A Wren Says

I’m continuing my series on the Van Cleef and Arpels drama as outlined in mangomoniica’s stories on TikTok. You can view them all on her page, but let’s think about the root of the storytime. Her discontent was rooted in the actions of one employee. That experience soured her taste for the brand overall. There are multiple people on TikTok who have said that was not their experience. Some have also said that they may have had a sour experience in one store, and that’s why they go to a different boutique now.

Perhaps, there were people in the Hawaii boutique who would have provided Monica with excellent guest experience. Perhaps she could have gone to Las Vegas or New York to try again and have her concerns heard. Perhaps she could have done all that and became a Van Cleef and Arpels loyalist. But she didn’t. As many amazing people as there might be in the brand, it only took one to shape her perception of Van Cleef and Arpels. The same is true for you.

Like it or not, every single person on your payroll reflects your brand.

Every person your customer interacts with tells them something about your brand. What are they learning? You can do all that you want to create the best ads, make amazing products, and design a beautiful storefront. But if a first time customer walks into your store and is greeted by a rude employee, that will become that person’s first impression. And if you’re unlucky, that will be the only impression because that person will never return.

Mind you, I am not suggesting that you force all of your employees to smile lifelessly, forgetting all their problems. I am suggesting you make sure that you pay attention to who you’re hiring and how you are treating those people. Your employees will make or break your first impression. What are you doing to make sure that you are building them up?