My father once told me, “Dress nicely when you travel. You don’t have to wear a suit, but nice pants a button down shirt and penny loafers”. This didn’t make sense to me. I was of the school of, “dress comfortably when you travel”. Upon my inquiry for further explanation my father imparted to me the following wisdom. “Should you have a problem, whether it be a vehicle break-down, problems with reservations (hotel, airline or restaurant), you’re stopped by law enforcement, etc., you will be treated as you look. If you look like an educated, professional person, you will be treated as such – if you don’t, you will find your treatment to be less favorable.”
PEOPLE JUDGE BASED ON APPEARANCE – they always have, they always will. Prove it to yourself, who would you rather leave your $35000 car with, a man in an old T-shirt and greasy jeans, or someone in a clean uniform with name and company emblems? This is why so many people take their cars to the dealer for repairs, regardless of the fact that it is significantly more expensive; image. Our perception is that the uniformed mechanics are experts, because they look the part. We have no way of knowing that the guy in the old t-shirt isn’t a better mechanic, but he doesn’t look like it.
As a society we teach that judging by appearance is a flawed behavior, but our human instincts tell us otherwise. I told my father, that day, that people should not judge others based on their looks. His reply came, “Son, that is the difference between how things should be and how they are, and you must deal with things as they are”. He then asked, “Do you think it would be easier to dress nicely, or to dress as you wish (sweat pants, t-shirt, sneakers) and convince each person you come into contact with why you should be treated favorably and why their thinking is flawed?” Again, the wisdom of age triumphs over the passion of youth. I always dress nicely when I travel now, and the difference is marked. It still amazes me. More weight is given to what I say. People, in general, are more polite and accommodating.
Rather than try to convince everyone that your company is professional, reliable and capable, or that your people truly are experts, wouldn’t it be easier to outfit them in clean crisp uniforms, so they look the part, and let people judge them by their appearance? Simplify your life – it is much easier to look the part, than to dress as you choose and have to convince everyone that you are something other than what you appear to be. Uniforms define your employees as capable, reliable, professionals and experts, and they will be judged as such by your customers & prospects when they look the part because, right or wrong, PEOPLE JUDGE BASED ON APPEARANCE.
Call Lord Baltimore Uniform Rental today at 410-732-2700 to find out how we can help your business maintain its professional appearance!
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