ,white shirt etc. The manner of dress should suit the job. Dress codes are important as they affect and reflect the work environment. Brad Johnson, special council for the labour and Employment department at Foley and Lardner law firm in Jacksonville, states, employers have leeway with dress codes, they should be established with in reason, they need to relate to the business.” Molloy explains the first rule is “common sense”. So a stock broker wears the 3 piece suit  and the store salesperson  wears nice conservative clean sharp business casual wear. Patrick Golden a senior  art director explains “ you don’t want to underscore your work by looking like a slob”.

The “Moment of Truth”.

In other pieces we have talked about the Moment of truth. Martha Barrett a manager of businesses for the King Cos. an employment leasing firm, says ‘Appearance says a lot about you when you’re meeting someone for the first time.”

Every company or organization should have a dress code that fits their individual business. Dress codes affect personal appearance as well as that of a company, there are instances where violations can get sticky. Dress Codes should be self enforced. If your IBM or stock broker then a blue suit, if your landscape gardener a tee shirt with the company logo, a matching  logoembroidered cap and appropriate pants.  The important point is dress professionally to suit the job.

So why come to Cornerstone Management Services?

Cornerstone Management Services Inc. has been in business for 9 years, selling a successful database and helping customers improve their customer  service. More and more companies are looking for that edge to get them higher than their competition.  We have taught courses on customer service part of which includes ,” The Moment of Truth”. This has led us to expand our business offering into the promotional or perhaps professional wear area.

We have access to a number of different companies to help set your dress code. Also we can call on the menswear sales manager of a former major Canadian retail department store for input based on his 40 years of expertise. Our goal would be to outfit your employees in the dress code that meets your level of professionalism, without the high cost.

For more information see:

http://www.cornerstonemanagementservices.com/promotional_wear.html

or contact us at:

905-336-6503

 www.cornerstonemanagementservices.com

Email: dave.morris@sympatico.ca