"You never get a second chance to make a good first impression"
This you know only too well.
If you're on the phone to your insurer, in a store dealing with a sales clerk, or on live-chat to your bank, your opinion is shaped by how they come across.
I once phoned our broadband provider to confirm a change. I got through to a guy in their call centre. He picked up but then, for the first seconds, continued a prior conversation with a colleague next to him. When he finally spoke, he offered no apology. And began a monologue in the robotic call centre way. Needless to say, I shan't be recommending them to anyone.
The point is, you need to treat each new engagement with the utmost of respect. If it helps, imagine winning this project is the difference between paying the bills or going bust. Which would you rather?
And that's today's small business tip: Set the right first impression.
In how you talk and what you say. In the clothes you wear and the vehicle you arrive in. Even how punctual you are. It all adds up to making the best first impression. One that lasts. So make it count.
Best, Lindsey